*Official* Australia in decline thread

[Turbinator]

OMG sorry about the three same threads, something was wrong with my computer, again! Please fix it mods.

 

[Turbinator]

Turbo, just go into "edit" on one of them and delete it

Oh , thanks a lot!

 

[aussie tragic]

Australia on the other hand, will also lose superstars like McGrath, Ponting, Warne, etc etc. Will they ever produce such a talented bunch again?

IMO, Australia may lose McGrath and Warne around the same time, however while this will of course have a big effect, Australia is not so unprepared as it was when Chappell, Lillee and Marsh all retired at the same time (Aussie then struggled for about 10-years).

We also have MacGill as an interim for Warne for a couple of years and there are a lot of young bowlers that will hopefully step up before McGrath retires (e.g. Johnson and Tait).

 

[silentstriker]

Two big superstars, Dravid and Tendulkar, will be gone. This will be a big morale loss for the team. Yuvi, Dhoni, and Kaif certainly don't look very responsible at the moment. Sehwag is very inconsistent.

Actually, the biggest loss for India will not be Tendulkar or Dravid. It will be Kumble.

No man in history of Indian cricket has won more matches for India. Ever.

He doesn't have the majesty of Tendulkar nor the presence of Dravid...but all he does is win matches. He has played a huge role in virtually every single test match win over the last 15 years. Absolutely indispensible.

 

[adharcric]

Spot on SS. Kumble is the most valuable player in the Indian test side right now. I have a feeling Harbhajan is really going to take off in the next year or so and develop into a genuine match-winning spinner (closer to the Murali-Warne, Kumble class), so we won't suffer too much in that regard.

 

[Gajanayake]

Spot on SS. Kumble is the most valuable player in the Indian test side right now. I have a feeling Harbhajan is really going to take off in the next year or so and develop into a genuine match-winning spinner (closer to the Murali-Warne, Kumble class), so we won't suffer too much in that regard.

I don't think Harbhajan will be that good, tbh. Harbhajan's a very good bowler in ODIs and useful enough in tests when the conditions are right, but I think he won't have the same impact that a wrist spinner will have.

I think when Kumble retires, India will have to look at one of either Chawla or Ojha to fill his boots --- big ask....but everyone has to start somewhere.
I think Harbhajan still has an important role in mentoring the guy who comes in, much in the same way that Kumble did to him.

 

[adharcric]

I don't think Harbhajan will be that good, tbh. Harbhajan's a very good bowler in ODIs and useful enough in tests when the conditions are right, but I think he won't have the same impact that a wrist spinner will have.

I think when Kumble retires, India will have to look at one of either Chawla or Ojha to fill his boots --- big ask....but everyone has to start somewhere.
I think Harbhajan still has an important role in mentoring the guy who comes in, much in the same way that Kumble did to him.

Ojha? That guy would barely make the top 10 spinners list in India right now. It'll be Bhajji and Chawla once Kumble leaves, with Shahbaz Nadeem (left-armer) stepping up hopefully.

 

[Gajanayake]

Ojha? That guy would barely make the top 10 spinners list in India right now. It'll be Bhajji and Chawla once Kumble leaves, with Shahbaz Nadeem (left-armer) stepping up hopefully.

Your're kidding right ? He'd easily make the top ten spinners in India......Nadeem has only performed at u-19 level...Ojha has had a very good debut first-class season under his belt.
Ojha would be well in front.......

 

[shortpitched713]

Isn't Ojha the thing with the satanic messages?

 

[adharcric]

Your're kidding right ? He'd easily make the top ten spinners in India......Nadeem has only performed at u-19 level...Ojha has had a very good debut first-class season under his belt.
Ojha would be well in front.......

Well I didn't put it the right way. Obviously Nadeem isn't a national prospect yet as he's 17 or something and hasn't played first-class cricket, but from the way he's performed so far he seems much more of a prodigy/talent than Ojha. Of course, that doesn't mean much if he isn't handled correctly and if he doesn't do well in domestic cricket for a couple of seasons. As for Ojha, he is a promising young spinner but I watched him bowl in the Irani Trophy match for a few overs and while he was decent, he didn't exactly catch my eye. For me, the top 10 spinners (national prospects) at the moment are as follows (not this order):

Kumble, Harbhajan, Powar, Chawla, Kartik, Mishra, Ojha, Ramkumar, Jadeja, Nadeem

 

[adharcric]

Isn't Ojha the thing with the satanic messages?

