**Official** 1st Test @ Perth, 22nd-26th November

[Starfighter]

How are people talking about making bowling changes on the same day where the team has been bowled out for 104 ffs

It's the old England strategy. 'Batters failed? Drop a bowler'. The problem with the batting is that we are bereft of clear replacements. And even if there were guys knocking at the door, what would it take for the current batsmen to be dropped anyway?

One thing that seems increasingly clear is that McDonald is not the type to inspire superlative performances or get out of form players back into form. As irritating as he is, McCullum has done a great job at getting performances out of some pretty mediocre players. And there's the technical flaws too. Who's out there considering that maybe they are standing too open? Who's helping Head with his weakness to full deliveries from around the wicket? Who's helping them rotate the strike?

There's also an element of 'preparing to fail'. I don't know if it was possible to play the Pakistan series at a different time, but even then the batsmen should have played what Shield opportunities were available. And Cummins has bowled exactly like you'd expect from someone who's barely played since July. He needed at least one Shield match to shake the cobwebs off. I'm sure he's bowled plenty in the nets, but it's hardly an unpopular idea that net time isn't really a substitute.

 

[social]

Well, nobody is talking about changing out Bumrah. I'd argue the other four could be switched around to another reasonable set of four and probably would not have made a major difference. Of course, Reddy's runs were crucial too.

Don’t think there’s any doubt that Jadeja and Ashwin are much better cricketers than Sundar & Reddy

 

[social]

It's the old England strategy. 'Batters failed? Drop a bowler'. The problem with the batting is that we are bereft of clear replacements. And even if there were guys knocking at the door, what would it take for the current batsmen to be dropped anyway?

One thing that seems increasingly clear is that McDonald is not the type to inspire superlative performances or get out of form players back into form. As irritating as he is, McCullum has done a great job at getting performances out of some pretty mediocre players. And there's the technical flaws too. Who's out there considering that maybe they are standing too open? Who's helping Head with his weakness to full deliveries from around the wicket?

There's also an element of 'preparing to fail'. I don't know if it was possible to play the Pakistan series at a different time, but even then the batsmen should have played what Shield opportunities were available. And Cummins has bowled exactly like you'd expect from someone who's barely played since July. He needed at least one Shield match to shake the cobwebs off. I'm sure he's bowled plenty in the nets, but it's hardly an unpopular idea that net time isn't really a substitute.

Dude, England are rubbish

The only thing that McCullum has inspired is a higher s/r

 

[ataraxia]

Dude, England are rubbish

The only thing that McCullum has inspired is a higher s/r

lol?

Current England are completely different to and way better than 2021 England.

 

[the big bambino]

He’s undercooked like most of the team. They look really unfit

I hope you're right because there is still time to work their way back into the series. It would also piss me off if you are right. The marketing around our guys is how much they want to win the BGT. Tick it off before they retire. Except the preparation leading up to the series has been woeful. The players have done nothing to get into shape to win the series they're supposedly so desperate for and CA hasn't shown any leadership or foresight either.

I still think the drubbing India got in the Kiwi series was good for them in a way. They got the game time we haven't and made the changes that needed. This series is starting to have a 10/11 feel about it. But there is still some opportunities for our team to avoid that fate. Starting from the 2nd innings here on a good batting pitch. Plus the game time they're getting now will at least improve their fitness. Let's see if these players (who are undoubted champions) take them.

 

[social]

The Australians are fit

Their batting is just **** and the writing has been on the wall for some time

 

[silentstriker]

By what the people who are there are saying, day #3 will be the best day to bat?

 

[Skyliner]

The chat after Day 1:
‘Pace ace Mitchell Starc predicts the tricky Optus Stadium wicket will only continue to misbehave as Australia’s Border-Gavaskar series opener against India rockets towards an early finish.’
But now the pitch is apparently deader than a dodo.
If India lose a few wickets again today including the fading force Kohli and ‘box office’ Pant then expect the headlines to be ‘mercurial pitch flares up again’.
Aside from the doughty Rahul and brilliant Jaiswal there’s been no really solid batting quality on display…Pant’s trick-shot laden 30 odd was entertaining but a 30 odd is still a 30 odd.
If India have any brains they’ll see this moment as an opportune moment to wave goodbye to Rohit: rejuvenation should be the order of the day when a side is ageing, rather than letting fading stars hang around.

 

[social]

The chat after Day 1:
‘Pace ace Mitchell Starc predicts the tricky Optus Stadium wicket will only continue to misbehave as Australia’s Border-Gavaskar series opener against India rockets towards an early finish.’
But now the pitch is apparently deader than a dodo.
If India lose a few wickets again today including the fading force Kohli and ‘box office’ Pant then expect the headlines to be ‘mercurial pitch flares up again’.
Aside from the doughty Rahul and brilliant Jaiswal there’s been no real batting quality on display…Pant’s trick-shot laden 30 odd was entertaining but a 30 odd is still a 30 odd.
If India have any brains they’ll see this moment as an opportune moment to wave goodbye to Rohit: rejuvenation should be the order of the day when a side is ageing, rather than letting fading stars hang around.

