3rd Test at the SCG, Sydney, 7 Jan - 11 Jan 2021

[Spikey]

yeah, and if Tim Paine's stupid hook shot gets caught, India are 2-0 up

 

[Spark]

so basically the wrong team won in both test matches /s

 

[Senile Sentry]

2003
03/04
04/05
05/06
06/07

Occupy 5 of the top 7 averages. Truly extraordinary era of cricket.

2019-20 and 2017-18 rank all time 9th and 11th.
2018-19 on the other hand ranks among the lower spectrum, saved primarily by the Sri Lanka home series.
Seems like Aussie batsmen go out of form whenever India tours.

 

[Teja.]

Tbf, the sides are evenly matched but India is playing with a core of about 4 players and Australia are playing their best XI or at least close it it. Will be a massive achievement if India even draw the series.

 

[Burgey]

Honestly not even that - if Rahane gets one with his name on it early Day 2, then it's not out of the question that it becomes parity on first innings and then who knows what happens after that. Margins in this series are very fine, these teams look evenly matched to me.

Yeah it seems that way. Could also genuinely be 1-1 but the results on the first two games reversed. It’s a very odd series in that respect

 

[Burgey]

Tbf, the sides are evenly matched but India is playing with a core of about 4 players and Australia are playing their best XI or at least close it it. Will be a massive achievement if India even draw the series.

I still don’t expect them to tbh, but who know with the way things are going so far

 

[h_hurricane]

Brisbane is Aussie stronghold isn't it ? The best India could hope for is grinding the bowlers to dust in Sydney and one or two main bowlers are injured for Brisbane. Pujara holds the key here.

 

[silentstriker]

Well, good chance it may be 1-1 heading into the last Test. I never thought India would win in Australia in my lifetime, but that already happened last tour. I'd be MORE than happy with a draw this time around, esp. given the absences.

 

[Daemon]

Literally one substantial partnership from being 2-0 up in seven days of cricket.

This probably applies to India more than Australia doesn't it?

I agree with with you and Spark though that both teams bowling' being so much better than the batting means the margins are incredibly thin and each key wicket and substantial partnership has a really big impact on the game. Shaping up to be potentially more entertaining than the last series in India already.

 

[honestbharani]

I think it would give a similar result too. And I did call a competitive series way back when. And inspite of us basically playing half our first side, I still think it will be that close. Won't be surprised if we won or drew the series.

 

[Daemon]

I think the difference will end up being Warner coming back, the third seamer for India being meh and Smith potentially returning to form. We'll do extremely well to draw the series from here.

 

[h_hurricane]

Heard some news that Thakur will be the 3rd seamer. Ominous signs indeed.

 

[honestbharani]

He will score 50 at #9 though.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Everyone acknowledges that the 2nd test was a bit of a miracle. Not a fluke, but a completely unlikely win and repeating that is pretty well... unlikely. Hope its flat so that the draw is a possibility. Best chance from here is to tire out the Australian bowlers as much as possible.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Everyone acknowledges that the 2nd test was a bit of a miracle.

In what way? Genuinely curious

 

[honestbharani]

Everyone acknowledges that the 2nd test was a bit of a miracle. Not a fluke, but a completely unlikely win and repeating that is pretty well

Yeah, not like someone called it after the 36 ao or anything, is it?

 

[Arachnodouche]

Dropped catches are due to lapses in concentration, not some intervention from the Gods. If you drop a ton of them, your game's off somewhere and you deserve to lose, especially if you're not good enough to compensate in other areas. India's win might have been unlikely considering our resources but it was thoroughly deserved too. More batsmen pitched in and the bowlers bowled with more discipline once the ball got older.

 

[Daemon]

It was definitely thoroughly deserved but we had to really play out of our skins and Australia had to play pretty badly. I think that was OS’ point.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Slippery slope that between playing badly and being made to play badly. 36 /9 (not 36 AO, ftr ) may have been a one-off, but it was all down to sustained excellence from the Aussies. I didn't think luck had anything to do with it. The difference between an edge and a play and a miss is line, length, and the pace at which they're bowled and the Aussies had those variables covered with agonizing accuracy that morning, so more power to them. Likewise, we had the wood on them in terms of skills and endurance in Melbourne, can't take that away from us either.

 

[Shri]

honestly think if the next game is a draw because of rain, we only have to turn up for the bus to win the last one

au will wilt under the pressure