***Official*** Australia in India 2012/13

[Burgey]

Not a chance. Watson will bat four, surely?

 

[benchmark00]

Yes.

 

[dermo]

Not a chance. Watson will bat four, surely?

The time he spent at 4 this summer he looked pretty rubbish tbh, but since hes been opening hes got a ton and 3 fifties, I don't think theres any question hes better suited to opening its just a lot of faith to put in our young guys to perform in that middle order, particularly if clarke fails. but lets be honest no matter where anyone else bats if clarke fails we're ****ed

 

[Burgey]

The time he spent at 4 this summer he looked pretty rubbish tbh, but since hes been opening hes got a ton and 3 fifties, I don't think theres any question hes better suited to opening its just a lot of faith to put in our young guys to perform in that middle order, particularly if clarke fails. but lets be honest no matter where anyone else bats if clarke fails we're ****ed

There's no way they would play two of Henriques, Maxwell and Khawaja though.

I mean, imagine Khawaja four and either of the other two at six.

I just had a little vomie.

Edit: to accommodate Watson at opener, I mean.

 

[benchmark00]

There are two spots up for grab, #6 and a bowler.

Cowan
Warner
Prince
Watson
Clarke
xxxx
Wade
xxxx
Pattinson
Siddle
Lyon



If the selectors go with a second spinner (Doherty) Moises will debut at six. I think this is a terrible option.

If the selectors go for another seamer (which they will), they will probably go with Starc, which they should, or they may go with Bird. In that case they will have to decide whether they think spin will be a big factor, a moderate factor or not a factor. If they think it will be a big factor they will go with Maxwell. If they think it will be a moderate factor and they want a bob each way, they will go with Smith. If they think it won't be a factor and they need to bolster batting, they will go with Usman.

 

[Burgey]

Who are India's likely spinners for the first test anyway?

 

[Prince EWS]

Not a chance. Watson will bat four, surely?

As long as Warner is fit, yeah.

 

[dermo]

There's no way they would play two of Henriques, Maxwell and Khawaja though.

I mean, imagine Khawaja four and either of the other two at six.

I just had a little vomie.

Edit: to accommodate Watson at opener, I mean.

Agreed, but is Khawaja at four and Smith at 6 and option? or Cowan goes to 4?

The thought of flogwell wearing a baggy green brings me to tears

 

[Prince EWS]

Now there both out, who opens in the 1st test? Im gunna say Watson and Warner and they drop Cowan.

Nah absolutely no chance that they're dropping Cowan given the squad they've picked.

 

[Prince EWS]

Who are India's likely spinners for the first test anyway?

They've picked Ashwin, Ojha, Harbhajan and Jadeja in the squad. I reckon Ashwin and Ojha are pretty much certainties and whether the other two play will depend on team balance. Jadeja will bat 6 or 7 if he does play.

 

[Burgey]

They've picked Ashwin, Ojha, Harbhajan and Jadeja in the squad. I reckon Ashwin and Ojha are pretty much certainties and whether the other two play will depend on team balance. Jadeja will bat 6 or 7 if he does play.

Ta. Starc is probably most likely to reverse it, but will they dog it on his selection if they're worried about him making rough for India's off spinner(s)?

 

[benchmark00]

Ta. Starc is probably most likely to reverse it, but will they dog it on his selection if they're worried about him making rough for India's off spinner(s)?

Well if Warner, Cowan, Khawaja, Prince and Wade play, that's five of the top 7 who are lefties.

 

[Burgey]

Well if Warner, Cowan, Khawaja, Prince and Wade play, that's five of the top 7 who are lefties.

Ind33d.

 

[benchmark00]

Meaning Starc creating rough outside the off stump for a right hander isn't a massive deal, given 5/7 of the batsmen are lefties, for those of you playing along at home.

 

[Spikey]

yeah but one of the other two is our only good batsman

 

[uvelocity]

also warnstar has made it clear he intends to switch hit

 

[Prince EWS]

yeah but one of the other two is our only good batsman

I'm not that worried about Clarke v Ashwin+rough, personally. Ashwin is very much a wicket to wicket type bowler. Harbhajan is different but he probably won't play anyway. Two left arm spinners (Ojha and Jadeja) bowling into the rough created by right arm bowlers against our left handers is a much bigger concern IMO.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I just realised that the Australian batsman I had the second most confidence in for this series was Phil Hughes.

Scary stuff.

Crikey that sums up the batting.

 

[Daemon]

I will probably cop some flak from this, but if we're talking about someone bat 6 in India I would much prefer Smith as a batsman alone to Khawaja at the moment. Different in Australia obviously or even maybe to bat top 3 in India, but Khawaja's front foot game just leaves me so, so cold at the moment.

Of course there are a few batsmen I'd prefer to either of them, hence my post, but from the squad selected I'm basically tossing up whether I want Smith or Maxwell in as my 11th player, and Smith wouldn't even bowl at all if I picked him.

classy 30* from all accounts

 

[Prince EWS]

classy 30* from all accounts

If only it was televised; it'd take the number of times you'd seen the bloke bat from 1 to 2.