Rohit flew out from India last night

 

[silentstriker]

Aside from the doughty Rahul and brilliant Jaiswal there’s been no real batting quality on display…Pant’s trick-shot laden 30 odd was entertaining but a 30 odd is still a 30 odd.

While I agree on waving goodbye to some aging stars but implying Pant doesn't have or hasn't shown bad quality is an objectively bad take.

 

[Spark]

The attack for 10/11 was (bad) Johnson, Siddle, Hilfenhaus and Xavier Doherty - the batting is alarming but calm on the comparisons

 

[Spark]

Dude, England are rubbish

The only thing that McCullum has inspired is a higher s/r

Their players aren't much but there's absolutely no question that England have been better at maximising their output than we have been in the last few years. Age is a big factor but there's no doubt that this team has been less than the sum of its parts since the WTC final.

The chat after Day 1:
‘Pace ace Mitchell Starc predicts the tricky Optus Stadium wicket will only continue to misbehave as Australia’s Border-Gavaskar series opener against India rockets towards an early finish.’
But now the pitch is apparently deader than a dodo.
If India lose a few wickets again today including the fading force Kohli and ‘box office’ Pant then expect the headlines to be ‘mercurial pitch flares up again’.
Aside from the doughty Rahul and brilliant Jaiswal there’s been no real batting quality on display…Pant’s trick-shot laden 30 odd was entertaining but a 30 odd is still a 30 odd.
If India have any brains they’ll see this moment as an opportune moment to wave goodbye to Rohit: rejuvenation should be the order of the day when a side is ageing, rather than letting fading stars hang around.

I agree, India should drop Rishabh Pant. In fact he shouldn't even come out to bat today, that would sure send a message to Australia if they no longer played Rishabh Pant against us, notable failure against Australia that he has been.

 

[Skyliner]

While I agree on waving goodbye to some aging stars but implying Pant doesn't have or hasn't shown bad quality is an objectively bad take.

It was an entertaining knock while it lasted, but if we are now to start praising 30’s then it’s a little odd. Note I haven’t said he’s not a talented cricketer.

 

[Skyliner]

Their players aren't much but there's absolutely no question that England have been better at maximising their output than we have been in the last few years. Age is a big factor but there's no doubt that this team has been less than the sum of its parts since the WTC final.


I agree, India should drop Rishabh Pant. In fact he shouldn't even come out to bat today, that would sure send a message to Australia if they no longer played Rishabh Pant against us, notable failure against Australia that he has been.

I’ve said nothing about dropping Pant. I said it’s time they got rid of Sharma.

 

[silentstriker]

It was an entertaining knock while it lasted, but if we are now to start praising 30’s then it’s a little odd.

In context of pitch, bowling, and match situation, it was a praiseworthy innings.


The two sides combined for 254 runs in the first innings. So 30 is a significant portion of that.

 

[Skyliner]

[

In context of pitch, bowling, and match situation, it was a praiseworthy innings.


The two sides combined for 254 runs in the first innings. So 30 is a significant portion of that.

You’re absolutely right. A good praiseworthy knock indeed.

 

[Daemon]

[


You’re right. A brilliant knock indeed.

I mean a 37 in those circumstances is as good as a 50. It was a good knock. Nobody said it was brilliant.

 

[Skyliner]

I mean a 37 in those circumstances is as good as a 50. It was a good knock. Nobody said it was brilliant.

You’re correct as well. I’ve now removed the word brilliant and used the word good instead.

 

[the big bambino]

The attack for 10/11 was (bad) Johnson, Siddle, Hilfenhaus and Xavier Doherty - the batting is alarming but calm on the comparisons

It wasn't meant to be a comparison between teams - just a portent of what could be coming. Now that its been raised I'd say the comparison between the batting is quite similar with a declining Ponting and under performing Clarke foreshadowing Smith and Marnus. At least then we could get runs from Hussey, Haddin and Watson. We also had Katich.

Granted the bowling is now much better but it's under real physical pressure if we keep batting like this. They are also playing against the side they've collectively had most problems with. In that context they may not be able to avert the same outcome.

 

[silentstriker]

It wasn't meant to be a comparison between teams - just a portent of what could be coming. Now that its been raised I'd say the comparison between the batting is quite similar with a declining Ponting and under performing Clarke foreshadowing Smith and Marnus. At least then we could get runs from Hussey, Haddin and Watson. We also had Katich.

Granted the bowling is now much better but it's under real physical pressure if we keep batting like this. They are also playing against the side they've collectively had most problems with. In that context they may not be able to avert the same outcome.

Indian batting also sucks and is very brittle. I could easily see the situations being similarly reversed if Aus had batted first.