Road to India in Australia 2024-25

[centurymaker]

Yeah, and this is a 5 test series, right?

If Bumrah becomes unfit, 5-0 thrashing coming our way...

India would be lucky to remain competitive over the 5 tests. It could easily end up like 2011/12. The management is being stupid and playing 3 premier seamers at home vs teams like Bangladesh. I would actually only play 1-2 seamers vs NZ and play 3-4 spinners. The fast bowlers have had a good warmup and now time to keep them fit for the main series rather than half burn them out at home. Then they will wonder why they all are getting injured midway through the series...

 

[centurymaker]

Heard they were considering Ruturaj as the third opening choice behind Rohit/Jaiswal.
My prediction for an 18 man squad would be:
Openers:
Rohit
Jaiswal
Ruturaj

MO Bats:
Gill
Kohli
Rahul
Sarfaraz

Keepers
Pant
Jurel

All rounders
Jadeja
Ashwin
Thakur

Pacers
Bumrah
Siraj
Akashdeep
Dayal
Mukesh

Spinners
Kuldeep

Thats exactly the squad they are likely to go with.

 

[centurymaker]

Let's hope Hardik Pandya makes a case for himself by playing a round or two of Ranji.

 

[Thala_0710]

With Shami not there, this also increases the likelihood that IND might go with Ashwin
Rohit
Jaiswal
Gill
Kohli
Pant
Rahul
Jadeja
Ashwin
Akashdeep
Bumrah
Siraj
Will be the playing Xi in all likelihood come BGT

 

[centurymaker]

Yeah, and this is a 5 test series, right?

If Bumrah becomes unfit, 5-0 thrashing coming our way...

Can we go back to 4 match series plz, although they might do that after one-sided thrashing this time around.

 

[Sunil1z]

Can we go back to 4 match series plz, although they might do that after one-sided thrashing this time around

I hope I am not wrong, but we didn’t go back to 4 match Test series even after the horror show in ENG tour 2014 ( last 3 tests ) . So even if we are thrashed , it will still remain 5 match series .

 

[govinda indian fan]

Need prasidh as fifth seamer in aus

 

[Shri]

Surely they can't be thinking of playing Mukesh. Surely. He's the absolute pure archetype of the sort of "pace" bowler India used to bring down here and get absolutely flogged. Binning those blokes off is the principal reason they've started winning here consistently.

nah we played 130-135 kmph bowlers who gassed out quickly and operated at avg speeds of 120-125 off a long run up. improved fitness means our 140kmph bowlers sustain 135 kmph for far longer even when playing back to back games. siraj rarely goes past 140 regularly but the aus bouncy roads make him far more threatening because of his height and other skills

akash, siraj, bumrah, dhayal and mukesh is a perfectly adequate attack. we are bowling to alex carey, mitch marsh etc, not gilchrist, clarke, ponting or martyn

 

[Shri]

Heard they were considering Ruturaj as the third opening choice behind Rohit/Jaiswal.
My prediction for an 18 man squad would be:
Openers:
Rohit
Jaiswal
Ruturaj

MO Bats:
Gill
Kohli
Rahul
Sarfaraz

Keepers
Pant
Jurel

All rounders
Jadeja
Ashwin
Thakur

Pacers
Bumrah
Siraj
Akashdeep
Dayal
Mukesh

Spinners
Kuldeep

that is an 18 member squad and it is missing axar

i don't see sarfaraz making it. rana likely to make the squad. shardul also unlikely and maybe mayank gets in as a surprise call (not that he will play any games much like karthik tyagi from 2021 bgt)

 

[the big bambino]

Nothing on cricinfo about shami being out of the series.

 

[PaulLennon]

I think New Zealanders kind of are over scared of Australia die to constant thrashings.

2011-12 India had an aging batting lineup and a horrible bowling lineup.

Even 2014-15 India managed to draw a couple and that had a horrible bowling lineup and complete rookies, many on their first tour. This lineup has Bumrah plus guys like Pant, Gill who have done well previously against the same bowling lineup.

Australia themselves have drawn a series against WI at home who are a very poor team. Heck, they conceded first innings leads to Pakistan, a team that just got whitewashed at home by Bangladesh.

Even WTC 2023 final was not a complete blowout in spite of:
1. No Bumrah
2. No Pant
3. Pujara/Rahane still in team

Think it will be a real close series, 3-2 either way.

