Aus coming to India

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Australia squad Steven Smith (capt), David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Marsh, Ashton Agar, Steve O'Keefe, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Nathan Lyon

Aus has declared their squad and they have 4 spinners + Maxwell who can bowl spin....and smith too can


and only 3 seamers in the squad....implies they will play 2 seamers and 3 spinners

india should produces pitches like they did vs NZ and SA.....krumblers and not the types they did vs Eng

As for India, Jayant Yadav is set to return and India are likely to go in with 3 spinners. With his last day performance against Bangladesh, Ishant Sharma is set to inflict more suffering upon us at least for the next couple of games, and hopefully by then, Shami will be fit and back. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is likely to sit out. Bhuvi would have been a decent option up front, as the Australians do not play swing well, and if he could have chipped in with a wicket with the new ball, that would have been a job well done.

Hopefully, the track would spin from the outset. Any hint of flatness on the track, expect the Australians to climb in....... And unlike England or Bangladesh or New Zealand, the Australians never miss out on flat tracks. And Ravichandran Ashwin may not be that big a factor. He won't get any support from Ishant and Umesh, and Jadeja and he will have to do both contain and attack all by themselves. And the likes of Starc and Hazlewood are much, much better at bowling on flat tracks, and Starc's pace and Hazelwood's accuracy with their greater fitness would help Australia. So the best Australia can hope for is to get a flattish track.......

Im not sure where you get Hazelwood and Starc as super fit from ... theve both had multiple recent injury lay offs in the last year or so and got rested for the South Africa tour. Hazelwood even left the Sri Lanka tour early due to overwork.
Short bursts on results wickets will suit the Aussie bowlers as much as flat pitches would suit their top 5. Either way Inida have to be massive favourites.

Fitness in relative terms. In comparison to the Indian seamers. And the general level of fitness when actually playing, not just injury question as such....... They are capable of longer spells, and greater intensity in the 3rd spell of the day in comparison to Ishant and Umesh. Ishant used to be good at bowling long spells when he burst on to the seen, and it was in one of those extended spells that he famously harassed and eventually dismissed Ricky Ponting a decade ago. But that unfortunately remains the peak of his test career, despite a match-winning performance at the HQ during India's last tour.......

Can't see Aus being able to bowl India out, so I'm expecting a 2-0 or 3-0 win for India. We can't really judge the strength of this India side until they've played away against one of the stronger Test countries. At home, though, they are formidable.

msp83 wrote:As for India, Jayant Yadav is set to return and India are likely to go in with 3 spinners. With his last day performance against Bangladesh, Ishant Sharma is set to inflict more suffering upon us at least for the next couple of games, and hopefully by then, Shami will be fit and back. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is likely to sit out. Bhuvi would have been a decent option up front, as the Australians do not play swing well, and if he could have chipped in with a wicket with the new ball, that would have been a job well done.

for sub continent pitches ...Ishant is definitely better
actually Ishant since the 2014 trip to Eng is quite a good bowler

So the first session of the series pretty much belong to Australia. After winning the toss they are batting first, and have reached lunch at 84-1. David Warner, who was beginning to look ominous was bowled by Umesh Yadav when the batsman played on, and then his fellow opener Matthew Renshaw retired with an upset stomach. But they had already added 81 before all that.
It is been a challenging pitch for the batsman, where you needed some quality to score runs. Renshaw showed impressive shot selection, and Warner too, true to type, never missed out on any scoring opportunity. India, recalling Jayant as expected in place of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, have had 3 spinners to call upon, and while they all found lots of life from the track, they haven't been consistent enough.
Both Steve Smith and Shaun Marsh are new at the crease, and there isn't much batting quality after number 5 in this lineup. So India have to keep at their task with focus. And we don't know the extend of Renshaw's illness as of now, though it is unlikely to be serious enough to keep him away from the crease for too long. He would be hoping Smith and Marsh would bat long and that he'll get enough time to be fully ready.......

Marsh and Smith continuing from where Warner and Renshaw left off. The ball is turning and bouncing, and even Umesh Yadav is getting a few to seam. Batting isn't the easiest of tasks out there, but the Australians pretty much in control. India managed to waste both their reviews as well. Australia 117-1.

