best team in world cricket right now

[vcs]

In regards to England, hopefully Root is a better skipper than Cook. It could go 50/50 that, as with any new captain. The South African series in the summer will be massive for England, bigger than it has been talked about. At least they have openers now - three of them!! That is one good thing to take from the Indian disaster!

I do not know what the hell has happened to India. The players themselves look far less animated to be honest. I think they have the first session to save their series. They could theoretically bowl the final wickets cheaply and cling on there in the match with a 70 - 80ish deficit and sort the mess out in the second innings. Unlikely as that sounds but that is the best they can hope for.

Good call.

 

[Shri]

Aus bowlers are promising but they will lose the Ashes since no one except Smith/Renshaw will deal with swing well. Maybe 2-1.

 

[ImpatientLime]

probably steve smith.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Aus bowlers are promising but they will lose the Ashes since no one except Smith/Renshaw will deal with swing well. Maybe 2-1.

Renshaw wasn't impressive against the seamers at all tbf

 

[TheJediBrah]

This is still just as hard to call, if not harder. India have dropped off after this series, I doubt they'd be as competitive in Australia as Aus were in India. South Africa are getting punked by the minnows right now and Aus themselves still keep losing random series.

way too hard to call

 

[srbhkshk]

This is still just as hard to call, if not harder. India have dropped off after this series, I doubt they'd be as competitive in Australia as Aus were in India. South Africa are getting punked by the minnows right now and Aus themselves still keep losing random series.

way too hard to call

I almost agree with this, just that I give India a bit of + for getting up after the thrashing in the first test which sort of compensates for the - they get for being **** in the first test.

 

[Adders]

Aus bowlers are promising but they will lose the Ashes since no one except Smith/Renshaw will deal with swing well. Maybe 2-1.

The Ashes are in Aus....as things stand now Australia will walk it mate.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I almost agree with this, just that I give India a bit of + for getting up after the thrashing in the first test which sort of compensates for the - they get for being **** in the first test.

They should have annihilated Australia. 2 of the wickets were dustbowls and the last test wasn't far off. It would be the equivalent of India taking on Australia with 3 out of 4 Tests at an old WACA pitch on steroids.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not writing India off completely after 1 series, but with the wickets that were prepared Australia being competitive at all was a massive shock.

 

[srbhkshk]

They should have annihilated Australia. 2 of the wickets were dustbowls and the last test wasn't far off. It would be the equivalent of India taking on Australia with 3 out of 4 Tests at an old WACA pitch on steroids.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not writing India off completely after 1 series, but with the wickets that were prepared Australia being competitive at all was a massive shock.

I agree, I just like the comeback, not the performance.

 

[Contra]

They should have annihilated Australia. 2 of the wickets were dustbowls and the last test wasn't far off. It would be the equivalent of India taking on Australia with 3 out of 4 Tests at an old WACA pitch on steroids.

The last one wasn't far off from what? Being a dustbowl?

Being a dustbowl doesn't do India any favours ftr. Australia won 3/4 tosses which is actually a big advantage, not match deciding big, but it helps. And the last pitch was definitely in favour of Australia with it's extra bounce. You also have to give credit to Australia for learning from their mistakes a bit and getting to face India at the end of their home season, think if Aussies played India before they toured SL they definitely woulda gotten 4-0'ed

 

[Burgey]

Aus bowlers are promising but they will lose the Ashes since no one except Smith/Renshaw will deal with swing well. Maybe 2-1.

England won't win a test here

 

[S.Kennedy]

I have a method in which England can improve their chances in the Ashes. Kidnap Pat Cummins and hypnotise him into speaking with a ****ney accent and answering to the sound of 'Steven Finn'. Meanwhile send Finn back to Pat's house and instruct him to do his best Aussie accent (a la Mick Jagger, Ned Kelly). Nobody will know the difference, and England will have themselves a decent quick whereas Australia will have a somewhat less than decent quick who they will certainly select.

 

[vitalogy83]

I have a method in which England can improve their chances in the Ashes. Kidnap Pat Cummins and hypnotise him into speaking with a ****ney accent and answering to the sound of 'Steven Finn'. Meanwhile send Finn back to Pat's house and instruct him to do his best Aussie accent (a la Mick Jagger, Ned Kelly). Nobody will know the difference, and England will have themselves a decent quick whereas Australia will have a somewhat less than decent quick who they will certainly select.

Are Finn and Cummings the two best looking quick bowlers in the game after Suranga Lakmal?

On topic - it is desperately hard..everyone seems to be fine at home but once they travel they are all fairly pants..Aus have shown they can be competitive abroad with this team..and certainly this team has the makings to do well in say Eng , NZ and SA..I'd love to know what might happen if Aus played SL right after the India tour.. I will continue to believe that the 3-0 loss was some anomaly in the cricketing matrix..Looking back I have no idea how we whitewashed Aus.

The Eng - SA series will be big to see where SA and Eng really are with their fairly evolving sides at the moment..

 

[TheJediBrah]

Are Finn and Cummings the two best looking quick bowlers in the game after Suranga Lakmal?

On topic - it is desperately hard..everyone seems to be fine at home but once they travel they are all fairly pants..Aus have shown they can be competitive abroad with this team..and certainly this team has the makings to do well in say Eng , NZ and SA..I'd love to know what might happen if Aus played SL right after the India tour.. I will continue to believe that the 3-0 loss was some anomaly in the cricketing matrix..Looking back I have no idea how we whitewashed Aus.

The Eng - SA series will be big to see where SA and Eng really are with their fairly evolving sides at the moment..

Finn and Lakmal good looking?

my god

 

[smash84]

Finn and Lakmal good looking?

my god

Finn is not bad, lakmal isn't anything to write home about.

 

[Shri]

England won't win a test here

I thought it was happening in the UK. My bad.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Afghanistan. Afghanistan is the best team in the world right now.

 

[Slifer]

Aus bowlers are promising but they will lose the Ashes since no one except Smith/Renshaw will deal with swing well. Maybe 2-1.

I'd be very surprised if Australia win by anything less than 2 tests. Outside of RSA, no team has a chance against Australia in Australia

 

[SeamUp]

I agree with the majority in that it is too tough call but on recent results the ICC rankings aren't too far off.

Anyone have India's test schedule ?

Recent test series

4 @ home to Australia
1 @ home to Bangladesh
5 @ home to England
3 @ home to New Zealand
4 away to Windies
4 @ home to South Africa
3 @ home to Sri Lanka

so 20 of India's last 24 tests have been at home ?

 

[Pritish]

I agree with the majority in that it is too tough call but on recent results the ICC rankings aren't too far off.

Anyone have India's test schedule ?

Recent test series

4 @ home to Australia
1 @ home to Bangladesh
5 @ home to England
3 @ home to New Zealand
4 away to Windies
4 @ home to South Africa
3 @ home to Sri Lanka

so 20 of India's last 24 tests have been at home ?

Correction:
3 away to Sri Lanka.