*Official* Australia tour of Sri Lanka 2022

[the big bambino]

I don't think they are. They might be a little better. If anything their bowling is worse than it was 5 years ago.

SL were just bad opposition. See what happens if Green & Carey try sweepathon against Ashwin and Jadeja instead of whoever these guys were

Really only O'Keefe for Swepson the difference and O'Keefe only played one match. Now we have Cummins instead of Haze. Both quality but Cummins shades it. Big difference favouring the present side in bowling is Head ... I get what you're saying about SL but they are improving and I'm not sure they were that much better 5 years ago. Yes the Indians are next level up but Australia haven't been able to beat Pak or SL in the past to even challenge them. That seems to be changing now.

 

[Prince EWS]

Pakistan in Pakistan is no joke tbf. That was a serious, meritorious win, even if Pakistan's spinners were nowhere near Test standard.

In general the mental approach vs spin is significantly improved. Whether that translates against Ashwin and Jadeja though is another matter.

Yeah but that's not really because Cummins has magical powers either.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Shami is a god at home and Bumrah is Bumrah though.

Who would those wickets favour more, comparatively? I think you know the answer

Ftr I don't actually expect India to do anything special with their wickets. Just to let them be however they are going to be, much like they did in 2017 (other than the 1st Test). India don't need to doctor wickets to be competitive, and beat, SENA teams.

 

[trundler]

Who would those wickets favour more, comparatively? I think you know the answer

Ftr I don't actually expect India to do anything special with their wickets. Just to let them be however they are going to be, much like they did in 2017 (other than the 1st Test). India don't need to doctor wickets to be competitive, and beat, SENA teams.

A couple of years ago the Indian pacers averaged better than the spinners for the first time in history. Think in terms of average at least it's pretty close.

 

[TheJediBrah]

A couple of years ago the Indian pacers averaged better than the spinners for the first time in history. Think in terms of average at least it's pretty close.

There are 2 teams playing. The positive difference it would make for Australia, both batting and bowling, would far outweigh any slight benefit to India's quicks

 

[Xix2565]

Who would those wickets favour more, comparatively? I think you know the answer

Ftr I don't actually expect India to do anything special with their wickets. Just to let them be however they are going to be, much like they did in 2017 (other than the 1st Test). India don't need to doctor wickets to be competitive, and beat, SENA teams.

I mean Bumrah averages less than 20 at home now, and Shami's been incredible as well. They're both great in India, like how home bowlers succeed at home.

 

[honestbharani]

I don't think they are. They might be a little better. If anything their bowling is worse than it was 5 years ago.

SL were just bad opposition. See what happens if Green & Carey try sweepathon against Ashwin and Jadeja instead of whoever these guys were

Fair enough. I just like Cummins and his style of captaincy so far, I guess.

 

[halba]

another test cricket team in perpetually endless decline - sri lanka. this must be noted. test teams in perpetual decline from their 80s,90s,early 2000s:



Decline

1. west indies
2. sri lanka
3. pakistan
4. england

******

teams maintaining their relative strength or in ascendancy

Ascendant or relative strength

1. india
2. australia
3. south africa (still great bowling attack- i rate them - rabada and co)
4. new zealand (lost badly against england and india recently counts heavy against- but good at home)


teams never good-

1. bangladesh
2. zim

***

 

[Socerer 01]

another test cricket team in perpetually endless decline - sri lanka. this must be noted. test teams in perpetual decline from their 80s,90s,early 2000s:



Decline

1. west indies
2. sri lanka
3. pakistan
4. england

******

teams maintaining their relative strength or in ascendancy

Ascendant or relative strength

1. india
2. australia
3. south africa (still great bowling attack- i rate them - rabada and co)
4. new zealand (lost badly against england and india recently counts heavy against- but good at home)


teams never good-

1. bangladesh
2. zim

***

england in the 90s were an absolute meme side lmao decline my foot

 

[Burgey]

England has declined since the mid-2000s though. But they’re pretty much in the spot they have been for most of the fame’s history - fair to middling at best and reasonable at home when it’s cloudy.

all teams have their ups and downs. it just depends what their baseline is. England’s is middle of the road mediocrity. Pakistan has had a decade not playing at home, they can surely be cut some slack and they’ve always been mercurial.

SL are genuinely bad atm but some of their blokes are showing decent signs, and I reckon the biggest problem for them is preparing these horrible decks which make games a lottery at best and render them unsuited for playing anywhere else. The first test here was fun but the game’s a lottery and detracts from teams being rewarded for grafting hard and developing the mindset necessary to be consistently good

WI remain a basket case. Tbh they had a terrific side in the late 60s and dominated the 80s, but that aside they’ve not really been all that.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

4. new zealand (lost badly against england and india recently counts heavy against- but good at home)

Lol

 

[Prince EWS]

I reckon South Africa are the ones who are most in a comparative down patch compared to their history.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah that’s a fair point. Usually been there or thereabouts

 

[TheJediBrah]

I reckon South Africa are the ones who are most in a comparative down patch compared to their history.

This. Possibly worst they've been in living memory

 

[halba]

England has declined since the mid-2000s though. But they’re pretty much in the spot they have been for most of the fame’s history - fair to middling at best and reasonable at home when it’s cloudy.

all teams have their ups and downs. it just depends what their baseline is. England’s is middle of the road mediocrity. Pakistan has had a decade not playing at home, they can surely be cut some slack and they’ve always been mercurial.

SL are genuinely bad atm but some of their blokes are showing decent signs, and I reckon the biggest problem for them is preparing these horrible decks which make games a lottery at best and render them unsuited for playing anywhere else. The first test here was fun but the game’s a lottery and detracts from teams being rewarded for grafting hard and developing the mindset necessary to be consistently good

WI remain a basket case. Tbh they had a terrific side in the late 60s and dominated the 80s, but that aside they’ve not really been all that.

yeah my point is they've declined a lot. whether from mid 90s or 2000s, the point is fair. england is now a mediocre side, no better than pakis IMHO. the ENG batting lineup is very very bad. Who can remember the last ENG batting lineup to struggle so much on their own home surfaces? Nothing this bad for over 20 years. Batting standards have completely declined...the coach and batting coach needs to go and new players need to come in. Im not an english supporter, but i like to see some competition. Also time for Stuart broad to respectfully retire. he's 36 years old.

 

[Burgey]

From the mid 2000s sure, but they were complete junk in the 90s tbh.

England has three deadset locks in their batting line up in Stokes, Root and (atm) Bairstow. It’s no secret what they need is a settled three and at least one genuinely test class opener. i don’t know that this makes them especially worse off than a number of countries atm.

They’ll be hoping like hell Pope kicks on, and tbh properly good, consistent test openers are ****ing hard to find. They had a decent run with Tres, Strauss then Cook but it looks pretty bare now.

 

[honestbharani]

I actually think Dan Lawrence is someone they should try more of, but I dont think he is a #3. Ideally, you just let Bairstow keep and bat 6 and you can bring in Lawrence to bat 7. As far as openers go, I would bring in this Compton and I would give another series to Lees. And as much as I dont think Pope is not much flash, I do think he has Ian Bell levels of ceiling and they should give him the entire summer at 3 to see if he can crack it.

 

[TheJediBrah]

no better than pakis

You can't say that word now brah

 

[OverratedSanity]

I reckon South Africa are the ones who are most in a comparative down patch compared to their history.

They've looked better under Elgar than expected tbh. Winning a test in nz was impressive, then again even Bangladesh managed that so I don't know.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Winning a test in nz was impressive

This says it all. Imagine saying that South Africa of years past winning a Test in NZ is "impressive". You'd get a lot of strange looks.