***Official Australia in India***

[Lambu]

I don't think anybody will be called up this late before the test..i'm sure one of Kumble and Harbhajan will be fit in time,if not both.So no worries.

 

[Jakester1288]

to make an impression in the test, the Australian bowlers as a group will have to do well .... if you are saying that Lee and Clark are not up there yet then Australia is still going to struggle even by playing other options .... and don't forget, Australia has Watson as a pace option too

stuffing the line-up with all-rounders hasn't worked for Australia so a line up like the one below could make sense

- Batting: Jacques, Hayden, Ponting, Hussey, Clarke,
- one from: Katich, Watson or White
- WK: Haddin
- Pacers: Johnson, Siddle, Lee or Clark
- Spinner: Krejza

Jaques is out for the rest of the summer IIRC, stuck with Katich opening (unless we fly someone over - preferably Symonds in which Hussey may open). But I go by the princible "if it aint broke, don't fix it".

 

[morgieb]

Well apparently Bhajji may be out of the Delhi test, which means Kumble or Mishra won't be dropped.
And this also means that 2 high quality leg-spinners play since 2005.

 

[ret]

i reckon Mishra would be more useful than either Kumble or Bhajji, esp when bowling in the Ist inning .... with Bhajji likely to miss the game, India will have to rely on Sehwag for decent off spin

 

[pasag]

Well apparently Bhajji may be out of the Delhi test, which means Kumble or Mishra won't be dropped.
And this also means that 2 high quality leg-spinners play since 2005.

Good news for Aus, also looks like more good news wrt Clark.

 

[IndGunner]

I guess Pragyan ojha or murali karthik would get the call up if both bhajji and kumble are unavailable.
I really doubt the selectors would play chawla and mishra together.

well i doubt murali karthik well get in as he is in the middlesex team in the carribean and ojha wasn't all that impressive in the tour match. Who else does india have yusuf pathan? lol is he indias version of white. dont worry im being silly i know he wont get a game but who else?

 

[IndGunner]

Well apparently Bhajji may be out of the Delhi test, which means Kumble or Mishra won't be dropped.
And this also means that 2 high quality leg-spinners play since 2005.

So you think they will play the two leggies together? i know they both have very different styles but i dont think it would be in the best interest too have both the legspinners. people keep saying oh sehwag and tend can bowl but for how long and i doubt tend will be bowling.

 

[duffer]

So you think they will play the two leggies together? i know they both have very different styles but i dont think it would be in the best interest too have both the legspinners. people keep saying oh sehwag and tend can bowl but for how long and i doubt tend will be bowling.

I think they'd have to go two leggies. The pitch will be a turner and I can't see them calling up Ojha just yet. I hink he's an excellent prospect but ot ready for Test cricket right now. Times like these a guy like Murali Kartik would come in very handy.

 

[Julian87]

How on earth is playing Krejza such a great risk?

We have to win test matches to even tie the series and picking White is the most defensive move I have seen from an Australian team. Krejza can hold a bat too, Would do a decent job at 8 or 9.

 

[silentstriker]

So you think they will play the two leggies together? i know they both have very different styles but i dont think it would be in the best interest too have both the legspinners. people keep saying oh sehwag and tend can bowl but for how long and i doubt tend will be bowling.

I have no problems with two leg spinners. Kumble is more of a googly bowler, and his leg spin is in name only, he relies more on uneven bounce, while Mishra is more traditional. I think they will be able to bowl well together. Plus, Sehwag can pitch in for off spin if needed, he really isn't half bad.

 

[silentstriker]

Frankly, to me it's very much upsetting that people will make excuses and put up with inferior performances from superstar batsmen like Tendulkar and Dravid for years and yet the guy who has won more matches for India than both of them combined gets such shoddy treatment from fans and the media at the mere hint of a loss of form. Obviously, I think everyone should be picked on ability and not past exploits, but why are people willing to give so much more leeway to the batsmen? I'd back Kumble to come out of this more more than I'd back Dravid to come out of his slump, for example, or for Tendulkar to return to his world beating form.

 

[honestbharani]

Frankly, to me it's very much upsetting that people will make excuses and put up with inferior performances from superstar batsmen like Tendulkar and Dravid for years and yet the guy who has won more matches for India than both of them combined gets such shoddy treatment from fans and the media at the mere hint of a loss of form. Obviously, I think everyone should be picked on ability and not past exploits, but why are people willing to give so much more leeway to the batsmen? I'd back Kumble to come out of this more more than I'd back Dravid to come out of his slump, for example, or for Tendulkar to return to his world beating form.

Gavaskar made the point on commentary, didn't he? A bowler cannot hide his bad form. A batsman comes in, looks scratchy, hangs around for a bit and then gets out... He is not displaying his poor form every other over.. That is not possible for the bowlers, though, is it? He still has to bowl the requisite amount of overs expected of him, bad form or good form and when he is in bad form, it just seems so much worse because you are saying it every other over he is bowling..... Unfair, but that is the truth..

