Do you think Australia will repeat the heroics of 2004 ?

[Jono]

Ponting struggles against spin? He can play Murali with his willy!!

He's struggled v Indian spinners in India, but I seem to recall him scoring several runs in 03/04 out here vs them. You say that attack was mediocre, but iirc Kumble was 1st choice spinner with HBS his back up. In other words, the same spinners.

Look, I rate Ponting highly, but I must correct you here.

Harbhajan only played the first test at the Gabba during the 03/04 series before getting injured and missing the rest of the tour.

Ponting is unproven vs. Harbhajan at best at test level. Its weird because Harbhajan is pretty ordinary atm.

Oh and didn't Murali get Ponting twice during their series? Not saying Ponting can't play him, but I reckon the 'willy' comment is a bit of a stretch

 

[Top_Cat]

Oh and didn't Murali get Ponting twice during their series? Not saying Ponting can't play him, but I reckon the 'willy' comment is a bit of a stretch

With the same ball in both innings, no less. Mind you, Ponting had passed 50 both times I think.

 

[Richard]

Don't forget he's scored well against Murali in spin-friendly conditions too.

Murali is capable of turning pretty much any conditions to his advantage, though - scoring runs against him (provided he's in condition, obviously - as for instance he wasn't in England in 2002) is a challenge regardless of the condition of the pitch.

But then again, how is it odd, though? Judging by his record at home and away against spinners in spin-friendly conditions, that he's failed so miserably in India is what's odd. But only by comparison; it's not odd at all for a top-shelf batsman to have a bogey bowler or two.

I've said it before, but aside from in India and Sri Lanka and the odd Test at The SCG, Ponting hasn't really faced much quality spin in spin-friendly conditions.

Scoring runs against Harbhajan Singh at The 'Gabba isn't proving anything much about your ability to play quality spin.

 

[oitoitoi]

However, I don't think Ponting will have any problems scoring runs in India this time. The type of wickets he faced in 2001 are nowhere to be seen. Almost all the wickets seem to have changed in character - Now even when there is turn it's very slow turn. And often the wickets don't breakup as the test match progresses. Many batsmen who would have had a tough time of it in the earlier Indian wickets have come and scored runs in the last 5 years.

I agree, touring India isn't what it used to be for touring batsmen. The BCCI has to do something to encourage better surfaces to be produced. I have no problem whatsoever with them producing turners, indeed it's my opinion that when you come to India you should expect vicious turners. After all when you come to Australia you expect pace and bounce, when you go to England you expect swing and seam movement, where is it written that these are better than turning pitches? Home teams should be allowed to fully use their home advantage. However over the last 5 years the pitches in India have slowed considerably so there is little in them even for the spinners, as a result India have started losing at home. I would rather see the semi-broken surface at Kanpur than the tarmac at Chennai, it makes for a much better match. There is this belief in India that our batsmen excel on flat surfaces despite the fact that almost all of our overseas victories have come in testing conditions.

Azhar was criticised for the piches he had prepared by the groundsman, personally I think he was right.

Also regarding Murali and his recent Australia tour, I don't think he's the same bowler anymore, not since that last injury. I'd like to see Ponting vs Mendis in Sri Lanka.

 

[Richard]

I agree, touring India isn't what it used to be for touring batsmen. The BCCI has to do something to encourage better surfaces to be produced. I have no problem whatsoever with them producing turners, indeed it's my opinion that when you come to India you should expect vicious turners. After all when you come to Australia you expect pace and bounce, when you go to England you expect swing and seam movement, where is it written that these are better than turning pitches? Home teams should be allowed to fully use their home advantage.

Abso-God-damn-lutely.

 

[aussie]

4-seamers in India?

Well unless Warne decides to make a hollywood comeback pretty soon i think playing 4-seamers adept of bowling well in Indian conditions would be Australia's best bowling combination ATM. No point picking a spinner to be a defensive option in INDIA which is what McGain, Hauritz, Cullen might be, plus their should be questions on whether they could do a solid containment role.

Lee - pace, top-class control over conventional & reverse swing, control, ability to adapt to any situation.

Clark - will do a McGrath

Tait - pace, ability to produce dangerous coventional & reverse swing especially, but can be eratic.

Bracken - ability so swing the new ball & with his off-cuters could be a difficult proposition in those conditions given the amount of experience he has of playing in India. Questions would be asked about a possible place for him but really if Bracken is going to be a test success anywhere its going to be in India IMHO.

 

[Burgey]

Look, I rate Ponting highly, but I must correct you here.

Harbhajan only played the first test at the Gabba during the 03/04 series before getting injured and missing the rest of the tour.

Ponting is unproven vs. Harbhajan at best at test level. Its weird because Harbhajan is pretty ordinary atm.

Oh and didn't Murali get Ponting twice during their series? Not saying Ponting can't play him, but I reckon the 'willy' comment is a bit of a stretch

No trouble accepting that point at all re HBS and Ponting. Some bowlers trouble some batsmen I guess.

Certainly Ponting fell to Murali recently, but he was far from his best. His overall record v him is pretty damn good though.

 

[morgieb]

No, I don't think so, especially if there's pitches like Mumbai and not like Nagpur again.

 

[Richard]

I doubt we'll be seeing anything like that one at the Wankhede Stadium again, that was unusual by any standards, but 4 surfaces like the one at the Chepauk would be most welcome.

Very unlikely, though, of course. Remind me, where are the Tests being played?