Another wicket and it's effectively for 3 now ... so a decent position is now looking shaky. Australia can't rely on their tail like England did ....well it turned out England couldn't rely on their tail either but you get the point.

not watching...but it does appear Aus are putting 120% resolve to offer resolute defense......the thing with such intense defense is....it's not sustainable over an entire inning.....leave aside a full series....

when Smith goes...flood gates might open

and if  their resolve is broken in first test...they might find it harder in the next test

Indians are bowling a lot of overs, and the runs are in check. But Smith is fighting on for his side. But he lost Shaun Marsh, Jayant Yadav with the strike for India. Dificult to score on this track, but the Australians are making the Indians fight for evey inch here. Young Handscomb is toughing it out, has played 27 balls already.
Australia 132-2.

The two wickets before tea show that the defensive batting has failed. If you start batting slowly you have GOT to make a big score, as a two-hour 20 is completely useless, whereas an eight-hour 150 could win a Test.

So again, India gaining some ground towards the end of the session. This time more substantive than at the time of lunch, as first Ravindra Jadeja got Handscomb and then Ravichandran Ashwin followed up with the big wicket of Steven Smith. Mitchell Marsh and the returning Renshaw with a big job at hand. Australia 153-4 at tea.

KP_fan wrote:not watching...but it does appear Aus are putting 120% resolve to offer resolute defense......the thing with such intense defense is....it's not sustainable over an entire inning.....leave aside a full series....

when Smith goes...flood gates might open

and if  their resolve is broken in first test...they might find it harder in the next test

told ya.....bad approach from 149-2 to
166-5 down now
Mitch Marsh looked like a tailender.....beaten 4 times before he got out

Pitch is while not a minefield.....more helpful for spinners than any we saw vs Eng

Guess we will find out how good okeefe and Lyon are pretty soon then.

Fairly predictable so far after a decent start for Australia.
Any word on Renshaw? MMarsh looked like he was pooing himself too

Renshaw frame and style  as a batsman reminds me of Clive Llyod

Wait yeah got my answer..he has come back on ...and become the youngest aussie to pass 50 in India.

Amkes a mockery on this nonsense
http://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/matt-renshaw-slammed-by-former-cricketers-for-no-stomach-for-a-fight/story-aAjK7cxXo6XQ8sSlmH8vEN.html

This is why I had no qualms with England's more positive batting approach (even though it had mixed success)

India are eventually gonna pick up wickets with the spinners - just blocking them and going nowhere isn't doing any good

yeah I can confirm Eng still remains the team that fought hardest in India and were much closer that the score-line suggested in 4 tests....until they crumbled on the last two days of the last test.

from 149-2 they are 196-7....they may collapse to 225 I suspect...while 325 would have been a fighting total

the only ray of hope for Aus is the reverse that Yadav has gotten on a  very  dry pitch and outfield....4-25 so far...and Starc if he can bowl an incisive spell

marc Butcher is part of BCCI commentary team...sounds refreshing

Starc doing some damage at the end...and showing the approach that works is one that puts runs on the board

KP_fan wrote:Starc doing some damage at the end...and showing the approach that works is one that puts runs on the board

Yep he's showing the rest how it's done

Mark butcher is a very good pundit too

So for the 3rd session of the day, the team starting with the advantage losing it towards the end. If it was India gaining ground in the first 2, the roles were reversed in the last session. Australia's opening bowlers, Starc and Hazelwood put together an unbroken 50 partnership to save the side complete embarrassment. They in the process ensured young Renshaw's impressive first effort in India didn't get utterly wasted.

The old ball was reversing nicely for Umesh, for some reason Virat decided to take the new ball, and Starc then had a nice time smashing it all around.......

94 overs in a days play .... Well done India.

Nathan Lyon doesn't have a good record in Sri Lanka or in the UAE against Pakistan. However, he did better in India overall, in comparison. This track has turned big from the outset. Australia has 250+ on the board and if Starc gets going tomorrow for some time, they will be closer to 300 which won't be a bad effort at all. Even 256 is not a poor score as such. India will have to bat really well here, and on a track where Umesh could do serious damage, Starc most certainly will be a major factor. Will India be left to rue this last wicket partnership?

India didn't bowl nearly as well as they can do, and they've still put themselves in a great position

Doesn't bode well for the rest of the tour

If India let him get another 10 let alone 40+ runs on the board its pretty weak, espcially given hes batting with a genuine number 11. The seamers should be rested, the spinners have favourable conditions. His style of play rides its luck.

