***Official Australia in India***

[TT Boy]

Well at least India won’t have to put up with passenger Ganguly’s fielding for much longer. Taxi for Sourav.

 

[pup11]

What the **** is Haddin doing, he should be looking to take singles and try to give as much strike as possible to Hussey, but he is going for wild flashes outside the off-stump, i always get this feeling watching Haddin that whenever he gets bogged down he just starts trying to hit his way out of trouble, but i don't think that sort of an approach would work on a track like this.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Yeah, Haddin needs to be a bit more patient. He'll get there if he gets through this early period, but he's played some silly shots.

 

[duffer]

Ishant deserves more than he's gotten so far. Haddin's wafts outside off are a bit worrying. Would think someone as experienced as him would be better than that.

 

[social]

Yeah, Haddin needs to be a bit more patient. He'll get there if he gets through this early period, but he's played some silly shots.

Someone made the point earlier about Oz batsman struggling to "get in" in India

More than fair enough when you consider that Katich, Ponting and Hussey have all made it look pretty easy once set

Seems to me that there is quite a bit in the wicket/atmosphere - bats need to survive early period and then runs start flowing

 

[Perm]

Ishant looks the goods, but I've still got a concern about his actual wicket-taking. Still averages 40 something in Tests I think.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Yeah that was me who posted about the "getting in" thing.

It's the main issue. The wicket isn't too bad (though as I've been saying, I don't think it's a road either), batting isn't that hard and it rarely is in India (give or take the occasional Mumbai '04), but the conditions do make getting set, timing the ball and so on trickier. The batsmen who are most successful here are those who take their time getting in, Martyn was a great example of that last time around, and Hussey and Ponting have done the same here.

If Haddin learns that I'm sure he'll do fine, he's a better batsman than he's looked so far.

 

[andyc]

Ishant looks the goods, but I've still got a concern about his actual wicket-taking. Still averages 40 something in Tests I think.

Nah, the wickets will come. Look at Brett Lee from about the 2005 Ashes onwards; for the first while he looked great, even if the wickets weren't flowing in, but they came eventually. Sharma really does look a great prospect, I was thinking he might not be able to carry on from his effort in Australia, but hopefully this time he'll get the wickets he deserves (at a cost, of course).

 

[social]

Given the standard of his fielding, Ganguly will cost his team 10-15 runs per innings

He could have a good series with the bat (say an average of 40) but still be a pretty poor contributor overall

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

If these two are still there after lunch it could get pretty bad for India. Both capable of scoring rapidly when set, and batting should be easier than this morning.

Important time in the match.

 

[Craig]

Shane Watson must be one of the few Queenslanders that a NSW or Victorian would want to do well.

 

[Top_Cat]

Dare we say it; if Huss gets a ton, better knock than Ponting's?

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Dare we say it; if Huss gets a ton, better knock than Ponting's?

Less scares certainly. Only real trouble he's had is when he was dropped early.

Ponting's knock more significant though, so far. More individually significant too. Hussey could go on and turn this into a big one though, so we'll see. Geez he looks good out there.

 

[Ikki]

As of right now, Ponting's lowest average against a Test nation is 48 - which is against England. The rest are 50+. Amazing. Keep it going Punter!

 

[NUFAN]

Brave innings from Haddin, I've got to say. Good to see him reach lunch. Hussey = brilliant.

 

[Nate]

Top stuff by Hads to still be out there. Loved his shot off Sehwag.

 

[pasag]

I remember a blogger, perhaps Mukul Kesavan once saying that for an Australian fan there's nothing more calming then seeing Mike Hussey at the crease, was spot on.

 

[aussie tragic]

Just had a look at the FC batting averages of this Aussie side….amazing depth

1. Hayden – 53.46
2. Katich – 54.53
3. Ponting – 60.19
4. Hussey – 54.68
5. Clarke – 42.99
6. Watson – 46.58
7. Haddin – 41.28
8. White – 41.47
9. Lee -19.30
10. Johnson - 25.96
11. Clark – 13.85

 

[Prince EWS]

Just had a look at the FC batting averages of this Aussie side….amazing depth

1. Hayden – 53.46
2. Katich – 54.53
3. Ponting – 60.19
4. Hussey – 54.68
5. Clarke – 42.99
6. Watson – 46.58
7. Haddin – 41.28
8. White – 41.47
9. Lee -19.30
10. Johnson - 25.96
11. Clark – 13.85

Haha yeah, it's pretty ridiculous really.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Pretty ordinary captaincy at times from Kumble, IMO. Should've given Ganguly or Tendulkar a short burst by now - particulalry considering how ordinary he and Harbhajan have been.