***Official*** Australia in India 2017

[Spark]

People in domestic cricket before his recall were noting that of all the candidates who eventually made their way back into the side, Smith was particularly driven and willing to make adaptations to his game to try and score runs in the very tough batting conditions that dominated Shield cricket at the time.

 

[adub]

People in domestic cricket before his recall were noting that of all the candidates who eventually made their way back into the side, Smith was particularly driven and willing to make adaptations to his game to try and score runs in the very tough batting conditions that dominated Shield cricket at the time.

Yep. Always thought he'd make a good 5/6 who would average 40 and play the 5th bowler role. I actually thought his biggest competition for that role would be Maxi. But he took the good stuff he had and just added a layer of desire that is at the top of the range. Freakish. He didn't make a big score in the time he was out of the Test side, but he made a lot of very handy scores in bowler friendly conditions.

The biggest thing for me is how quickly he works out he needs to change and then successfully adjusts to get back to the top. He was getting too far across in the 3rd and 4th tests in England and knicking off to balls that he should have been cutting. Come the 5th and he adjusted to get not so far across - tonned up. The big move across was something he added mid test first up (v England in Perth). Good bowlers might work him out, but he'll change his method to take back the advantage so fast the bowlers are always chasing him. Plenty of good bats have changed their game to overcome faults, but I've never seen anyone do it as quickly and successfully as Smith.

 

[Black_Warrior]

How can a leg spin all-rounder just turn into the world's best test batsman with a 60 average? It boggles my mind.

I think it has more to do with how players get categorised early on. When you first start out, I am not sure any player puts themselves in a box saying "hey I am a right arm leg spinning all rounder"

It's the system of coaches, peers, managers who view and categorise and obviously that system isn't perfect. Azhar Ali was also identified as a leg spinner in Pakistan domestic cricket.

 

[Burgey]

So, as always seems to be said with really tight test series, the first session today is massive. If Smith or Maxwell (or both) are still in at lunch, Australia should be around 380 odd and set for 500 plus. If one or both go early, they will likely be all out 350 odd.

 

[social]

How can a leg spin all-rounder just turn into the world's best test batsman with a 60 average? It boggles my mind.

Smith was a batsman who happened to be blonde and bowl legspin

If I had been blonde and bowled leggies, the Oz selectors probably would have looked at me as well

 

[Black_Warrior]

Look other than Starc, maybe Warner and a bit of Wade, Australia doesn't have any 'alpha' type players anymore. Smith's an awkward teen, Renshaw's a baby, Lyon looks like a cardoon character, O'Keefe's a nerd, Haze is a babe. The era of hard ****s is long over.

Hazelwood is a bit of a dick though

 

[Spark]

Yep. Always thought he'd make a good 5/6 who would average 40 and play the 5th bowler role. I actually thought his biggest competition for that role would be Maxi. But he took the good stuff he had and just added a layer of desire that is at the top of the range. Freakish. He didn't make a big score in the time he was out of the Test side, but he made a lot of very handy scores in bowler friendly conditions.

The biggest thing for me is how quickly he works out he needs to change and then successfully adjusts to get back to the top. He was getting too far across in the 3rd and 4th tests in England and knicking off to balls that he should have been cutting. Come the 5th and he adjusted to get not so far across - tonned up. The big move across was something he added mid test first up (v England in Perth). Good bowlers might work him out, but he'll change his method to take back the advantage so fast the bowlers are always chasing him. Plenty of good bats have changed their game to overcome faults, but I've never seen anyone do it as quickly and successfully as Smith.

Yeah he almost seems to adjust his technique on a whim mid-innings. I can't recall anyone else doing anything like that, certainly not with the regularity and success he's had.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Virat Kohli suffers strain in right shoulder, expected to continue playing Test | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[stephen]

Virat Kohli suffers strain in right shoulder, expected to continue playing Test | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

Good for the game but not good for Australia. Beware the wounded batsman!

 

[Victor Ian]

If Kohli was Australian he'd be on the plane home. I fear Kohli this game. This ground is the one where he scores 200+ to make it an insane 5 series in a row.

 

[cnerd123]

If Kohli was Australian he'd be on the plane home. I fear Kohli this game. This ground is the one where he scores 200+ to make it an insane 5 series in a row.

nah mate. Kohli's been batting **** and now he's injured too. And he called Steve Smith a cheat.

Smith to double ton up, Kohli to get a pair of sub 10 scores, India to get handily walloped as karma hands Australia a 3-1 series win

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

So what is it that Freddie told about the big 4 and Kohli in particular.

Andrew Flintoff says Kohli 'heads and shoulders above' Smith | Cricket | Sporting News

This is fairly reasonable if you include all three forms of the game and weight them somewhat equally. Kohli is among the best test batsmen in the world, let's say top 5, and he's clearly the best limited overs batsman in the world in both ODI and t20 cricket. I think their overall runscoring capabilities are probably comparable but Kohli has the extra gear and the ability to score 20 runs an over in a chase and other ridiculous things, and consistently does it at the highest level. He also just plays a lot more limited overs cricket than Smith and scores a lot more runs.

But I think Smith is clearly the better test player.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Yeah he almost seems to adjust his technique on a whim mid-innings. I can't recall anyone else doing anything like that, certainly not with the regularity and success he's had.

This is the thing that really sets him apart for me. I've been thinking about where to rate him in terms of other players with amazing dominant streaks, and while I've seen more dominant players, someone like early 2000s Ponting or Kallis at his peak or whoever always felt like they had weak points the opposition could exploit. Among Australian batsmen the closest comparison to Smith I've seen is Steve Waugh where at his best you just felt like he was never going to get out and could score runs in any conditions. But Waugh did it by pretty severely limiting his game and playing to specific strengths, and was never a particularly good ODI player for instance because of that. Smith can play so many different ways to suit so many different situations, I don't think I've ever seen anyone quite like him. The hundreds here and in Pune are perfect examples.

 

[Son Of Coco]

I'm old enough to still have nightmares from some 'Australianisms' from back when Neighbours and Home and Away were popular (in the United Kingdom). One still gives me nightmares to this day.

Was it "shower and toothbrush"?

 

[Son Of Coco]

Some online reports suggesting he may be done for the series.

If true, then that, my friends, is called karma.

 

[OverratedSanity]

If true, then that, my friends, is called karma.

Really?

 

[Son Of Coco]

100%

I agree with Burgey that you want the best players out there. But if a bloke gets injured, and that bloke is the one who was carrying on like a pork chop after the last match, then maybe it's time to believe in a higher power.

If he can carry on, like reports seem to be suggesting, then that's a good thing for the game.

 

[Black_Warrior]

If true, then that, my friends, is called karma.

Kohli really gets under your skin doesn't he

 

[Burgey]

If true, then that, my friends, is called karma.

Centurymaker seems to be the expert on things karmic

 

[Nate]

Maxwell don't make me like you.