*Official* Road to India in Australia 2011/12

[Furball]

Presuming there's no DRS, how many bans will be handed out?

There will be DRS, just a system without any of the useful parts in it.

Presumably with the BCCI's stance against technology, there will be no bitching about umpiring decisions proven wrong with the use of technology.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

If Australia select properly, I think they'll win this series.

Agree.

For example can't go in with Johnson and Siddle in same team as it is proven it doesn't work carrying 2 very hit and miss bowlers in the same side.

I guess the key to the series will be the fitness of Harris and Zaheer, both very good bowlers but clearly there is no guarantee they will will be fit for all 4 matches of the series.

 

[Howe_zat]

Thoughts?

Oh, I don't mean the debatable business like whether MJ should be dropped or whether you should pick Marsh or Khawaja. I mean that I think you'll win if you avoid the total clangers that were made for the majority of last year like Doherty and Beer.

 

[Redbacks]

Gideon Haigh can spot a few problems we might face:

Big Bash likely to leave partygoers with hangovers | The Australian

The domestic first-class season will take an eight-week hiatus; for the first time in 33 years, too, there will be a second major cricket attraction simultaneous with a traditional Test series.
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Hilfenhaus started 2011-12 with 53 Sheffield Shield overs in Perth; today he is scheduled to play his second Ryobi Cup game in Mackay. Assuming continuity of selection and workload, he could deliver as many as 350 overs by December 9.

Over the ensuing two months, for the Hobart Hurricanes, he will then be afforded a maximum of 36 overs.

 

[Furball]

Thoughts?

If they avoid doing stupid **** like naming Steve O'Keefe as the 'A' spinner, seeing him do well in the tour game then passing over him for Beer, naming 4 quicks at Melbourne because it worked in Perth, playing Steve Smith as a specialist number 7 at Sydney, the whole shambles that was Doug Bollinger's selection and preparation at Adelaide etc then they'll be ok. There's some selections that might not work out because the player isn't in form (such as picking Hughes to replace the injured Katich) but are perfectly logical; then there's just the kind of stupidity we saw last year.

 

[smash84]

Well yeah, I mean you can't lose your avatar forever again.

Australia will probably win. Mainly because Greg Chappell has been chucked out of the system. So we can expect some sane heads to prevail now.

 

[Cevno]

Both Zaheer and Ishant are still doubtful for the series IIRC?

 

[Ruckus]

Oh, I don't mean the debatable business like whether MJ should be dropped or whether you should pick Marsh or Khawaja. I mean that I think you'll win if you avoid the total clangers that were made for the majority of last year like Doherty and Beer.

Oh right, sorry I thought you meant specifically. Yeah I don't think they'll be too many of those atrocious selection decisions this time around. The only possible changes to the batting I can think of (and they are probably unlikely) would be Khawaja/Warner in for Marsh/Hughes if the latter two fail big time in SA. Wouldn't necessarily agree with those changes, but at the same time they wouldn't be that unjustified. Same goes with the bowling; the bowling line up will probably consist of a combination of Johnson, Siddle, Harris, Copeland, Cummins, Bollinger and Lyon.

 

[Burgey]

Agree.

For example can't go in with Johnson and Siddle in same team as it is proven it doesn't work carrying 2 very hit and miss bowlers in the same side.

I guess the key to the series will be the fitness of Harris and Zaheer, both very good bowlers but clearly there is no guarantee they will will be fit for all 4 matches of the series.

This.

I'm sure this will be a series which will play out in a very generous spirit between the two sets of fans here on CW

 

[Furball]

Both Zaheer and Ishant are still doubtful for the series IIRC?

IIRC if Zaheer's recovery goes to plan (ie he's out for exactly 16 weeks) then he'll be 'fit' for the tour game. I think picking Zaheer for the 1st or 2nd Tests would be a ridiculously stupid risk. Should take him in the squad and try and get him some grade cricket to try and get match sharpness provided his recovery goes to plan.

Ishant is fit but has a dud ankle. I really don't understand why he wasn't told he was getting surgery immediately; after the Sehwag debacle you'd have thought lessons might be learned about carrying half fit.players. I admire the reasons why Ishant has delayed surgery but it's still stupid.

 

[Cevno]

Yeah, agree with that. Odd move to delay the surgery, if he isn't going to be 100% fit in any case and have a chance of aggravating it and costing the team while the test is going on.

Also, hopefully Pujara gets fit in time and gets some domestic games under the belt before the selection is made.

 

[marc71178]

India vs Australia, my favourite Test series. Should be epic.

The last time the two teams played, I lost my avatar - forever. Things will be different this time around

Turbinator not taking avatar bets for this series it seems...

 

[Daemon]

Very difficult to see us win a game without Zaheer. Ishant may or may not turn up (not literally), because of his injury. Have a feeling Praveen will have a good series and our spinner will get owned. I give up predicting the performance of Indian batsmen so I'll just pray that Pujara gets a gig and does well.

Personally very afraid of Hussey and to a lesser extent, Ponting and Watson. The Australian bowling is a level above the Indians imo, though I'm hoping our experienced batsmen will negate that advantage.

Should be close at the very least.

 

[smash84]

that it would be close.....we thought that before the england series too..........who woulda thunk a 4-0 drubbing?

Zaheer should retire from cricket I think. Seems to be heading the Shoaib Akhtar way

 

[Daemon]

Zaheer had the the best bowling average in the series

 

[ganeshran]

This is going to be much more difficult than the England tour.

Oz is the final frontier for Indian sides.

 

[vic_orthdox]

This is going to be much more difficult than the England tour.

Oz is the final frontier for Indian sides.

Really?

No chance of us winning 4-0, I'll tell you that now.

 

[Redbacks]

This is going to be much more difficult than the England tour.

Oz is the final frontier for Indian sides.

To channel Lee Nelson, Australia don't currently have the same qualiteee!!

 

[ganeshran]

Really?

No chance of us winning 4-0, I'll tell you that now.

To channel Lee Nelson, Australia don't currently have the same qualiteee!!

Thats true, but India has never won a series in Australia, but have won in England before in 2007

No matter if Oz dont have the same quality, it will still be very difficult to beat you guys at home.

 

[Furball]

Really?

No chance of us winning 4-0, I'll tell you that now.

There's more chance of a 4-0 than an Indian win.