 

[Thala_0710]

that is an 18 member squad and it is missing axar

i don't see sarfaraz making it. rana likely to make the squad. shardul also unlikely and maybe mayank gets in as a surprise call (not that he will play any games much like karthik tyagi from 2021 bgt)

Can't see any reason for Axar getting a game in the series. Sarfaraz would definitely go as he did well for India on his debut, has just scored a 100 in the Irani Cup and has basically been the first choice backup in the middle order (hopefully he plays ahead of klr but whatever). Shardul is the one I'm too not sure on, maybe another pacer like Rana might take his place or if Pandya magically makes a comeback

 

[the big bambino]

I think New Zealanders kind of are over scared of Australia die to constant thrashings.

2011-12 India had an aging batting lineup and a horrible bowling lineup.

Even 2014-15 India managed to draw a couple and that had a horrible bowling lineup and complete rookies, many on their first tour. This lineup has Bumrah plus guys like Pant, Gill who have done well previously against the same bowling lineup.

Australia themselves have drawn a series against WI at home who are a very poor team. Heck, they conceded first innings leads to Pakistan, a team that just got whitewashed at home by Bangladesh.

Even WTC 2023 final was not a complete blowout in spite of:
1. No Bumrah
2. No Pant
3. Pujara/Rahane still in team

Think it will be a real close series, 3-2 either way.

Reasonable summary imo. Don't see any draws as both sides have the same odd problem of having excellent batsman but out of sorts form wise.

 

[Spark]

I don't see that strong grounds to be confident in a runaway series win tbh. The schedule helps a lot for sure but the Test team hasn't really put in a truly convincing series performance since like 2022.

 

[Thala_0710]

Sarfaraz on his way to a 200 in the Irani Cup. No way he doesn't make the plane now, hopefully ICT management and Rohit see the light and start playing him over Klr.

 

[Starfighter]

Nah fast and bouncy doesn't need to mean seam-friendly

If Aus were to prepare wickets for the best chance of winning they should be going for hard, fast, bouncy, flat wickets. A green seamer just hurts their batsmen as much as it does India's.

Typical Perth wickets from the 90s/00s could be pretty high scoring as well as being fast and bouncy as ****

This. Our two reliable bowlers rely mostly on bounce and catching the edge, while India's are skiddier and more willing bowl straighter - and also move the ball more. I think this lot of Australian batsmen are particularly vulnerable to skiddier bowling due to a combination of technical and age factors.

We used to rely on bowlers who knew how to bowl in those conditions and free flowing strokeplay. But the last few years have had softer pitches which are more difficult to time the ball on, and are better for seam bowling in general.

 

[Burgey]

Can WTC final be held at MCG in June ? Or weather is too hostile?
IND should agree to play WTC final at MCG if both IND and Aus reach there . We have far batter record at MCG than Lords .

Nah mate, Melburne in winter is just not a viable venue even if the ground wasn't used four times per week for Aussie Rules games every weekend. If the WTC was going to be in Aus at that time of year it would need to be a Top End venue - the southern state grounds are all used for football, and the conditions are just shitty that itme of year anyway.

 

[Burgey]

Heard they were considering Ruturaj as the third opening choice behind Rohit/Jaiswal.
My prediction for an 18 man squad would be:
Openers:
Rohit
Jaiswal
Ruturaj

MO Bats:
Gill
Kohli
Rahul
Sarfaraz

Keepers
Pant
Jurel

All rounders
Jadeja
Ashwin
Thakur

Pacers
Bumrah
Siraj
Akashdeep
Dayal
Mukesh

Spinners
Kuldeep

Punish Thakur.

I hadn't ralised Shami was long term injured and now seemingly out. That blows hard. Leaves the fast bowling looking light on for experience, though Siraj usually does a job against us and Bumrah is obviously all class.

 

[Burgey]

This. Our two reliable bowlers rely mostly on bounce and catching the edge, while India's are skiddier and more willing bowl straighter - and also move the ball more. I think this lot of Australian batsmen are particularly vulnerable to skiddier bowling due to a combination of technical and age factors.

We used to rely on bowlers who knew how to bowl in those conditions and free flowing strokeplay. But the last few years have had softer pitches which are more difficult to time the ball on, and are better for seam bowling in general.

D/N tests tend to mean there's at least one whcih has more seam in it than used to be the case, and we've had La Ninas the past few years too. Be interesting to see what gets dished up this year if there's decent dry weather. Honestly, the Sydney pitch last year was embarrassing. Keeper taking hte ball ankle height day one. Aus curators have a lot to answer for tbh.

 

[Qlder]

Shami out of the series apparently. Massive blow

Is it really a massive blow?
Shami is 34 and hasn't played a Test in 16 months. His record in Australia is only 31 wkts @ 32.16 as well so would the Aussie bats really care too much?