***Official*** Australia in India 2017

[TheJediBrah]

Pune was horrible as a fan but the mistakes that our team made, I felt we deserved the way we lost that game. But today was very different. I have never seen so many of the lucky stuff go fully one side's way. It was painful to watch as an Indian fan coz the side was really putting a very big effort here. If this does not tell you Aussies are destined to win this series, nothing will.



But gotta give credit to the Aussies. There have been sides who would have crumbled inspite of the lucky breaks. The almost wooden headed way they have stuck to their individual batting plans against each and every bowler has been amazing. Still credit to India too, I guess, coz we could have easily let them away but at least we are still 10% in the game.

Yeah it must be because of luck. No way were they the better team.













I'm actually sort of being serious. Baffling that Australia have even been competitive this series let alone front-runners. Still can't get my head around it. Luck would be as good an explanation as any.

 

[honestbharani]

They have been lucky and it is a big reason why they are ahead in this test for sure. But last test was full of bone headedness from our side combined with really good batting. See, Aussie bowling doing well against us is something I thought will happen. I still think they are the best and most varied attack to have toured India this season and possibly since Eng 2012. But the way they are ensuring they are able to put up 250+ everytime they bat has been surprising. And there is cause and effect as well. Batsmen batting longer and scoring more than you think they will means the bowlers get more to play with and they are automatically that much more dangerous. If Australia were bowled out for around 190 in the first test like they should have been but for Virat's stupidity, imagine how the series might have gone. It might have gone like this test. They got lucky in that they lost the toss in the seond test than the first. Had they bowled first and India batted anywhere close to normal, it would have brought their morale down severely. So I guess in that way they were lucky but they were also taking this seriously enough to go and practice for 2 weeks in Dubai and knew exactly what their plans were even before they landed here.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Didn't realise how low Mitch Marsh's lbw ball kept. I was cursing him for being such a useless straight-ball missing **** but maybe he was actually a bit unlucky.

 

[anil1405]

Whats been so pleasing to watch from pure cricketing perspective is a team battling it out against the odds in alien conditions and coming out on top through sheer grit and determination.

 

[honestbharani]

And FWIW, TJB, I did make it clear in my post that I am talking about this test. They were easily better in the first test.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Luck downplays the amazing work that this aussie team is implementing as collective

 

[91Jmay]

Unlucky or not Mitchell Marsh has to be dropped. Batting average now 22 on the nose after 34 innings is putrid especially as he is taking poles at 37s.

 

[honestbharani]

Whats been so pleasing to watch from pure cricketing perspective is a team battling it out against the odds in alien conditions and coming out on top through sheer grit and determination.

I dont think it is that alone though. Many visiting sides have had batting line ups that have been gritty and determined, quite a few from Australia itself. I think it is the actual skill factor and the fact they all prepared and each and everyone decided to work out the way they can survive on these tracks against these bowlers and then stick to it, no matter what happens is what has been amazing. I remember their bowling line up being so specifically prepared back in 2004, when it was obvious they badly wanted to win here. This time it is their batting who are doing it. The more I see of this series, the more I think it will go down the 2004 series route.

 

[honestbharani]

Luck downplays the amazing work that this aussie team is implementing as collective

Lol.. I addressed that in my very next post.

 

[honestbharani]

Gotta add, most of the plans of these batsmen have them batting in starkly different ways to how they would normally bat. Gotta tip your hat to that kind of effort and commitment and skill.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I dont think it is that alone though. Many visiting sides have had batting line ups that have been gritty and determined, quite a few from Australia itself. I think it is the actual skill factor and the fact they all prepared and each and everyone decided to work out the way they can survive on these tracks against these bowlers and then stick to it, no matter what happens is what has been amazing. I remember their bowling line up being so specifically prepared back in 2004, when it was obvious they badly wanted to win here. This time it is their batting who are doing it. The more I see of this series, the more I think it will go down the 2004 series route.

Even more amazing that this success of tactics, plans & determination is coming from possibly the most stubborn, hard-headed and boofish team in the history of the game

 

[Burgey]

Gotta add, most of the plans of these batsmen have them batting in starkly different ways to how they would normally bat. Gotta tip your hat to that kind of effort and commitment and skill.

It makes me wonder why they can never bat for draws

 

[Bijed]

It makes me wonder why they can never bat for draws

I'd imagine the success they've had so far this series will result in a general improvement in that aspect of their game to some extent.

Personally. though, I'm just hoping they're now so good in subcontinental conditions that Australian pitches will feel totally alien to them by the time the Ashes start

 

[OverratedSanity]

God today was an atrocious day of captaincy from kohli. And of course Starc has to get runs. ****ing typical.

 

[OverratedSanity]

How's the weather prediction? Not that it'll make a difference, mind. We're going to get rolled in a session and a half anyway.

 

[Debris]

I'd imagine the success they've had so far this series will result in a general improvement in that aspect of their game to some extent.

Personally. though, I'm just hoping they're now so good in subcontinental conditions that Australian pitches will feel totally alien to them by the time the Ashes start

Every single Australian wicket from now on is going to be a low, slow dust bowl. They know when they are on to a good thing.

 

[Spark]

How's the weather prediction? Not that it'll make a difference, mind. We're going to get rolled in a session and a half anyway.

It's pretty grim tbh. Will probably lose at least a session tomorrow.

 

[Watson33]

Unlucky or not Mitchell Marsh has to be dropped. Batting average now 22 on the nose after 34 innings is putrid especially as he is taking poles at 37s.

Who replaces him though? Moises has been up there in the runs in the shield and has a decent bowler average of 31 in FC cricket. Hasn't done well in previous tests though. And Stoinis takes his wickets at 41 in FC cricket.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Didn't realise how low Mitch Marsh's lbw ball kept. I was cursing him for being such a useless straight-ball missing **** but maybe he was actually a bit unlucky.

Yeah that was a tough nut today, but it's just adding to the rest of his run of low scores that are showing a trend.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Who replaces him though? Moises has been up there in the runs in the shield and has a decent bowler average of 31 in FC cricket. Hasn't done well in previous tests though. And Stoinis takes his wickets at 41 in FC cricket.

A specialist batsman. Khawaja is a walk-in to this Aus side anywhere else in the world so one of the top-6 will have to be dropped for him next series regardless.

Henriques would be a decent bet as he is a far superior batsman to M.Marsh. His bowling average is almost irrelevant, all they need from him is a few tight overs.