*Official* India Tour of Australia 2018/19

[karan316]

They'll just hide behind Smith/Warner getting banned. Not sure even a Sri Lanka loss would do much.

For the top 3 test teams, 2 key batsmen out of the team shouldn't be an issue at home. I think the Aussie bowlers would have easily compensated for the absence of two senior players if the pitches were a little better. Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood are all capable enough to run through any batting order, and not to mention how effective Lyon is.

 

[M0rphin3]

That opener, Owen Rock averaged 94 from his 6 FC games. Ended his career abruptly to become a doctor. Interesting. Fred should write an article about him

At the end of the 1925-26 season, Rock had passed all of his medical exams at Sydney University and was now a qualified doctor. He now had to make a decision – follow his professional career, or follow his cricket career? Rock was not chosen in the Australian team to tour England in 1926, and he also realised that his only games for NSW occurred when other players were unavailable. He had also been told that his age (30) and leg injuries were reasons for him not being an automatic selection for NSW. He decided to retire from first-class cricket, and set up a medical practice in Newcastle, 160 kilometres north of Sydney, where he served the local community for over 30 years.

https://graham64.wordpress.com/2015...-forgotten-man-of-australian-cricket-history/

Wild.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Hope that India collapses like at the MCG and leaves them 300 odd to chase on the final day?

Yeah, doesn't make sense. STFU Warney.

lol really doesn't make sense at all because if you bat longer instead of declaring behind you could be chasing 150 instead of 300, and India would be more likely to collapse in the first place if the pitch has a bit more wear and they've been kept in the field longer

 

[TheJediBrah]

For the top 3 test teams, 2 key batsmen out of the team shouldn't be an issue at home. I think the Aussie bowlers would have easily compensated for the absence of two senior players if the pitches were a little better. Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood are all capable enough to run through any batting order, and not to mention how effective Lyon is.

Nah Smith & Warner aren't just 2 key batsmen, they're Australia's only real Test-class batsmen (sorry Uzzy) & the best by far.

It's not the same as, for example, England losing Root and Cook (pre-retirement), because they still have Stokes, Bairstow, Buttler etc.

 

[social]

Nah Smith & Warner aren't just 2 key batsmen, they're Australia's only real Test-class batsmen (sorry Uzzy) & the best by far.

It's not the same as, for example, England losing Root and Cook (pre-retirement), because they still have Stokes, Bairstow, Buttler etc.

Plus they compounded the issue with bone headed selections

 

[M0rphin3]

Nah Smith & Warner aren't just 2 key batsmen, they're Australia's only real Test-class batsmen (sorry Uzzy) & the best by far.

It's not the same as, for example, England losing Root and Cook (pre-retirement), because they still have Stokes, Bairstow, Buttler etc.

To think that Dussey, who averaged 50+ didn't get a single chance in tests and now we're looking at Wade as the best genuine test batting option, even without these ****ing dire selections.

 

[Howe_zat]

Hmm should’ve looked at the score before picking in cwpl

 

[Borges]

What a day. Hopefully the pitch wears out a bit from here on in. More importantly, we'll need to hold on to all our catches. We deserve 3-1, hope we don't let them escape with a draw.

Looks like a draw right now; don't think this pitch will ever become difficult to bat on.
I'm glad India went in with two spinners + Vihari. To have any chance of a win, the spinners would have to beat the batsmen in the air.

 

[GotSpin]

The weather is going to shite tomorrow. Will help the Indian bowlers but we're going to lose some time

 

[social]

Looks like a draw right now; don't think this pitch will ever become difficult to bat on.
I'm glad India went in with two spinners + Vihari. To have any chance of a win, the spinners would have to beat the batsmen in the air.

Stop ignoring the lack of quality in the Australian lineup

It’s a glorified state batting order ffs

 

[the big bambino]

India's bowlers traditionally do much better in SA and England than in Australia and those two lineups looked super fragile as well. Those series were massive missed opportunities.

Bumrah has changed things completely. Never thought we'd have a bowler who'd dominate on Australian decks.

India has been developing their side over the year. They began against their hardest opponent in the most unfriendly conditions. Their batsmen at their least prepared their bowling least settled. In England they came up against the home side’s endless batting line and a decisive selection in Sam Curran.

By the time India got to Australia they had developed their combinations. The struggling batting would find conditions more familiar. Even guys like Rahane would be back in a place he’s made runs before. Bumrah is now settled in an improved bowling side. It was not unreasonable to me that India could score against our bowling. I mentioned after their 1st innings wobble in Adelaide that India can’t afford to think they can smash our attack with #intent but treat them with respect and accumulate. Pujara .,. They’ve batted like that and scored runs ever since. In those circumstances you could imagine one bad match by Smith and India would win the series. Without him, Warner and Bancroft it became a certainty.

Few more things. This isn’t our worse side. India’s series win is well deserved. I know how I’d feel if we won in India on the back of them banning their best 3 batsmen. Sucks to be them I’d say. I have faith in our bowlers. Not their fault they have been ground down by our batsmen as much as India’s. They have suffered too that our batsmen are so useless they can’t even have one who can bowl 10 relief overs on top of failing to give them adequate rest by batting 4 sessions. They were right to bowl short at Agarwal but their plans seemed naive.

 

[TheJediBrah]

To think that Dussey, who averaged 50+ didn't get a single chance in tests and now we're looking at Wade as the best genuine test batting option, even without these ****ing dire selections.

Glenn Maxwell's a guy who I think could genuinely be pushing alongside Smith & Warner as a classy Test batsman if he'd just been shown some faith and given a regular run in the side. Instead he's been thrown back and forth between formats, with no security or even knowledge about where he stands.

 

[Burgey]

in this thread alone we have Aussies bemoaning:
> the state of domestic cricket
> the state of pitches and quality of groundsmen
> the state of selections and player development at all levels
> the administration and leadership in Aussie cricket

idk enough on Australian cricket to know for sure, but there does seem to be some serious concern that this isn't just a downward swing, but symptomatic of genuine issues in Australian cricket that need to be addressed.

Australia won’t reach the levels of sustained decline which WI have, if no other reason than there’s a **** load of dough in the sport which can be invested into all of the things you raise. It isnt that there are no well-funded structures in play, it’s that the priorities within those structures are, at least from where I’m sitting, way out of whack.

 

[Victor Ian]

I'd love to know what the Maxwell story is. I feel I am going to my grave never understanding what kept him out.

Still, Maxwell alone would not have stopped this rot.

 

[Starfighter]

How the hell is Wade lot out of the ODI side? You'd 'almost' think that domestic performance didn't matter.

 

[social]

Yep

Unlike the Windies, our ruling body is swimming in cash & participant rates are up

It’s the thinking/structure/etc that needs changing

 

[TheJediBrah]

How the hell is Wade lot out of the ODI side? You'd 'almost' think that domestic performance didn't matter.

Yeah I'm very disappointed. We clearly need a restructuring of the selectors & selection process. It's clear that letting a small group select whoever they want with no legitimate reasoning required is not working.

 

[Senile Sentry]

Bloody too good innings from Pant. Emulated Gilly and against a good attack.

Obviously he was tired and understandable he dropped a sitter but he'll improve with time.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Bloody too good innings from Pant. Emulated Gilly and against a good attack.

Obviously he was tired and understandable he dropped a sitter but he'll improve with time.

I reckon the "good attack" he was against was more tired than he was.

 

[cnerd123]

Here's a fun fact shamelessly stolen off Reddit

Pujara has faced 1258 balls this series so far, which is more than half the number of deliveries that Mitch Marsh has faced in his entire 31-Test career (2375)