1st Test, Aus vs India, Adelaide oval 17th-21st December

[TheJediBrah]

Cutoffs and analysis-by-checklist are universally arbitrary and not at all a good reason to avoid indulging in interesting comparisons when the actual, physical quality of the bowling on show merits the comparison. Regardless of anything else, the guy is bowling at an insanely high level and has done basically non-stop for three or four years now and that matters a lot more than the checklist.

But he hasn't even taken a single five-for against Zimbabwe at a neutral venue. I wouldn't consider him until he's done that.

 

[stephen]

Cummins has 10 4 wicket hauls in 31 tests. He has 5 5 wicket hauls and 1 10 wicket haul.

McGrath took 28 4 wicket hauls in 124 tests by comparison. He had 29 5 wicket hauls and 3 10 wicket hauls.

At this rate Cummins would end up with 12 more 4 wicket hauls than McGrath but 9 less 5 wicket hauls assuming he played as many tests as McGrath.

 

[stephen]

That's not entirely an accident tbh. He's significantly worse at bowling at the tail than the others, which is a real skill and not something that can be used as an excuse.

He's way worse than Starc against the tail but I think he's improved quite a bit against them in recent times.

I think Cummins naturally bowls to plans in a methodical fashion, which makes him great against the top and middle orders. Against the tail he probably should target the stumps a bit more and work less on setting them up. Starc is great against the tail because he mostly just tries to bowl unplayable deliveries at them and it comes off more often than not because which tall ender wants to face inswinging toe crushers from left arm bowlers at 147kph?

 

[TimAngas]

Man that was such a weird Adelaide pitch. I don't think I've ever seen a test match where batsmen just put away the drive entirely. While it was compelling viewing, I would suggest Hough reverts back to less grass for the Ashes next year. It seems it might have been a bit of an overreaction to Warner's run-fest, especially when it was known the Indian seam attack wasn't going to be as bad as the ridiculously impotent Pakistan last year.

 

[Daemon]

Morning fellas, really can’t wait for todays play to start. Hope Bumrah sticks around for at least 10 overs to frustrate them.

 

[Gob]

Morning fellas, really can’t wait for todays play to start. Hope Bumrah sticks around for at least 10 overs to frustrate them.

Have you left the meeting room?

 

[sphynx]

Agreed that their attack may have benefited from home conditions but any three of Rabada, Steyn, Philander and Morkel are a match for any other bowling trio. And last time out in Oz, they absolutely slaughtered Australia (even without Steyn). And that's not even mentioning Abbott, Ngidi, Duane etc. RSA's batting is the pits atm but that aside, I'd be very interested in seeing these two attacks going at it.

Well Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc and Green will be bowling on SAF pitches in 3 or so months.

Will be a bloodbath.

 

[cnerd123]

it's frustrating how the highlight packages on Sony for this 3rd innings only show the wickets and none of the balls around them.

Anyone know where I can find an extended highlight packages, or better even re-watch the whole 3rd innings?

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Anyone know where I can find an extended highlight packages, or better even re-watch the whole 3rd innings?

Probably some gifs floating around on Twitter.

 

[Slifer]

Well Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc and Green will be bowling on SAF pitches in 3 or so months.

Will be a bloodbath.

And vice versa....I fully expect Rabada and co to have their way with Australia's current fragile batting line-up...

 

[Line and Length]

Cummins and Hazelwood bowled magnificently yesterday. On any other day they may have had batsmen playing and missing rather than nicking ... either that or they were achieving the perfect line and length with just enough movement to catch edges.

Re Cummins v McGrath - comparisons can be odious. One is at the peak of his career with the ability continue at an elite level, the other was the master of his craft over a lengthy and impressive career.

 

[Spark]

And vice versa....I fully expect Rabada and co to have their way with Australia's current fragile batting line-up...

I mean they couldn't do the same with a very fragile English batting line up, so...

 

[stephen]

Cummins and Hazelwood bowled magnificently yesterday. On any other day they may have had batsmen playing and missing rather than nicking ... either that or they were achieving the perfect line and length with just enough movement to catch edges.

Re Cummins v McGrath - comparisons can be odious. One is at the peak of his career with the ability continue at an elite level, the other was the master of his craft over a lengthy and impressive career.

I think their lines were too good yesterday. Most of the edges would have hit the stumps.

 

[honestbharani]

I am generally not a fan of comparing players whose career is still going on against players who have completed their careers. Its never an apples to apples comparison.

What you can say with certainty is that Cummins is the best bowler in the world right now (agree with Burge that Bumrah and even Rabada are not that far off) but he is also helped by the quality around him. McGrath sometimes carried attacks to an extent we hae not seen Cummins do yet. So even disregarding the whole "prime of career" Vs "complete career" aspect, I dont still think anyone can definitely say Cummins is as good as McGrath. Potentialy, yes, but if he were to retire tomorrow, I would say McGrath easily >> Cummins.

 

[Victor Ian]

The problem when you bowl out the opposition for a paltry 36 is that you miss out on watching 2 daus of cricket.

 

[Victor Ian]

The good thing about when you bowl a side out for 36 is that you start to talk about it like you did it even though you had very little to do with it.

 

[stephen]

Other interesting things about Cummins.

He's only gone wicketless in 5 innings ever. (McGrath went wicketless 37 times, roughly twice as often).

Cummins worst ever figures are against India, taking 0-101 at the SCG when India compiled 7/622 declared.

Of the other high team scores scored while Cummins was bowling, Cummins took 4-106 in a team total by India of 9-603 Dec at Ranchi. He took 4-117 Against England who made 491 at Melbourne. 5-83 Against South Africa in Johannesburg in a total of 488. 2-84 Against England in Perth in a team total of 403. Finally, he took 3-72 Against India in Melbourne in a team total of 7/443 declared.

These are the only times an opponent has scored 400+ against Australia with Cummins bowling. He's literally failed once, maybe twice if you count the 2-84. Every other time he's had figures which would imply the opposition made 250-300 if you just looked at his figures.

He has been carrying the Australian attack, mostly from first change since he made it back into the side.

 

[Gnske]

What you can say with certainty is that Cummins is the best bowler in the world right now (agree with Burge that Bumrah and even Rabada are not that far off)

I'll say it now. Rabada is a myth and so is SA cricket in general.

 

[Starfighter]

Nah, Rabada's the real deal, but I can remember after his brilliant start the predictions that he would somehow get even better, which I called as being a bit overblown.

 

[Burner]

If Rahane does not perform for the rest of the series, do India cut their losses and replace him permanently? For far too long he's held his place in the team as some sort of overseas specialist and guys like Karun Nair who has a much higher ceiling, at least at home, has not been given a fair chance. I've always been on the Nair hype train and imo he's been treated very harshly by the selectors.