Third Test: Australia Vs India @ Mohali (Mar 14-18 Thurs-Mon)

[swingdog]

Loved this quote from Mickey Arthur:

"The players are not in shock," Arthur offered. "But I think they're realising some harsh lessons about playing in India. When I stood up at the start of the tour and said to them 'this is going to be the toughest cricket you've ever played', they looked and said 'yeah, yeah right'.​

What exactly did they expect in India? The Adelaide Oval and some dobbly medium pacers?​

 

[mad-saint-guy]

I doubt anyone will be flown in. Bailey and O'Keefe should have been in the initial squad and Voges would get a gig if he was already over there as well, but I don't see it happening. One of Smith/Usman will come in for Hughes or Waston. Hopefully they give Siddle a rest for Johnson and cut Doherty for Lyon. Maxwell can do nothing wrong in CA's eyes and I'm sure they consider his four wicket performance brilliant.

 

[Patron]

I had a dream least night. That and indian player was on 600 runs... The guys down the other end was on 100 as well. I think our crapness is starting to stress me out.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I had a dream least night. That and indian player was on 600 runs... The guys down the other end was on 100 as well. I think our crapness is starting to stress me out.

That's OK. Smith got the other opener out for 300.

 

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

Sehwag dropped for the remainder of the series. Dhawan favourite to open in his place.

 

[JUBJUB]

Sehwag dropped for the remainder of the series.

I guess the glasses didn't cure his shitness at batting or catching.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

My team-

E.Cowan
D.Warner
S.Watson
M.Clarke
U.Khawaja
M.Henriques
M.Wade
G.Maxwell
M.Johnson
J.Pattinson
N.Lyon

The batsman i considered dropping was out of Hughes & Watson, in the end Watson did show some form in the warm up games whereas Hughes hasn't looked like getting any runs in India at all. If Khawaja can somehow score a couple of good 50's or even a 100 it would give him a huge confidence boost.

Siddle has bowled a lot of overs but just hasn't looked threatening at all, he has kept it pretty tight but we need wickets over here as India's batsman will bat all day if they have to. Johnson is far more likely to get wickets in these conditions i feel with his extra pace, may as well give him a go. And Lyon can replace Doherty who should have never played in the first place.

If we can get a couple of early wickets then get some pressure around the bat with Lyon & Maxwell bowling then you never know what could happen. Our batsman simply have to post a large score 400+ in the first innings to give our bowlers a chance.

Looks about right, but I would probably play the extra paceman instead of Maxwell - probably Starc as agree Siddle isn't doing much. Can't see the point playing 2 offies. Ideally would play a different 2nd spinner, but don't like either Doherty or Smith as options in O'Keefe's absence.

 

[Skeppersap]

If Khawaja does not get selected this match, he should trun his back on Australian cricket and chase the big dollars in T20.

They have treated him like rubbish for years now, and do not give him a chance. But by selecting him, they do not give him a chance to find consistent form in sheild cricket.

The last person the selectors treated this badly was Martyn. Lets hope that Khawaja can shove it up their arses and dominate like Martyn did!

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

If Khawaja does not get selected this match, he should trun his back on Australian cricket and chase the big dollars in T20.

They have treated him like rubbish for years now, and do not give him a chance. But by selecting him, they do not give him a chance to find consistent form in sheild cricket.

The last person the selectors treated this badly was Martyn. Lets hope that Khawaja can shove it up their arses and dominate like Martyn did!

I agree - if he isn't given a go after the crap display by the 1st 4 batsman so far in the series, then there will be even more questions asked about the selectors.

 

[frankrizzo]

From what mickey was saying i can't see lyon playing again this series.

Reading between the lines it sounds like we may go with 1 spinner again and the spinner will be doherty.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I get a bad feeling the selectors might go with:
Warner, Cowan, Hughes, Clarke, Watson (if available, Khawaja if not), Smith, Wade, Henriques, Johnson, Maxwell, Pattinson

 

[frankrizzo]

Looks like a dream team for our selectors, bits and pieces players by the truck load.

get starc in for patto and the xfactor would be through the roof.

 

[Badesumofu]

If Khawaja does not get selected this match, he should trun his back on Australian cricket and chase the big dollars in T20.

He averaged less than 40 this domestic season and is not a good player of spin. He's hardly demanding of a spot in the side. When he did get a go in the Test side, he was mediocre at best, in quite favorable conditions. I just don't see that he's in a position to complain.

 

[frankrizzo]

He averaged less than 40 this domestic season and is not a good player of spin. He's hardly demanding of a spot in the side. When he did get a go in the Test side, he was mediocre at best, in quite favorable conditions. I just don't see that he's in a position to complain.

he got thrown in at the deep end against a rampaging england side for 1 test, he then got 2 tests in sri lanka and was dumped.

