***Official*** India in Australia 2011/12

[Spark]

Statistically he is a genuine great #5. Second highest average and third highest run aggregate amongst players with at least 1k runs at #5.

I mean... if you had a player averaging over 60 across 50+ Tests over 7+ years in all conditions, you'd be talking fast track to ATG status, no?

On the other hand, we could move him...

 

[Spikey]

suck it waugh

 

[uvelocity]

You don't even need to know why or how something works. Just that it does.

 

[Fezza_8600]

As an India fan, even if India perform outstanding in the ODI's, I'll still be disappointed knowing they lost comprehensively in the tests. Test matches are the truer form of cricket.

As for Virat Kohli, I hope he is in the test side for many years to come. He has the grunt and aggression that is lacking from the top-half of the Indian order, namely Dravid and Laxman. Terrifying on paper, yes, but not so much on the field.

 

[stephen]

When Watto comes back into the side the only change should be Marsh dropped from the side to make room and possibly Ponting moving to #3. All this talk of four faster bowlers and Clarke moving to #3 is just nonsense, especially with Watson in the side. Watto could bat #3 quite successfully I think.

 

[Furball]

But would batting at 5 instead of 4 really make such a huge difference?

It's quite possible that my exanation as to why Clarke is so bad at 4 is rubbish and that his bad run of form just happened to coincide with him batting at 4.

But when the Australian batting is shaky, why on earth would you want to risk upsetting Clarke's form by moving him about. Doubly so because Clarke is captain and IMO the form of your captain isn't something you should be risking.

I'd be interested to hear if howardj (or indeed, anyone else who thinks Clarke should move up) believes Clarke should solve the 'who should open' problem for Australia.

 

[Furball]

When Watto comes back into the side the only change should be Marsh dropped from the side to make room and possibly Ponting moving to #3. All this talk of four faster bowlers and Clarke moving to #3 is just nonsense, especially with Watson in the side. Watto could bat #3 quite successfully I think.

I actually like Ponting at 4 - it seems to have reigned him in a bit.

 

[Spark]

Ponting at #4 seems to be working nicely. It gives him a little protection from the new ball whilst not being totally removed from where he's most comfortable.

 

[Cevno]

I mean sorry, but you might hop in your car with your young bloke on new years day at nine in the morning to drive across town to take him to abuse players, but in my experience people take their kids to watch players practice so they learn from watching them.

I don't think thats the issue..and most of the fans who wanted to see them during training were Indian fans anyway.. I think people like Tendulkar, Dravid are so sick of being mobbed by crowds anywhere in India that when they are training, they don't want any distractions.

And honestly I support them..I have been in a few functions where players were interacting with common people and the kind of stuff that people say..the 'advice' that they have on how to play Warne and Ambrose..I don't blame them for not wanting to interact when they are training. After a series is fine.

I agree with this, and i am not saying all of the people who would have come are the same(Obviously some Kids would have come too), but then there is every chance that some idiots would have crept in alongside and when you are down and doing badly they are even more vociferous.

Even when they went Karting, there was a incident with Ishant showing the finger after being abused/taunted by some people etc....

 

[Furball]

I agree with this, and i am not saying all of the people who would have come are the same(Obviously some Kids would have come too), but then there is every chance that some idiots would have crept in alongside and when you are down and doing badly they are even more vociferous.

Even when they went Karting, there was a incident with Ishant showing the finger after being abused/taunted by some people etc....

At which point said idiots would have been removed.

 

[Cevno]

After causing a controversy....

 

[Furball]

After causing a controversy....

No.

 

[uvelocity]

After causing a controversy....

Who are they playing for, if not the fans? Sure for each other and themselves, but if they shut themselves off people will turn away. People in the public eye have to take the good with the bad or suffer the consequences.

Many examples of people copping all kinds of abuses and coming through the other side smelling of roses. Stuff happens to everyone - it's how you handle it.

 

[stephen]

I actually like Ponting at 4 - it seems to have reigned him in a bit.

I actually agree heartily with you. I think Watto should really look to cement himself as the premier #3 in the country tbh. I think he definitely has potential there and it gets him away from having to always back up as an opener when he's bowling.

 

[benchmark00]

There's no difference between 3 and opening for an all rounder.

If you stop Watson from opening because he's an allrounder, then there's no point having him at 3.

 

[stephen]

There's no difference between 3 and opening for an all rounder.

If you stop Watson from opening because he's an allrounder, then there's no point having him at 3.

It does give him a little mental and physical break. Not only that but it keeps the Cowan/Warner combination that I really like.

 

[benchmark00]

It does give him a little mental and physical break. Not only that but it keeps the Cowan/Warner combination that I really like.

Nah it gives pretty much neither of those things. You still have to pad up and focus massively because you're next in.

4 would give you the break.

 

[uvelocity]

Or you could just win the toss everytime and put on 600+

 

[Thom Yorke]

India in Australia 2011-12: Batsmen's failures typify series of gloom | Cricket Features | Australia v India | ESPN Cricinfo

Cricinfo India marks! waaaay offfff!
esp Ishant's 4 vs Ashwin's 3 is way too funny
must've been his close pal!

 

[Burgey]

I agree with this, and i am not saying all of the people who would have come are the same(Obviously some Kids would have come too), but then there is every chance that some idiots would have crept in alongside and when you are down and doing badly they are even more vociferous.

Even when they went Karting, there was a incident with Ishant showing the finger after being abused/taunted by some people etc....

Best play the matches like they do in India then, in front of no one.

No one's asking them to exchange bodily fluids with people, or even sign autographs. If the act of being watched while you practice is so intrusive, you need to give it away. Marry that with the Lack of feed back from the players in interviews and it's no wonder they present as being under siege.