Cricket Thread: Indian Summer

[Mostyn]

I'm still not moving him, he's the most destructive player in Test cricket

I'm in two minds about this. I think he actually could be a very good opener, though I don't think Konstas and Head probably work as a pair.

I'm a bit less in the "Trav is perfect where he is" camp - he's still a bit feast or famine, and his averages have been going backwards each year for the last four. He also averages 7 in Sri Lanka (though only has one series there).

 

[Cromulant]

I'm in two minds about this. I think he actually could be a very good opener, though I don't think Konstas and Head probably work as a pair.

I'm a bit less in the "Trav is perfect where he is" camp - he's still a bit feast or famine, and his averages have been going backwards each year for the last four. He also averages 7 in Sri Lanka (though only has one series there).

I think he's found his spot down the order, in saying that there isn't another opener in the country ready to step up outside of Hunt.

 

[Firewalker]

I think he's found his spot down the order, in saying that there isn't another opener in the country ready to step up outside of Hunt.

After seeing him bat in the middle order in Sri Lanka in 2022 and then open in India in 2023 I know where I’d prefer Head to bat in the subcontinent.

It isn’t ideal you have to move him every time they go to the subcontinent but it is what it is and it would only be for Sri Lanka as when Khawaja makes the call everything for mine is still pointing to it definitely being Renshaw that they’ll want to fill that Khawaja type occupy the crease opener role.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Head opening in Sri Lanka is a good idea

It's the only time he'll face pace in the whole innings. Will be like opening in one dayers in the Subcontinent. New ball, get us off to a flyer.

Starting in the middle overs vs two finger spinners will be much harder.

We don't really have a specialist batsman who's good against spin to add to the middle order worryingly. Peter Handscomb allegedly is but I haven't seen a heap of evidence of this at test level

 

[Eagleboy2011]

Let's hope we get a good score this match unlike the 1st test where we blew a good first day. India made 150 and still had a good 1st innings lead.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

I'm still not moving him, he's the most destructive player in Test cricket

Exactly... so we play him where we think he is most suited to score runs for a particular pitch.

He showed previously in the sub continent he is better coming in against the new hard ball v quicks.

 

[Firewalker]

Head opening in Sri Lanka is a good idea

It's the only time he'll face pace in the whole innings. Will be like opening in one dayers in the Subcontinent. New ball, get us off to a flyer.

Starting in the middle overs vs two finger spinners will be much harder.

We don't really have a specialist batsman who's good against spin to add to the middle order worryingly. Peter Handscomb allegedly is but I haven't seen a heap of evidence of this at test level

To be fair to Handscomb whilst he comes across as a a bit of a knob at domestic level and got exposed as very flawed to international level paceman he has played some very good selfless innings on difficult tracks on the last 2 Indian tours.

Been involved in some very good partnerships in those tours and was in decent first-class form in Aus & Eng in 2024, strange as it seems because of his failures & dropping in 2018 but his overall record actually isn’t bad when compared to all other batters the national team has actually debuted since 2016.

 

[Cromulant]

What the last page and a half has shown is there's a glaring hole at opener that is going to be tricky to fill

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

To be fair to Handscomb whilst he comes across as a a bit of a knob at domestic level and got exposed as very flawed to international level paceman he has played some very good selfless innings on difficult tracks on the last 2 Indian tours.

Been involved in some very good partnerships in those tours and was in decent first-class form in Aus & Eng in 2024, strange as it seems because of his failures & dropping in 2018 but his overall record actually isn’t bad when compared to all other batters the national team has actually debuted since 2016.

Handscomb would be in the mix for sub continent. Horses for courses, we need to pick players who are decent against spin on dust bowls.

I wouldn't rule out Maxwell either.

 

[Cromulant]

Handscomb would be in the mix for sub continent. Horses for courses, we need to pick players who are decent against spin on dust bowls.

I wouldn't rule out Maxwell either.

Many shouldn't be anywhere near the squad based on form.

I still think Henry Hunt isn't far off.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

What the last page and a half has shown is there's a glaring hole at opener that is going to be tricky to fill

Many of our openers (& batsmen in general) have poor sub continent records.

We should be picking players for conditions.

I'm not sure Bolland would be useful in Sri Lanka.

 

[Cromulant]

Many of our openers (& batsmen in general) have poor sub continent records.

We should be picking players for conditions.

I'm not sure Bolland would be useful in Sri Lanka.

It would be a tough call but I tend to agree.

He does seem to extract a bit of extra bounce out of flat decks but I'm not sure he's the 3rd seamer.

