*Official* Australia in India 2023

[centurymaker]

Under-rating Ponting a bit here . His performance against SA in 2005 and 2006 was unbelievable. If Smith has ordinary Ashes and he isn’t able to dominate in SA , then it will be close call between Smith and Ponting.

Some ATGs have great records away and especially in their prime years/decade, only after that, their records take a hit so given Smith's sample size, I am expecting balancing of the ledger a bit in the tours later in his career (especially given that he is not in god/top form anymore and probably won't ever be at his age and beyond)

 

[centurymaker]

@centurymaker won’t rest unless Smith has another Ashes series where he scores 800 runs .

I wonder if England will make flat pitches for Bazball or if they will back their Duke ball experts to do more damage on Green Tops.
I guess they will probably try both and see what's working on Australia.

 

[Burgey]

Time for Amazing Ahmedabad Test .
Fun fact: In Mohali Test 2013 IND lead by 91 runs after 2nd innings and chased down 136 in the 2nd last over of the 5th Day?

In 1948 Australia chased down 404 in a day at Leeds and only lost three wickets, and in 1981 Kim Hughes made a hundred while Dennis Lillee reduced West Indies to 4-10 overnight. in 2013/14 Aus swept England 5-0 with Mitchell Johnson taking 7 fer on a really flat pitch in Adelaide among the highlights.

None of that has anything to do with this game, but then again neither does what happened at another ground 10 years ago. If Australia lose this test it will be because of what's happened this match and tour, not because of a result a decade ago.

 

[Ashes81]

I wonder if England will make flat pitches for Bazball or if they will back their Duke ball experts to do more damage on Green Tops.
I guess they will probably try both and see what's working on Australia.

We won't do either.

It's a complete myth that we produce green tops.

The only time I can recall it is the 2015 Trent Bridge test. Even then the pitch wasn't that bad. Broad bowled brilliantly, we caught everything and the Aussies batted poorly. At the end of day 1, we were 270 odd for 4, so it couldn't have been that bad a pitch.

Pitches can do a bit in England but usually it's down to the weather and climate rather than deliberately producing green tops.

 

[slippy888]

Kholi was batting with a sickness today, could this make it a all time great innings now we got this information.

 

[Victor Ian]

Kholi was batting with a sickness today, could this make it a all time great innings now we got this information.

No. But,, going forward, maybe he should spit in a vial and drink some before each test.

 

[Burgey]

@centurymaker won’t rest unless Smith has another Ashes series where he scores 800 runs .

I'm here for that tbph

 

[centurymaker]

We won't do either.

It's a complete myth that we produce green tops.

The only time I can recall it is the 2015 Trent Bridge test. Even then the pitch wasn't that bad. Broad bowled brilliantly, we caught everything and the Aussies batted poorly. At the end of day 1, we were 270 odd for 4, so it couldn't have been that bad a pitch.

Pitches can do a bit in England but usually it's down to the weather and climate rather than deliberately producing green tops.

India is given 1-2 such pitches every tour.
Grass tends to subside after a couple of days but still it has the effect of making batting difficult in 1st innings, then it starts to ease out.

 

[Shady Slim]

We won't do either.

It's a complete myth that we produce green tops.

The only time I can recall it is the 2015 Trent Bridge test. Even then the pitch wasn't that bad. Broad bowled brilliantly, we caught everything and the Aussies batted poorly. At the end of day 1, we were 270 odd for 4, so it couldn't have been that bad a pitch.

Pitches can do a bit in England but usually it's down to the weather and climate rather than deliberately producing green tops.

yeah like even that ashes lords was pancake insipid and worked to the aussies benefit

 

[Daemon]

In 1948 Australia chased down 404 in a day at Leeds and only lost three wickets, and in 1981 Kim Hughes made a hundred while Dennis Lillee reduced West Indies to 4-10 overnight. in 2013/14 Aus swept England 5-0 with Mitchell Johnson taking 7 fer on a really flat pitch in Adelaide among the highlights.

