4th Test at the Gabba, Brisbane, 15 - 19 Jan 2021

[Spark]

Wonder how many "but he's bowling well, keeping it tight, just unlucky" excuses we'll get from the commentators if Lyon continues to underperform tomorrow relative to a literal debutant.

Being outbowled by Ashwin is one thing, Sundar is quite another.

 

[morgieb]

This deck still feels pretty good IMO. Not sure even 300 would be bulletproof, though given the nature of the series Australia have to err on the side of aggression.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Honestly, from the way Indian fans were talking about Shardul I expected 17-0-1-78 or somesuch

He may be flaky af, but his best is pretty good imo

He's played way above his mean here though. That being said, you can only improve if you have adequate incentive to improve. Not sure if there's going to be room for him once everyone's fit, but it may be worthwhile to groom him for the all-rounder's spot when we tour.

 

[Daemon]

Honestly, from the way Indian fans were talking about Shardul I expected 17-0-1-78 or somesuch

He may be flaky af, but his best is pretty good imo

To be fair he did serve up some hot trash for large parts of the first innings

 

[DriveClub]

He's played way above his mean here though. That being said, you can only improve if you have adequate incentive to improve. Not sure if there's going to be room for him once everyone's fit, but it may be worthwhile to groom him for the all-rounder's spot when we tour.

He could be an alternative to hardik whos always injured and looks very brittle

 

[honestbharani]

Shami is a superior version of Umesh. Shardul is an inferior version of Umesh. But all three operate a very similar MO where keeping it tight is really not on the menu. All 3 can lose their actions a little bit.

 

[Starfighter]

Wonder how many "but he's bowling well, keeping it tight, just unlucky" excuses we'll get from the commentators if Lyon continues to underperform tomorrow relative to a literal debutant.

Being outbowled by Ashwin is one thing, Sundar is quite another.

One thing I've learned is that you can't say someone's bowling crap on air unless they're really, obviously doing it or you're Ian Chappell

 

[Spark]

Shower definitely going to hit in the next hour or so. Doesn't look too big or that there's a lot behind it (at this stage), though

 

[Niall]

I doubt we see him in this format again though, in the SC assume its 2 seamers and that's probably Ishant/Shami/Yadav

Shami is a superior version of Umesh. Shardul is an inferior version of Umesh. But all three operate a very similar MO where keeping it tight is really not on the menu. All 3 can lose their actions a little bit.

He's a fun cricketer but I doubt he wins India any prestige oversea test series.

A little like Praveen Kumar.

 

[cnerd123]

Wonder how many "but he's bowling well, keeping it tight, just unlucky" excuses we'll get from the commentators if Lyon continues to underperform tomorrow relative to a literal debutant.

Being outbowled by Ashwin is one thing, Sundar is quite another.

he's bowled well in the 'quality of delivery' metric but hasn't really bowled to a plan vs the Indian batters. Seems to be waiting for them to execute an aggressive shot badly or get beaten by natural variation off the pitch. If they sit on him he doesn't seem to have a plan to get them out.

Sundar has bowled bad balls but has generally structed his bowling around a fixed plan for each batter, and has gotten wickets when those plans work. Ashwin did that too, and Jadeja just has an innate ability to work batsmen out. Plus all of them benefit from bowling to a batting lineup that's got muddled thought processes to begin with. The Indian batters have shown more resolve and composure and Lyon doesn't seem to have an answer for that.

I think that's a common trend throughout Lyon's career - if the batters are good enough to sit on him and willing to wait him out, he doesn't have strategies to get them out. He just looses his cool and bowls worse.

 

[Spark]

One thing I've learned is that you can't say someone's bowling crap on air unless they're really, obviously doing it or you're Ian Chappell

Well, for Australian bowlers you can't. No such qualms for touring bowlers.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

To be fair he did serve up some hot trash for large parts of the first innings

Am well aware of this. He may have been by far India's least accurate bowler in that first innings, yet at serveral times he looked the most threatening

 

[Starfighter]

Well, for Australian bowlers you can't. No such qualms for touring bowlers.

Can't say I've noticed too much of that, but then again I watch large proportions off the seasons with the sound off.

 

[Spark]

he's bowled well in the 'quality of delivery' metric but hasn't really bowled to a plan vs the Indian batters. Seems to be waiting for them to execute an aggressive shot badly or get beaten by natural variation off the pitch. If they sit on him he doesn't seem to have a plan to get them out.

Sundar has bowled bad balls but has generally structed his bowling around a fixed plan for each batter, and has gotten wickets when those plans work. Ashwin did that too, and Jadeja just has an innate ability to work batsmen out. Plus all of them benefit from bowling to a batting lineup that's got muddled thought processes to begin with. The Indian batters have shown more resolve and composure and Lyon doesn't seem to have an answer for that.

I think that's a common trend throughout Lyon's career - if the batters are good enough to sit on him and willing to wait him out, he doesn't have strategies to get them out. He just looses his cool and bowls worse.

Yep, this is it. His bowling looks aesthetically fine, which fools the commentators into thinking he's bowling well. But at some stage you actually have to look like taking a wicket.

A big part of that partnership yesterday was that Lyon was kept on the whole time for one end and presented no threat to either batsmen at all. People mocked me saying Green should have been brought on, but even his current diet of liquorice all-sorts would have been superior to over after over of zero wicket-taking threat. But apparently that's good enough for both the captain and the commentators :/

 

[OverratedSanity]

Wonder how many "but he's bowling well, keeping it tight, just unlucky" excuses we'll get from the commentators if Lyon continues to underperform tomorrow relative to a literal debutant.

Being outbowled by Ashwin is one thing, Sundar is quite another.

He'll go ok imo. There's something there outside off to the right hander that he'll like targeting.

 

[Spark]

He'll go ok imo. There's something there outside off to the right hander that he'll like targeting.

Oh I hope he bowls well. Just frustrates me that so many excuses have been made for him this series when even Sundar looks a more consistent wicket-taking threat than him despite obviously bowling much less accurately.

(Part of a broader trend, I think, of Australian cricket establishment making too many excuses for Aus cricketers that they never would for a touring side, but that's another discussion)

 

[Spark]

I doubt we see him in this format again though, in the SC assume its 2 seamers and that's probably Ishant/Shami/Yadav


He's a fun cricketer but I doubt he wins India any prestige oversea test series.

A little like Praveen Kumar.

India plays three seamers in India fairly consistently, no? Jadeja + Ashwin is basically all the spin you need.

 

[NotMcKenzie]

Now Paine goes. I think we should just look at getting the maximum number of runs possible at a reasonable rate.

 

[Starfighter]

Dammit

Looks like we're gonna get bowled out anyway

 

[h_hurricane]

Shardul you beauty ! Run through the line up now