Same with Webster, though his ability to bowl half decent off spin plays into his favour

 

[Firewalker]

What the last page and a half has shown is there's a glaring hole at opener that is going to be tricky to fill

There definitely was leading into the series and post-McSweeney but now I think it’s probably strangely more settled just because selectors (whether it will prove to be real or not) are likely to get swept up in the Konstas wave and they’ll stick with him now for a while and like I said selectors are just waiting for Usman to make the call before bringing Renshaw back in, if Konstas and Renshaw fail it will likely start up all over again but by then they’ll probably also be dealing with the Smith retirement as well.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

It would be a tough call but I tend to agree.

He does seem to extract a bit of extra bounce out of flat decks but I'm not sure he's the 3rd seamer.

Same with Webster, though his ability to bowl half decent off spin plays into his favour

We need allrounder options. Given we will only play a maximum of 2 quicks as will need at least 2 main spinners.

Fortunately we have batsmen who offer handy part-time spin. I would be going for the following line-up...

1 Konstas
2 Head
3 Labuschagne
4 Smith
5 McSweeney
6 Webster
7 Carey
8 Starc
9 Lyon
10 Hazelwood
11 Kuhnemann

Gives us 2 main spinners & 4 part time spinning options for their dust bowls.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

There definitely was leading into the series and post-McSweeney but now I think it’s probably strangely more settled just because selectors (whether it will prove to be real or not) are likely to get swept up in the Konstas wave and they’ll stick with him now for a while and like I said selectors are just waiting for Usman to make the call before bringing Renshaw back in, if Konstas and Renshaw fail it will likely start up all over again but by then they’ll probably also be dealing with the Smith retirement as well.

Hope Renshaw gets another chance as looks a decent option going forward.

 

[Cromulant]

We need allrounder options. Given we will only play a maximum of 2 quicks as will need at least 2 main spinners.

Fortunately we have batsmen who offer handy part-time spin. I would be going for the following line-up...

1 Konstas
2 Head
3 Labuschagne
4 Smith
5 McSweeney
6 Webster
7 Carey
8 Starc
9 Lyon
10 Hazelwood
11 Kuhnemann

Gives us 2 main spinners & 4 part time spinning options for their dust bowls.

Captain not playing ??

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Captain not playing ??

No, he is staying home for the birth of his child for at least 1st Test, possibly both.

Smith set to captain Australia again as Cummins Test absence looms

Smith set to captain Australia again as Cummins Test absence looms

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Cromulant]

No, he is staying home for the birth of his child for at least 1st Test, possibly both.

Right, then yeah I think that's the lineup.

I MIGHT pick Murphy over Kuhnemann but that's a negligible call.

Hazelwood is a worry for mine fitness wise. Abbott might get a run.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Right, then yeah I think that's the lineup.

I MIGHT pick Murphy over Kuhnemann but that's a negligible call.

Hazelwood is a worry for mine fitness wise. Abbott might get a run.

I would have played Murphy during the Indian series to give Lyon a break.. but have gone for Kuhnemann as think we need the left arm variation... even though I think Murphy is better.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I'm not much of a fan of Todd Murphy. See him as someone who could only ever succeed on subcontinent dustbowls.

I rate Corey Rocchiccioli higher. Think he's someone who could be Lyon's eventual successor and play everywhere.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

I'm not much of a fan of Todd Murphy. See him as someone who could only ever succeed on subcontinent dustbowls.

I rate Corey Rocchiccioli higher. Think he's someone who could be Lyon's eventual successor and play everywhere.

Murphy has a better average than Lyon...

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Murphy has a better average than Lyon...

Because he had success on a dustbowl

In England Cummins couldn't bowl him when England chased us down

 

[Mostyn]

What the last page and a half has shown is there's a glaring hole at opener that is going to be tricky to fill

Yeah, and I don't reckon it's either Renshaw or Hunt.

It seems like our under 20s have quite a bit of talent, but there's stuff all between 21 and 29 ...

 

[Cromulant]

I'm not much of a fan of Todd Murphy. See him as someone who could only ever succeed on subcontinent dustbowls.

I rate Corey Rocchiccioli higher. Think he's someone who could be Lyon's eventual successor and play everywhere.

See i don't really rate Corey at all.

Key thing is though, we need to find something, whoever that may be

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Because he had success on a dustbowl

In England Cummins couldn't bowl him when England chased us down

Just needs some experience.

Murphy in India 14 wickets @ 25.2
Lyon in India 56 wickets @ 27.4

Murphy in UK 7 wickets @ 25.9
Lyon in UK 59 wickets @ 29.6

Lyon is overrated imo.