Australia v India - post 2nd Test discussion, we're all doomed? Maybe not.

[Around the Wicket]

Looked at it live and it would have missed leg stump (IMHO).

No DRS you take the good with the bad unfortunately.

 

[Bob Neil]

With all due respect I reckon Steve Smith is full of shit in relation to his 'recollections' on the various discussions now and in the past on the batting order and where he fits. My sense is that he has driven the move to open and is now equally driving the move to drop back down to four...and in both cases it was done primarily in the interests of self-preservation (of his spot in the team). He must know his powers have waned and is just trying to hold onto his spot by his fingernails - just as Davey Warner did before him.

Given that they're now full-time professionals, with physical conditioning to play well into their 30s (and maybe 40s) and paid in the millions of dollars...I think the old chestnut about the champion player having 'earned' the right to pick the time and place of their exit is well and truly past its use by date and our selectors need to be far more ruthless in picking a balanced team with more effective and well thought out succession plans. Warner should never have played last summer and we should have blooded an opener then and similarly I'm not sure that Smith's form will hold out through this stretch against the two best attacks in the world (India and England).

 

[Around the Wicket]

With all due respect I reckon Steve Smith is full of shit in relation to his 'recollections' on the various discussions now and in the past on the batting order and where he fits. My sense is that he has driven the move to open and is now equally driving the move to drop back down to four...and in both cases it was done primarily in the interests of self-preservation (of his spot in the team). He must know his powers have waned and is just trying to hold onto his spot by his fingernails - just as Davey Warner did before him.

Given that they're now full-time professionals, with physical conditioning to play well into their 30s (and maybe 40s) and paid in the millions of dollars...I think the old chestnut about the champion player having 'earned' the right to pick the time and place of their exit is well and truly past its use by date and our selectors need to be far more ruthless in picking a balanced team with more effective and well thought out succession plans. Warner should never have played last summer and we should have blooded an opener then and similarly I'm not sure that Smith's form will hold out through this stretch against the two best attacks in the world (India and England).

History shows batsmen struggle from mid 30's onward, my only hope for Smith is his average doesn't tank to 50 odd because thats what happened to Ponting, averaged 60+ after 100 Tests and then averaged about 33 his last 50 odd.. he was a better player then that.. hopefully Smith either ideally finds form or quits before his record is tanked.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Warner should never have played last summer and we should have blooded an opener

I agree with that but who were they going to blood?... this young NSW player wasn't on the scene yet so it was Renshaw who is crap, Bancroft who has burnt bridges or Harris who has been tried and failed.. so Warner was probably still the best option.

 

[akkaps]

Australia should win in Perth and Adelaide (DN). India should win in Sydney. The other two Tests are up for grabs

The bounce is something that India will struggle with. Though watching Sarfaraz and how he plays pace and bounce, he needs to play that test.

India will struggle with day night Test. Especially the batsmen. Reckon Bumrah will have field day in the dusk

And in Sydney , India’s spin depth will prevail.


I don’t know what Rahul is still in the squad. He’s the third option keeper as well. Might have something to do with his father in law being a massive film star

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Australia should win in Perth and Adelaide (DN). India should win in Sydney. The other two Tests are up for grabs

The bounce is something that India will struggle with. Though watching Sarfaraz and how he plays pace and bounce, he needs to play that test.

India will struggle with day night Test. Especially the batsmen. Reckon Bumrah will have field day in the dusk

And in Sydney , India’s spin depth will prevail.


I don’t know what Rahul is still in the squad. He’s the third option keeper as well. Might have something to do with his father in law being a massive film star

Biggest misconception ever lately is that Sydney is some spin paradise. Hasn't been since the 90's. I wish it was as a member there but it's become a boring bat friendly track, weirdly quicks have done well there too. It did turn marginally more last year than it has but it's hardly some bunsen burner.

 

[corbies]

Might have to pick a white ball opener

England have made Duckett somehow work


Warner was fairly attacking anyway

The bloke with 10,000 first class runs @ 43?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

The bloke with 10,000 first class runs @ 43?

Was about to say, these English openers whilst they have attacking ability have a bucket of first class runs behind them

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Surely the opener if he doesn't fail 6 times will be Bancroft, the comments by Bailey last week were on the lines of he had to be in great form to nick those.

I love Konstas but my gut says maybe a summer too soon, take him on every A game/tour for a year, look at him in 2026.

 

[akkaps]

Biggest misconception ever lately is that Sydney is some spin paradise. Hasn't been since the 90's. I wish it was as a member there but it's become a boring bat friendly track, weirdly quicks have done well there too. It did turn marginally more last year than it has but it's hardly some bunsen burner.

