**Official** 4th Test at Melbourne, 26-30 Dec 2024

[devisreeprasadmahesh]

Gill has been a justified selection for most series he’s played. Arguably could have been dropped after the SA tour (or if you’re harsh after his first England tour) but he came back ok iirc and was doing well this year until this tour.

His rope is definitely reaching its end now but imo once Rohit and Kohli go there will be room for him again.

In ODIs he’s actually good so don’t get the complaint there.

Fair. But he is an average stop gap player with no hunger. His body language in the field is not inspiring. Never ever delivers in pressure situations and big matches. He crumbles and crumbles under pressure. Mentally unfit cricketer. Not someone for investing. Professional Cricket needs to be the game of fighters. Not free travellers

 

[Burgey]

What's going on with this then? Apparently Aussie media was invited to a press conference but Jadeja didn't answer any questions in English?

"The tension between Indian Cricketers and Australian journalists are on the rise again after a strange and frosty media conference at the MCG on Saturday.

India’s Ravindra Jadeja faced reporters but the Australian media were bemused and confused when the star allrounder refused to answer questions in English"

Always just the worst guests in every country they tour. Rude and entitled.

 

[Burgey]

Bro you lot just scapegoated your young debutant so the seniors could deflect the blame.

Indian cricket spent a decade telling us the lazy eyed accountant is an ATG then they shafted him mid tour. If you’re going to screw someone over, it should always be the b00b. Like neophyte CW posters, it’s what they’re there for.

 

[Prince EWS]

And there we go, Konstas already in the mindset he has to be aggressive...this is not going to end well
View attachment 43538

You have to earn the right to be aggressive. Everyone knows that!

@Athlai @Smudge

 

[the big bambino]

The intent memeing logic is dumb and the decision sucks, but in terms of actual impact it’s a low risk gamble imo, in the sense that the up and downsides are not really that far apart. It’s not like Konstas is a crap cricketer or Sweeney was blowing everyone away.

They should've played both.

 

[TimAngas]

Not totally sold on dropping McSweeney but the kind of tepid footwork the top three have shown this series against Bumrah have yielded a net total of SFA runs so if someone has the gonads and maybe naivety to get out and play some front foot shots against him we may as well see if it yields any results. I also kind of get the logic about keeping a left hander there too. Khawaja's pull also just gives him one extra shot that has made him look more likely than the other two in the top three this series.

 

[Blenkinsop]

So basically the Aussies are desperately trying and failing to find their very own Ben Duckett. How the mighty etc.

 

[Blenkinsop]

Also when people disregard bowlers as being too slow to do well in Test cricket in Australia they seem to forget that Stuart Clark was quite handy.

 

[vicleggie]

Rude and entitled.

Sounds like Aussies in Bali.

 

[Qlder]

McSweeney just made 78* off 49 balls batting his usual #3 in BBL...is that enough intent for selectors

 

[Arachnödouche2.0]

You have better chance surviving Bumrah atm by just asking him nicely instead of #intent. Nice enough guy to take it easy on you too.

 

[SteveNZ]

The most outrageous thing about Bumrah's 2024 is the only time he couldn't take wickets was against NZ, who were in the midst of their statistically worst opening stands in 16 years, and had Devon Conway who looks like he's batting with a popsicle stick in roller skates

 

[honestbharani]

The most outrageous thing about Bumrah's 2024 is the only time he couldn't take wickets was against NZ, who were in the midst of their statistically worst opening stands in 16 years, and had Devon Conway who looks like he's batting with a popsicle stick in roller skates

They had an outrageous amount of luck during his spells tbf, esp. Conway.

 

[SteveNZ]

They had an outrageous amount of luck during his spells tbf, esp. Conway.

Very true, although I remember him not coming around to either of the LHers initially which felt like a mistake.

I just don't see what will slow Bumrah down other than his body. He's a freak. Sending anyone into battle with him, let alone a teenager, seems like mutiny. The best you can hope for right now is get fortunate like us, or injury, or you at least try to blunt his new ball impact which McSweeney actually didn't do a bad job of. If Smith and Head can bat clear of him with lacquer on the ball, it's a win

 

[wellAlbidarned]

I really had no idea, is there an obvious reason why wickets have declined?

it's mostly the balls. Kookaburra made the seam harder.

 

[GotSpin]

Not totally sold on dropping McSweeney but the kind of tepid footwork the top three have shown this series against Bumrah have yielded a net total of SFA runs so if someone has the gonads and maybe naivety to get out and play some front foot shots against him we may as well see if it yields any results. I also kind of get the logic about keeping a left hander there too. Khawaja's pull also just gives him one extra shot that has made him look more likely than the other two in the top three this series.

That’s all well and good but the more outrageous move is keeping Marsh

 

[centurymaker]

Very true, although I remember him not coming around to either of the LHers initially which felt like a mistake.

I just don't see what will slow Bumrah down other than his body. He's a freak. Sending anyone into battle with him, let alone a teenager, seems like mutiny. The best you can hope for right now is get fortunate like us, or injury, or you at least try to blunt his new ball impact which McSweeney actually didn't do a bad job of. If Smith and Head can bat clear of him with lacquer on the ball, it's a win

Yeah Bumrah made the mistake of not going around the wicket to the NZ openers. He and even Siraj persisted over the wicket for too long.

Regarding the dropping of McSweeney, I think it's a mistake on two counts. One he is a youngster who is developing and has batted as well as the other top order batters in the side. Secondly he was only getting out in the 2nd spell of Bumrah and was leaving well on length and doing a good job of getting the ball old for the likes of Head. If Head had to come in early, I don't think he would've played this well. So you can attribute some of his runs down to balls faced by the top order.

Sam Konstas may whack a few but I am sure he will fare worse than McSweeney in terms of balls faced. Extra 10-20 runs won't matter if Konstas gets out in the 7th over compared to McSweeney in the 15th or 20th over.

25 (25) vs 12 (55)

 

[centurymaker]

It's just unnecessary change mid series. Konstas hasn't seen Bumrah or Indian attack in full flow, unlike McSweeney. It's a gamble. May take him a test or two to get used to the attack and playing test cricket. Now wasn't the time at 1-1 in the series. McSweeney's been made scapegoat for the failures of all around him (Marsh should have been first on the list). Selectors are making the change just to show they are 'doing something'/ taking action. I feel bad for him as he was interviewed on Thursday saying that he was excited to realise his childhood dream of playing the Boxing Day Test. And next day he was dropped.

 

[centurymaker]

If it had rained a little more on day 5 at the Gabba and McSweeney not batted, he would still be playing. So whats actually the tilted the scales against him is his last and most irrelevant innings where he faced 25 balls and was unlucky to get out cutting to Akash.

 

[Qlder]

Pant's got 19 catches this series. Isn't that an unusual high number of caught behinds (19 of 47 wkts or 40.4%)