 

[Precambrian]

Frankly, to me it's very much upsetting that people will make excuses and put up with inferior performances from superstar batsmen like Tendulkar and Dravid for years and yet the guy who has won more matches for India than both of them combined gets such shoddy treatment from fans and the media at the mere hint of a loss of form. Obviously, I think everyone should be picked on ability and not past exploits, but why are people willing to give so much more leeway to the batsmen? I'd back Kumble to come out of this more more than I'd back Dravid to come out of his slump, for example, or for Tendulkar to return to his world beating form.

Kumble need not be a world-beater. If he is capable of taking wickets at 30 a piece, instead of 50-a-piece he's been doing through the current year, India will be happy.

 

[Burgey]

An Indian commentator whose name escapes me was on the ABC radio coverage last test and described Kumble as the "greatest test match winner in Indian history". "More than Tendulkar?" "Easily".

When you think about it, he's taken an awful lot of wickets. Doesn't matter how many runs you score, if you don't take 20, you don't win the game. Thoughts on the comparision between the two?

And for the more subjective among us, I ought to of course clarify that by posting this I'm not criticising Tendulkar, and if it's taken that way it's obviously out of context, so if he's offended give me his number and I'll call him, and put away the effigies please.

 

[NUFAN]

An Indian commentator whose name escapes me was on the ABC radio coverage last test and described Kumble as the "greatest test match winner in Indian history". "More than Tendulkar?" "Easily".

When you think about it, he's taken an awful lot of wickets. Doesn't matter how many runs you score, if you don't take 20, you don't win the game. Thoughts?

I agree with this man. Look at his bowling analysis and check out the teams results in games they've won especially in the Sub-Continent.

 

[pup11]

An Indian commentator whose name escapes me was on the ABC radio coverage last test and described Kumble as the "greatest test match winner in Indian history". "More than Tendulkar?" "Easily".

When you think about it, he's taken an awful lot of wickets. Doesn't matter how many runs you score, if you don't take 20, you don't win the game. Thoughts on the comparision between the two?

And for the more subjective among us, I ought to of course clarify that by posting this I'm not criticising Tendulkar, and if it's taken that way it's obviously out of context, so if he's offended give me his number and I'll call him, and put away the effigies please.

I so much agree with this, Kumble is by far the greatest match-winner India has ever produced as far as test match cricket is concerned, and the way the Indian media is questioning his role and place in the side is ridiculous, he has had a rough time of it off-late, but still he is a champion performer and one surely doesn't write off champions, but still its a pity that Kumble really never gets the kind of credit he deserves for all what he has done for Indian cricket over the years.

 

[tooextracool]

Gavaskar made the point on commentary, didn't he? A bowler cannot hide his bad form. A batsman comes in, looks scratchy, hangs around for a bit and then gets out... He is not displaying his poor form every other over.. That is not possible for the bowlers, though, is it? He still has to bowl the requisite amount of overs expected of him, bad form or good form and when he is in bad form, it just seems so much worse because you are saying it every other over he is bowling..... Unfair, but that is the truth..

Bowlers also have the opportunity to cure their bad form by bowling long spells, something which batsman cannot do. As a batsman, you only need to make one mistake and you're back in the pavillion and done for the day. This is why batsmen are more prone to poor form than bowlers IMO, its because when they are out of form they usually dont last long in the middle anyways and have less time to rectify it.

Personally, I dont believe Kumble is in 'poor form'. Hes bowling exactly like how he has always bowled IMO, its just that the wickets he have bowled on hasnt been as suited to his style of bowling lately. If the Feroz Shah Kotla is the sort of pitch that it is widely reputed to be then I am sure he will have no problems taking wickets.

 

[Matt79]

For the Aussies, Kresja in for White, and Clark for Siddle would be the two changes I'd make. Crazy is a risk, but White's shown that he's not going to do the job we want, and we're down in the series anyway, so may as well go the more attacking of the two unappealing options.

Tipping the Aussies to bounce back pretty significantly here and hopefully give the parade of obituarary band-wagon hoppers a bit to think about. Clark coming back in makes the attack lot a fair bit better.

 

[Top_Cat]

Don't think there's much wrong with the Aussie batting, they've mostly been done-in by some fantastic Indian bowling and the pressure of facing big totals. Related to that, the bowling has been the big worry. M'thinks if the Aussies forget about getting reverse swing and just play high-percentage cricket, like they're more used to doing anyway, they're in with a chance of giving India a run for their money. I get the feeling the bowling feels a bit besieged, just need a bit of luck, a decent burst, etc.

Get the feeling the Indian batting hasn't really been tested in this series yet. They've had some good starts and have looked really positive. If that's changed, reckon the Indian middle-order will be under real pressure.

 

[Salamuddin]

Get the feeling the Indian batting hasn't really been tested in this series yet. They've had some good starts and have looked really positive. If that's changed, reckon the Indian middle-order will be under real pressure.

However, India were two for 20 odd on that final day at Bangalore and their middle order still managed to secure the draw fairly comfortably......