*Official* Quarter Final 2 - India v Australia

[James]

India v Australia
Thu Mar 24
Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
09:00 GMT | 14:30 local | 20:00 EST | 19:30 CST | 17:00 WST

India Squad

MS Dhoni, (captain/keeper), Virender Sehwag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Piyush Chawla, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Virat Kohli, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Sreesanth, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh

Australia Squad

Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke, Doug Bollinger, Callum Ferguson, Brad Haddin (wicketkeeper), John Hastings, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Jason Krejza, Brett Lee, Tim Paine (wicketkeeper), Steven Smith, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson, Cameron White, Michael Hussey

 

[BeeGee]

Home conditions are a big advantage.

Aus have looked a little ordinary in their last few games and will need to lift for this one.

Should be epic!

 

[Jono]

Will be constantly ****ting my dacks in the build up to this match. Thursday is a long way away.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Could be a belter. Fancy India slightly as I think the Oz top order's (relative) susceptability to spin might be a factor, but if Tait & Johnson have "on" days and Clarke and Hussey (best players of spin for the holders) get in it will be a ball-tearer.

 

[Woodster]

Would also just have India as slight favourites, but they need their batting, which is their strength, to fire. The important thing in this game for me is if Tendulkar and Sehwag flourish, they have the ability to repel whatever the Aussie attack can throw at them.

 

[howardj]

Watson and Haddin need to go large at the top of the order. That way, our questionable middle order just needs to piggy back off that foundation.

Lee and Tait then need to rip the top off India's order.

Not out of the question that these things can occur.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Going for India as i think Australia will get bogged down against the spinners and not get anywhere near enough runs.

Easily the pick of the quarters though and no real preference as to who goes through, just hope we get a cracking match.

 

[Top_Cat]

Australia in with a real chance here, think India's top-order isn't travelling as well as they'd appear. The big variable is whether the Aussies can put on enough runs to put them under the pump if they bat first and whether they can take early top-order poles to put the squeeze on India's softer middle-order. Shaping up to be the game of the tournament.

 

[Woodster]

Will it be Australia's tactic to remain rather cautious at the top of the order. Presumably India will open with Zaheer and Ashwin or another spinner, and look to peg Australia back from the off, will we see a more positive start from Watson and Haddin, or is wickets in the shed their current theory ? I appreciate there are other factors that will affect this strategy, such as the pitch, but I'm talking as a general thought. I think Haddin certainly needs to take the bull by the horns, or an alternative partner for Watson at the top (e.g. Mussey), not that I think they'll change it now.

 

[Turbinator]

As optimistic as I've always been, and as arrogant and overconfident as other may perceive me to be, I'm **** scared for this matchup. Really very nervous for the first time ever.

Need Sehwag and Sachin to fire.

 

[Cruxdude]

Worried about Johnson and Lee mainly. They have done it a few times in the past where after their spells India is 20/4 or so. Do not see us recovering from that. Tendulkar and Sehwag need to stay. Man am I fearing Thursday.

 

[Turbinator]

Worried about Johnson and Lee mainly. They have done it a few times in the past where after their spells India is 20/4 or so. Do not see us recovering from that. Tendulkar and Sehwag need to stay. Man am I fearing Thursday.

Awta

Will be many sleepless nights before then.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Watson and Haddin need to go large at the top of the order. That way, our questionable middle order just needs to piggy back off that foundation.

Lee and Tait then need to rip the top off India's order.

Not out of the question that these things can occur.

I'd guess there's a 99% chance India will open with spin; should be a real test of Watson and Haddin's mettle. Both obvz far happier starting against pace.

Ashwin has to play after today.

 

[qarishahg]

Should be the game of the tournament so far. Home advantage to India but that's just extra pressure on top.

As much as i want India to win and come face pakistan in the semis i favour the aussies. on paper they always come back hard after a defeat and this is the worst time to play them

 

[Woodster]

Worried about Johnson and Lee mainly. They have done it a few times in the past where after their spells India is 20/4 or so. Do not see us recovering from that. Tendulkar and Sehwag need to stay. Man am I fearing Thursday.

After watching Lee against Pakistan on Saturday, you have a very good reason to worry. He was fantastic and will know the importance of striking early against the two openers, he'll be pumped and it should make for an excellent contest.

 

[Burgey]

Will be realy hoping to see a large start when we bat, at a decent clip. Not confident we will though.

Would just be great, as HJ said, to have the middle order being able to come in and play with some freedom, not worrying about the other blokes to follow.

Any chance they'll ditch Krezja and play either Hastings or an extra batsman and try to get 10 out of Clarke, Dussey and Smith? I don't think Crayish was bad vs Pakistan really, but he won't trouble the Indian batsmen imho.

 

[Turbinator]

Can we not just prepare a dust bowl, and play Chawla, Ashwin, and Bhajji? We need to make full use of our home advantage.

 

[Top_Cat]

After watching Lee against Pakistan on Saturday, you have a very good reason to worry. He was fantastic and will know the importance of striking early against the two openers, he'll be pumped and it should make for an excellent contest.

Especially since we all know Lee has the wood on Sachin.

YouTube - Sachin Tendulkar vs Brett Lee - A Tale of FAIL

 

[Cruxdude]

After watching Lee against Pakistan on Saturday, you have a very good reason to worry. He was fantastic and will know the importance of striking early against the two openers, he'll be pumped and it should make for an excellent contest.

Agree and also just saw Rob's video starring Lee and Tendulkar. Could potentially be Tendulkar's last ODI. Starts at 2.00 AM and I have to work the next day. Hope it is worth it.

 

[Cruxdude]

Especially since we all know Lee has the wood on Sachin.

YouTube - Sachin Tendulkar vs Brett Lee - A Tale of FAIL

Ha ha just mentioned that.