That would be Ouija.

 

[Nishant]

india will be a transitional stage when they lose their big players. The young guns will have to mature quicker and people like dhoni will have to play more sensibly.

 

[Perm]

Australia will lose Warne and McGrath at around the same time, but with a good young batch of pace bowlers coming through like Johnson and Tait they shouldn't suffer hugely. Depends how long Warne continues playing as to whether or not MacGill will fill in as an interrim or whether they go straight to a younger guy like Dan Cullen who's already been tried.

In terms of batsman I'd say Langer and Hayden will both retire around the same time, Jaques will probably secure one of those opening spots, not sure who would get the other. I'd say that Cosgrove will probably replace Martyn when he retires and Haddin will take the gloves when Gilchrist goes.

 

[aussie tragic]

In terms of batsman I'd say Langer and Hayden will both retire around the same time, Jaques will probably secure one of those opening spots, not sure who would get the other.

I predict Langer will be replaced by Jaques during these Ashes, while Matty will still be playing in the 2009 Ashes.

 

[Perm]

I predict Langer will be replaced by Jaques during these Ashes, while Matty will still be playing in the 2009 Ashes.

Big call, Langer is definately a fighter and I think his place is pretty much guarranteed until the end of the Ashes. But Matty Hayden has the distinct advantage of being in the ODI squad aswell, and he will probably go to the WC so thats a bonus for him.

 

[Pratters]

Well I didn't put it the right way. Obviously Nadeem isn't a national prospect yet as he's 17 or something and hasn't played first-class cricket, but from the way he's performed so far he seems much more of a prodigy/talent than Ojha. Of course, that doesn't mean much if he isn't handled correctly and if he doesn't do well in domestic cricket for a couple of seasons. As for Ojha, he is a promising young spinner but I watched him bowl in the Irani Trophy match for a few overs and while he was decent, he didn't exactly catch my eye. For me, the top 10 spinners (national prospects) at the moment are as follows (not this order):

Kumble, Harbhajan, Powar, Chawla, Kartik, Mishra, Ojha, Ramkumar, Jadeja, Nadeem

To be fair to Ojha, he didn't bowl much in the match. That he was in the ROI squad does show people consider him in the second rung at least.

 

[Pratters]

I predict Langer will be replaced by Jaques during these Ashes, while Matty will still be playing in the 2009 Ashes.

Why do you think Langer will do poorly? Just wondering if there is a theory or it is just a prediction.

 

[aussie tragic]

Why do you think Langer will do poorly? Just wondering if there is a theory or it is just a prediction.

With an aging team, I'm sure the Aussie selectors will continue their policy of dropping senior players (when their is a suitable alternative) in order to avoid a repeat of the Chappell, Marsh, Lillee simultaneous retirement in the 1980's.

With this in mind, I feel Langer is the next to go as he's almost 36 and since the Ashes, he has played 7 tests, 392 runs @ 32.66 with only one 50 (99) and Phil Jaques seems a more than suitable replacement.

Having said that, he seems to have a knack of getting a good score when his head is on the line so who knows, he may go out and get a 100 at the Gabba and then play the whole series (whereby I think he hinted that he'd retire after that anyway).

 

[Pratters]

With an aging team, I'm sure the Aussie selectors will continue their policy of dropping senior players (when their is a suitable alternative) in order to avoid a repeat of the Chappell, Marsh, Lillee simultaneous retirement in the 1980's.

With this in mind, I feel Langer is the next to go as he's almost 36 and since the Ashes, he has played 7 tests, 392 runs @ 32.66 with only one 50 (99) and Phil Jaques seems a more than suitable replacement.

Having said that, he seems to have a knack of getting a good score when his head is on the line so who knows, he may go out and get a 100 at the Gabba and then play the whole series (whereby I think he hinted that he'd retire after that anyway).

Righto..

 

[adharcric]

To be fair to Ojha, he didn't bowl much in the match. That he was in the ROI squad does show people consider him in the second rung at least.

Yeah he is definitely a prospect in some sense, but he's FAR from a national call-up. Basically, he just exploded in the final two matches of last year's Ranji season, getting a six-fer against UP (but he gave up 120 runs to do it, while Chawla got 5 for 37 there) and a seven-wicket burst against Baroda (for 130 runs again, on a turning track obviously since Yusuf Pathan claimed 8 for 66 in that match despite an otherwise lackluster Ranji season). In other words, he might have potential but he's less developed than most of our young bowling talents.