None of that has anything to do with this game, but then again neither does what happened at another ground 10 years ago. If Australia lose this test it will be because of what's happened this match and tour, not because of a result a decade ago.

Calm down it was a fun fact

 

[Burgey]

So are all of those.

 

[Xix2565]

It's a complete myth that we produce green tops.

Have you seen the seam bowling averages and related numbers in the last few years? Like ffs you don't get seam movement out of thin air, it's off the surface which is prepared to allow such movement.

 

[honestbharani]

FLASHBLACK: Virat Kohli 105 vs. touring Australian side in 2008.

Bowling attack of Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Johnson and Jason Krejza

Rohit Sharma was playing as well and also scored a 100.

This was the practice match where they smashed Krejza around so hard (and then Viru gave a presser saying "we have seen their spinner, will be looking to go after him") and Aussies panicked and played Cameron White as the specialist spinner at 8.

 

[honestbharani]

FLASHBLACK: Virat Kohli 105 vs. touring Australian side in 2008.

Bowling attack of Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Johnson and Jason Krejza

Rohit Sharma was playing as well and also scored a 100.

off the mark with a ****ing cut shot @OverratedSanity

 

[PaulLennon]

So, four consecutive series defeats now for Australia barring any weird stuff.

All have been quite competitive but the one common thing in these four series is that a lot of India's victories/draws have come when Australia had the upper hand at some stage (Bangalore 2017, Dharamsala 2017, Adelaide 2018, Sydney 2021, Gabba 2021, Delhi 2023) but India managed to claw back but Australia have only won/drawn when they already were ahead of the game at most stages (barring Ranchi 2017, Adelaide 2021 maybe).

My favourite matches of these four series -

Gabba 2021 - India C team defeating Aus unbeaten streak at Gabba chasing 300+ against one of the best Australian bowling lineups of all time. Straight out of a movie.

Bangalore 2017 - India looking at a 0-2 defeat after 1st innings. Pujara and Rahane claw back and then Ashwin/Jadeja defend a lowish total.

Adelaide 2018 - India were reduced to a 127-6 before Pujara and Ashwin resurrect the innings. Australia manage to almost claw back but Indian bowling keeps them at bay.

Dharamsala 2017 - Australia were 144-1 before debutant Kuldeep carves through Australia. India are 221-6 in the second innings and Jadeja/Saha manage to eke out a lead.

Delhi 2023 - Ind are 139-7 and 130 behind before Axar/Ashwin get them to parity and then Ashwin/Jadeja carve through Australia.

One thing is common that Pujara or Jadeja have been instrumental in these wins. Even the other wins/draws - Ranchi 2017, MCG 2018, SCG 2018, MCG 2021, SCG 2021 and Nagpur 2022 has had contributions by Pujara and/or Jadeja.

If this match ends in a draw/win will be first time there hasn't been a significant contribution by at least one of the two in a draw or win (although Jadeja still has an innings left).

 

[Brook's side]

is Khawaja injured?

 

[morgieb]

is Khawaja injured?

Yeah had some knee/ankle problem which kept him off the field. Is expected to bat though.

 

[Xix2565]

Yeah had some knee/ankle problem which kept him off the field. Is expected to bat though.

He fell and rolled into the ad boards which hurt his knee while trying to take a catch at the boundary, in case people missed it.

 

[social]

Not saying that he’s the best player or anything like it but Head is one of the best strikers of a ball in world cricket

Virtually every innings he hits shots that very few players can

 

[Zinzan]

Some ATGs have great records away and especially in their prime years/decade, only after that, their records take a hit so given Smith's sample size, I am expecting balancing of the ledger a bit in the tours later in his career (especially given that he is not in god/top form anymore and probably won't ever be at his age and beyond)

People were way too premature with Smith imo, I refer to those labelling him the all-time 2nd best since Bradman when I'm still not even convinced he's Australia's 2nd best remembering Ponting was averaging 59.99 after 107 tests.

I always said once Smith has a lean unlucky spell which all players have and his average finishes in the mid to late 50s, then he'll be one of a handful of top notch players in the discussion, Tendulkar, Hammond etc. Let's wait until he finishes up.