2nd Test at the MCG, Melbourne, 26 Dec - 30 Dec 2020

[morgieb]

They just don't look organized. Just like last time. I'm not sure what the plan is here.

I think they just panicked after the lead started to get to around 40-50 and felt they had to roll the side out rapidly.

Thing is there hasn't really been much difference between the two side's bowling generally, but Australia blew a lot of chances whereas India took most of them. Smart option was clearly to just bowl normally and aim for a 150+ target in the 4th innings which is defendable. Problem is the way they're bowling the lead will be like 150-200, and barring Smith deciding it's the 2019 Ashes again that's too far back for this batting lineup to set a "defendable" 4th innings target.

 

[OverratedSanity]

it's almost as if you can't afford to put up 195 in the first innings at the mcg and expect to be frontrunning in a test match against quality opposition

Wasnt what you call typical mcg day 1 though. Ball did quite a bit. Looking like a nice toss to lose now.

 

[Spark]

Wasnt what you call typical mcg day 1 though. Ball did quite a bit. Looking like a nice toss to lose now.

it did a bit but not a huge amount and it's not like it was bumrah who tore through them. you still expect a respectable batting lineup to post more than 200. india bowled extremely well, ofc, but the focus on the bowling today is misguided. they're bowling below their astronomical standards of adelaide but this is still plenty good enough for a test attack.

 

[morgieb]

Wasnt what you call typical mcg day 1 though. Ball did quite a bit. Looking like a nice toss to lose now.

It was a pretty bowler-friendly deck but a lot of our dismissals were pretty avoidable. Not really like the 36 all out where most of the wickets genuinely were jaffas.

 

[trundler]

I'll agree with all of the above but I still think people let the non-Cummins bowlers off the hook too easily. Starc and Lyon have been all over the place. Yeah, the batting's crap but their Indian counterparts get more out of the pitch every time.

 

[Spark]

I'll agree with all of the above but I still think people let the non-Cummins bowlers off the hook too easily. Starc and Lyon have been all over the place. Yeah, the batting's crap but their Indian counterparts get more out of the pitch every time.

starc should have had like three or four. he's been scattershot, but he's created chances actually pretty consistently and they just haven't gone to hand or been dropped, and in particular should have had rahane on at least two occasions.

lyon has been poor though.

 

[Gnske]

That new ball pitch map is a kaleidoscope of splooge.

 

[morgieb]

I'll agree with all of the above but I still think people let the non-Cummins bowlers off the hook too easily. Starc and Lyon have been all over the place. Yeah, the batting's crap but their Indian counterparts get more out of the pitch every time.

I mean most people have been criticising Lyon's performance here, I'm not sure what you mean.

You're being harsh on Starc though, has had a fair few chances go down and you can never expect him to be 100% on the money.

 

[Spark]

here's a weird bug bear: mid-on and mid-off have been too wide all innings. how many cover drives have we seen?

 

[OverratedSanity]

Lyon bowled short all day. Especially after Pant came in hit a few fours off him. Good win for intent memers.

 

[Burgey]

but their Indian counterparts get more out of the pitch every time.

I don’t know that they have given the dropped catches. Both bowling units have been good, though Lyon has been poor without going for a lot of runs. Rahane deserves a lot of credit for playing straight. Been a good knock this

 

[Burgey]

here's a weird bug bear: mid-on and mid-off have been too wide all innings. how many cover drives have we seen?

Mid on and mid off should always be pretty straight and deep in Aus.

 

[Shri]

jaddu since 2017

 

[Spikey]

starc has been bad? paine over-reacted to Rahane clearly looking to accelerate the pass and dragged starc. he should still be bowling

 

[Gnske]

Third there was unnecessary, Rahane losing the plot right in front of our eyes.

 

[Spark]

Mid on and mid off should always be pretty straight and deep in Aus.

yep. but today mid-off in particular has been more like a straight cover and i just don't get it. if he keeps getting beaten to his right, maybe he should stand to the right in the first place.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Jadeja's batting improvement since his early days is incredible. Anyone remember that hilarious 5 ball innings in SA where he couldve got out the first 3 balls, smashed a six and then holed out? Looked like a hackfraud for the ages.

 

[trundler]

Mid on and mid off should always be pretty straight and deep

Is that why they call me that

 

[Prince EWS]

here's a weird bug bear: mid-on and mid-off have been too wide all innings. how many cover drives have we seen?

I was thinking exactly this a little while ago when Rahane hit two off drives just straight of mid off in a row.

 

[Shri]

View attachment 26536

jaddu since 2017

50+ with the bat

25 with the ball

been a legendary allrounder. 5 more years of that will be epic