Okay scrap that analysis on the SCG then.
Yet Australia to continue to play two spinners there most years

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Okay scrap that analysis on the SCG then.
Yet Australia to continue to play two spinners there most years

I never said our selectors weren't silly we won't this year, Head and Lab are there to bowl party pies. The pitch isn't really more spin friendly than Adelaide or even Brisbane. It's flat.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Surely the opener if he doesn't fail 6 times will be Bancroft, the comments by Bailey last week were on the lines of he had to be in great form to nick those.

I love Konstas but my gut says maybe a summer too soon, take him on every A game/tour for a year, look at him in 2026.

Konstas comes out today and scores a 100+.. adds another 100 or 2 in the coming weeks... surely you pick him?

 

[akkaps]

I love Konstas but my gut says maybe a summer too soon, take him on every A game/tour for a year, look at him in 2026.

Australia A don’t play as often as it should. Aus A and the English Lions need to take a leaf out of India A’s book and organize tours for their “A” to accompany touring parties. CA and ECB both have the money to do this. I don’t expect the other boards to be able to afford it.

I would take Konstas to the Windies next year. Slow tracks. It’d give him confidence for hopefully the Ashes. Hoping he does well

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Konstas comes out today and scores a 100+.. adds another 100 or 2 in the coming weeks... surely you pick him?

I would, but would the selectors first up into a series against Bumrah, etc? I don't know the answer actually.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Australia A don’t play as often as it should. Aus A and the English Lions need to take a leaf out of India A’s book and organize tours for their “A” to accompany touring parties. CA and ECB both have the money to do this. I don’t expect the other boards to be able to afford it.

I would take Konstas to the Windies next year. Slow tracks. It’d give him confidence for hopefully the Ashes. Hoping he does well

Shield Cricket is stronger then Aus A crap, look at Rencrap.. every Aus A game he gets a road and smacks a ton and does nothing in and around that.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Australia A don’t play as often as it should. Aus A and the English Lions need to take a leaf out of India A’s book and organize tours for their “A” to accompany touring parties. CA and ECB both have the money to do this. I don’t expect the other boards to be able to afford it.

I would take Konstas to the Windies next year. Slow tracks. It’d give him confidence for hopefully the Ashes. Hoping he does well

I'd like nothing more than for the A side to almost play an India tour home and away every year.

 

[Around the Wicket]

I would, but would the selectors first up into a series against Bumrah, etc? I don't know the answer actually.

I think they would if he can back up those twin tons.. if he can score a mountain of runs these next 2 or 3 shield games his in... competition for the spot is Renshaw, Bancroft and Harris FFS....

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Shield Cricket is stronger then Aus A crap, look at Rencrap.. every Aus A game he gets a road and smacks a ton and does nothing in and around that.

Debateable when Harris plunders runs on the Junction Oval and everyone wants him in.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I think they would if he can back up those twin tons.. if he can score a mountain of runs these next 2 or 3 shield games his in... competition for the spot is Renshaw, Bancroft and Harris FFS....

This is why I would probably open with Marsh or Head, probably Marsh. If Marsh isn't bowling why not open him not as if he's scoring runs lately anyway, get him to open, bring in Hardie in the middle as the bowling option. That is what I would do, will the selectors I highly doubt it.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Debateable when Harris plunders runs on the Junction Oval and everyone wants him in.

Shield cricket have been green tracks for years now, why all the medium pacer plodders kill it... if Renshaw backed those Aus A games up with impressive Shield or County results happy days but some Shield seasons he hasn't even hit a 50 and averaged like 20.

 

[Around the Wicket]

I definitely wouldn't open with Marsh, India have a couple quality quicks now aday, he'd be a walking wicket.

 

[akkaps]

Shield Cricket is stronger then Aus A crap, look at Rencrap.. every Aus A game he gets a road and smacks a ton and does nothing in and around that.

You’ve missed the point of the “A” tours. It’s to give these players quasi International experience, against other up and coming players from around the world. Also, by playing these games simultaneously; you have a squad of in form players ready to go if an injury happens or changes need to be made to the squad.

Outside of last years and this years tours with NZ, I can’t remember the last time Australia A have toured.

India A have toured South Africa snd hosted the Lions in the past year. Plus this series incoming. On top of this, the Duleep Trophy just concluding, which featured 4 teams of the best players in India

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I definitely wouldn't open with Marsh, India have a couple quality quicks now aday, he'd be a walking wicket.

I agree with you but if Marsh isn’t bowling I question his “form” with the bat lately

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Shield cricket have been green tracks for years now, why all the medium pacer plodders kill it... if Renshaw backed those Aus A games up with impressive Shield or County results happy days but some Shield seasons he hasn't even hit a 50 and averaged like 20.

Still a lot easier playing on the Junction than other areas. If we don’t go Konstas I would almost go elsewhere

 

[freo_leo29]

The bloke with 10,000 first class runs @ 43?

I'm more talking about how he's making those runs