They then bring him back in SA to face steyn and co he makes a vital 65 in his first knock in SA,a few failures on green pitches vs thew kiwis and bang he's gone again.

You can say he failed but the idea he's had favorable conditions/circumstances is laughable.

Reality is after 6 tests he's averaging 29, in his last 20 tests hughes is averaging 27.

 

[Outshined]

Yeh I'm not sure where this idea has come from that Khawaja's had ample or proper opportunity. 6 tests divided amongst 4 series is ridiculous. Not that I think he'll be any better in India, spin's always been a weak area of his, but he's barely had a chance to get going in the test arena and people are already writing him off.

 

[brisbane13]

Looks like a dream team for our selectors, bits and pieces players by the truck load.

get starc in for patto and the xfactor would be through the roof.

you serious, the only xfactor he offers is how many more runs India can make, Pattinson is our only quick that looks half threatening.
starch needs bounce on the pitch, & there isnt any of that in india.

O'Keefe has been in the system in and out of the NSW team for the last 7 to 8 years and hasn't done much, half of his 17 wickets this season came from one game.
Maxwell game is still developing, & has looked the most threatening spinner we have in india, he did go for a few, but so did Lyon & Dohety, & warne did to back in the day. Maxwell at least took wickets

 

[frankrizzo]

you serious,

no.

 

[scoremachine]

Looks about right, but I would probably play the extra paceman instead of Maxwell - probably Starc as agree Siddle isn't doing much. Can't see the point playing 2 offies. Ideally would play a different 2nd spinner, but don't like either Doherty or Smith as options in O'Keefe's absence.

Yeah I actually was tossing up between Maxwell, Siddle & Starc but felt in Indian conditions Maxwell is the more likelier to get wickets & get more out of the pitch than the other two. I'm not really a fan of Maxwell & rate Starc & Siddle much higher as bowlers but the fact is Maxwell in his only test has proven more effective in getting wickets.

Well i mean playing Maxwell/Lyon, Maxwell/Doherty or Lyon/Doherty i don't really see much difference in the end but would pick Lyon first. Let's just hope we show signs of improvement over the next 2 games & really challenge India.

 

[frankrizzo]

Interesting the coach was talking about how lyon has "technical issues" with his bowling and then a sentence later he talks about how happy they are with his training/prep.

"We persisted with him because we put a lot of faith into Nathan but there came a point where we felt he needed to be taken out of the team and allowed to work on the things that we think he should be working on outside of competition games"

We will re-assess where he is but he is doing everything right, he is not lacking in any preparation."



lyon himself has come out and said he feels he doesn't have technical issues with his action ect.

According to lyon he was told that he was dumped for maxwell/doherty so Australia could strengthen it's batting and not because of any particular technical issue(this back ups what mickey was alluding to during the second test that maxwell was picked mostly for his batting).

Asked what he was told by selectors, Lyon said: "Just that you are missing this game and we're going in with Xavier and Glenn Maxwell to strengthen the batting.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Am I the only one who thinks that J-Pat should be rested? I love him as a bowler, want him to play, but he's bowled a lot of overs in two matches after long injury lay off. We can't win the series and the only thing he can get out of it is injured.

 

[Phone]

it strikes me as a no brainer

I agree - if he isn't given a go after the crap display by the 1st 4 batsman so far in the series, then there will be even more questions asked about the selectors.

If there's a spot free, it'll be because one of the openers who can't play spin has been dropped (Hughes probably). Is replacing the opener who can't play spin with an opener who can't play spin in Usman really that obvious to you guys?

 

[Carbine Chaos]

If Khawaja does not get selected this match, he should trun his back on Australian cricket and chase the big dollars in T20.

Haha I'm sure a big name T20 star like Usman would make the big bucks.

 

[Port01]

I get a bad feeling the selectors might go with:
Warner, Cowan, Hughes, Clarke, Watson (if available, Khawaja if not), Smith, Wade, Henriques, Johnson, Maxwell, Pattinson

4 openers, 1 middle order batsman, bunch of all rounders and 1 bowler.
I fear you are right.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

My prediction for the team
Warner
Cowan
Khawaja
Clarke
Smith
Wade
Henriques
Maxwell
Johnson
Starc
Doherty

Patto and Siddle to be rested.

 

[what did you say]

i can't stand warner opening,when he gets off to a flyer it is never longer enough or fails early,cowan may be the most boring batsmen but atleast puts a price on his wicket,still think in my la la world were better off taking rogers to india bu hey why pick in form batsman who can fill a role for 4 tests ay

Khawaja in the middle order is great,he adds something different an best of all can stay in/hold down a end which atm is hard ,

hughes is a funny one reminds me of damien martyn in that they both have lazy foot work (lazy abit unkind) an try to play off the back foot all the time,looking for the cut shots,maybe hughes needs to talk to a player like ,marto to see how he coped an adapted to some success