**Official** Australia in India Thread

[Arjun]

WHat do you do with Zaheer? He's had a decent match against the Indian A team, and has picked up 8 wickets in 2 matches with an average slightly over 20, so he's not doing too bad. The main worry is not his bowling, but his fielding.

 

[Arjun]

I only hope that Sehwag-Yuvraj combination doesn't open the Indian innings. Both getting big hundreds may not be a return to form, but just a flash in the pan. Not to mention they're both mere pinch-hitters and not genuine openers- Chopra is.

 

[Arjun]

I thought that was Bruce Reid's job to work with the bowlers?

Only temporarily. He's never got a permanent job, and he should (or some other man for the job of a bowling coach), since the team needs one, till they have a world-class bowler in their ranks. As for their main coach, John Wright must realise that he has 14 players to work with, not just the specialist batsmen.

 

[Craig]

So India doesn't employ a fast bowling coach? Strange considering the good job Bruce Reid has done for them.

 

[Craig]

WHat do you do with Zaheer? He's had a decent match against the Indian A team, and has picked up 8 wickets in 2 matches with an average slightly over 20, so he's not doing too bad. The main worry is not his bowling, but his fielding.

I would pick him, his consistentcy is the problem.

 

[Waughney]

So India doesn't employ a fast bowling coach? Strange considering the good job Bruce Reid has done for them.

Exactly, I think he would've been worth keeping....

 

[Arjun]

I would pick him, his consistentcy is the problem.

Exactly. His Test averages over the years have not been great (his best was in 2002, at 29), but he's a lot better in ODI's, as he had averages of 22 in 2002 and 23 in 2003. Once again, if he should stay ahead of other contenders, who are not far worse, he should improve his ground fielding.

 

[Arjun]

Looks like McGrath will have a very good series. He's conceded fewer runs than he has bowled overs. Kasprowicz is another bowler who can psoe a threat- he's a good bowler on these pitches. Of course, if he gets one-paced, one of the batsmen can start hitting him for boundaries, but there are always singles to take.

 

[Arjun]

Indian squad for Test series:Saurav Ganguly (captain), Virender Sehwag, Aakash Chopra, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Parthiv Patel (wicketkeeper), Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Murali Kartik

As many as 4 selections here are debatable. Agarkar's Test average is still over 44. Murali Karthik doesn't get along too well with the captain, and the Aussies may enjoy hitting him for big shots again. Forget getting runs, will Parthiv hold on to all catches and complete all stumpings? And why have a specialist bat who has been woeful against spin?

 

[Craig]

Chopra
Sehwag
Dravid
Tendulkar (Yuvraj if Tendulkar isn't fit)
Laxman
*Ganguly
+Patel
Pathan
AA/Zaheer
Harbhajan SIngh
Anil Kumble

12th man: Mohammad Kaif

Not a bad guy to have in at number 11 with Anil Kumble.

 

[Andre]

Exactly, I think he would've been worth keeping....

Which is why he has been hired again.

 

[Waughney]

Which is why he has been hired again.

And rightly so.

 

[Mister Wright]

Chopra
Sehwag
Dravid
Tendulkar (Yuvraj if Tendulkar isn't fit)
Laxman
*Ganguly
+Patel
Pathan
AA/Zaheer
Harbhajan SIngh
Anil Kumble

12th man: Mohammad Kaif

Not a bad guy to have in at number 11 with Anil Kumble.

If Tendulkar plays Yuvraj will open, if he doesn't play Chopra will open & Yuvraj in the middle order. Or that's the way I see it at the moment.

 

[marc71178]

I see Shewag has smashed 34 runs plus a no ball of an over in the India Vs India A match lol..

I can't help but raise my eyebrows at the way the A side were well on top and then seemingly lost it against a paor of batsmen that needed runs to boost their confidence ahead of the Test series...

 

[telsor]

I can't help but raise my eyebrows at the way the A side were well on top and then seemingly lost it against a paor of batsmen that needed runs to boost their confidence ahead of the Test series...

The same thought occured to me when I noticed that the A side used 10 bowlers in the second innings.

That said, if it works, then surely it counts as a good tactic..after all, the game was there to get the test side ready for the first test.

 

[Sehwag309]

ya..ganguly had the india A side on gun point and told them to bowl li'l ones so sehwag can hit 9 sixes and yuvraj can get some form...damn our captain..dirty trick, this certainly won't help anyone

Let the games being

 

[krishneelz]

that is sooo tru sehwag

 

[Sehwag309]

I hope none of this had an influence on the Aus/Mumbai game....

 

[Deja moo]

Yeah but obviously crap bowling.

I wish I would have been able to see it.

The bowler reportedly was Murali Karthik ....


Anyone knows if that over happened before or after Karthik was picked in the team ?

 

[Sehwag309]

The bowler reportedly was Murali Karthik ....


Anyone knows if that over happened before or after Karthik was picked in the team ?

U r in bombay pal, u in the best position to tell us