**Official** 5th Test at Sydney, 3-7 Jan 2025

[stephen]

He also concedes runs and releases pressure when others don't. People talk about him like he's a 22-23 average bowler and he isn't.

He's more of a McDermott quality bowler than a McGrath, but that's still very good.

 

[subshakerz]

He was never in Tendulkar's class despite getting as much as hype as him, he could maybe match him as an ODI batsman but not as a test batsman.

No one could match Tendulkar as a test batsman, maybe Bradman but I never saw him bat and he never played tests against the mighty Black Caps.

Kohli didn't need to be another Tendulkar but around his peak Kohli was threatening to be a bonafide ATG test bat, maybe in the top 15 of all time. He certainly was of that class.

 

[halba]

First look at the wicket but when did the SCG get so green? Looks like a South African pitch out there.

Boland has to play every game if he's fit in Australian conditions

 

[Burgey]

He also concedes runs and releases pressure when others don't. People talk about him like he's a 22-23 average bowler and he isn't.

I don’t think anyone talks about him like that tbh. But he’s a better bowler than say, Brett Lee, who absolutely gets spoken about in those terms.

I also don’t think he releases anywhere near the pressure he used to. He’s become a more effective bowler since he’s used the wobble seam and dialed back his length a bit instead of floating everything up trying to swing it all the time

 

[stephen]

Kohli didn't need to be another Tendulkar but around his peak Kohli was threatening to be a bonafide ATG test bat, maybe in the top 15 of all time. He certainly was of that class.

His weakness outside off has just seemed to get worse as his career progressed rather than better. He failed to learn as he got older.

 

[Spark]

His weakness outside off has just seemed to get worse as his career progressed rather than better. He failed to learn as he got older.

Part of the problem is that he genuinely can't score on the offside square of the wicket if he doesn't play that shot. So bowlers can just hide it out there all day - as they did today - and wait for him to make a mistake unless it's a proper road and he can just whack through the line with glee.

 

[GotSpin]

Mark Waugh really in the running for commentator of the series

 

[Spark]

For all the complaints about Starc this is a proper examination right here. Full working over

 

[Son Of Coco]

Shut the **** up with the 'warrior' talk Justin. No wonder the team couldn't stand you.

 

[nightprowler10]

Yeesh, Pant taking some punishment out there.

 

[Daemon]

The criticism of Pant for the last game is weighing on him here imo. Just looks in two minds.

 

[SkyBlue]

Boland to a certain extent, having a Ryan Harris-esque career arc

In India, if you are in your early/mid-30s, you are pretty much finished as a bowler

 

[stephen]

I don’t think anyone talks about him like that tbh. But he’s a better bowler than say, Brett Lee, who absolutely gets spoken about in those terms.

I also don’t think he releases anywhere near the pressure he used to

If he bowled with the pace he had 7 years ago and the control he had today he absolutely would be a 22 average bowler. He was a 145-155 bowler who sprayed it around and he's settled into a 138-145 bowler who occasionally bowls a bad ball.

 

[morgieb]

I don’t think anyone talks about him like that tbh. But he’s a better bowler than say, Brett Lee, who absolutely gets spoken about in those terms.

I also don’t think he releases anywhere near the pressure he used to. He’s become a more effective bowler since he’s used the wobble seam and dialed back his length a bit instead of floating everything up trying to swing it all the time

Yeah exactly. Starc isn't perfect but I don't see many people arguing he is, and is a fine bowler. If he's Australia's biggest problem (and despite what some say, he's absolutely not), Australia are in a very good position.

 

[stephen]

Boland to a certain extent, having a Ryan Harris-esque career arc

In India, if you are in your early/mid-30s, you are pretty much finished as a bowler

Ryan Harris also a crowd favourite. WAG.

 

[Nintendo]

He's more of a McDermott quality bowler than a McGrath, but that's still very good.

It's weird because if you look at averages compared to the other quicks in the games he played he's basically identical to Brett lee.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

anyone else watching a feed with the ad where Bumrah shills for big pistachio

 

[Spark]

This deck is kind of nuts ngl. Batting fourth might be... interesting.

 

[subshakerz]

He's more of a McDermott quality bowler than a McGrath, but that's still very good.

Consistent middling returns but not outright bad.

 

[morgieb]

The criticism of Pant for the last game is weighing on him here imo. Just looks in two minds.

The shots deserved criticism but it's clear based on what we saw in the JL era forcing a square peg into a round hole is not the right way to coach a cricket team. I think the upside is good enough for him to be allowed to play the way he feels most comfortable with.