India surely must have confidence in their batting depth and their second innings bowling to not exactly be concerned with a score in the mid to high 200s.

Ind inspite of being so efficient and ruthless under Kohli made the cardinal sin of taking things granted and breathing easy once the 9th wicket fell....and in 40 minutes 10 odd overs.....the game turned not fully but 30 runs too many and one wicket still to go.

India still would be favorites to overhaul 260 odd..BUT...all that it takes is ONE collapse from India in the first inning....and they will be up and against it in the 4th inning...

the margin is quite thin.....and not even half an hour of passage of play can be taken for granted especially when you have lost the toss on a turning pitch

Also massive lolz at Australia dropping Khawaja but keeping BOTH marsh brothers in the side

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Also massive lolz at Australia dropping Khawaja but keeping BOTH marsh brothers in the side

TBF it was based on SMarsh getting a century vs India A. And he doesnt actually have a too shabby test record, certainly no worse than Khawasdgeiuajioja\jnoiAIOIOJIOJasioja
MMArsh is an embressment yes...but then the alternatives were Maxwell (Australias answer to Ansari ) and a tin of custard. Autsaralia are sadly limited ot picking players who exist.

Gooseberry wrote:

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Also massive lolz at Australia dropping Khawaja but keeping BOTH marsh brothers in the side

TBF it was based on SMarsh getting a century vs India A. And he doesnt actually have a too shabby test record, certainly no worse than Khawasdgeiuajioja\jnoiAIOIOJIOJasioja
MMArsh is an embressment yes...but then the alternatives were Maxwell (Australias answer to Ansari ) and a tin of custard. Autsaralia are sadly limited ot picking players who exist.

I'm not the biggest fan of Usman, but tbf to the bloke he averages 58 over his last 11 tests - Mitch Marsh now averages less than Starc in tests! He's a woeful barely county standard player.

True yes but it wanst realistic to select Usman over Mitch given the need for an additional bowling option.
Picking a true specialist bowler wasnt on the table given the length of the tail, Mitchs medicore batting record aside he at least has the pretence of all rounder status.
England were blessed with a ridiculous array of all rounders yet still managed to pick a couple of their own donkeys ( I wont mention names for fear of upsetting Surrey fans again).

If we accept that Aus needed an all rounder to support Stac and Hazelwood the choices were between a turd, a poo and a stinking pile of manure.

Im a bigger Usmanfanthan a S&M Marsh fan but I dont think it was a terrible selection blunder to end up with this side. Whatever they had picked it wouldve been dodgy.

250 odd for 9 isnt dire at the end of the day.. its clearly a bowlers wicket...obviously spin there, and was from ball one....also bit in it for the quicks and pitch wont get better...competitive first innings score and india will have to bat well against this OZ attack

wisden wrote:250 odd for 9 isnt dire at the end of the day.. its clearly a bowlers wicket...obviously spin there, and was from ball one....also bit in it for the quicks and pitch wont get better...competitive first innings score and india will have to bat well against this OZ attack

Problem for Australia is Lyon and O'Keefe are utter Poopie

No they aren't...Lyon has 228 test wickets which you dont get if you are crap...yeah his record in Asia isn't great, but most spinners from overseas struggle there, due to subcontitental players being excellent players of spin... He is still a threat, and the Indians will have to play him well. O'Keefe is a good solid all-round cricketer. He will target the stumps and keep things tight whilst the other bowlers attack... Oz's problem is they have to play M.Marsh because of the bowling option, hence weakning the side.

Lyon nearly undid India in one of the tests in the last tour, only to be thwarted by some streetsmart hitting from Ravindra Jadeja, and then the usual Australian collapse. So he has done it in the past in these conditions....... So India shouldn't underestimate him. And yes, 228 test wickets are 228 test wickets.......

It didn't take India much time to get the last wicket as Ravichandran Ashwin got Mitchell Starc in the first over of the day as the batsman was tempted into yet another slogsweep, this time to be caught in the deep.
But Australia haven't given up, Starc again leading their charge. He got Cheteshwar Pujara and skipper Virat Kohli in 1 over, to add to Hazlewood's earlier strike that removed Murali Vijay. That was India's most in-form batsmen all back in the hut, with only 44 on the board. KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane prevented any further damage till lunch. Rahul has played well for his 47 not out, and Rahane has hung in there. But they have a long, long way to go. That score of 260 is looking quite good at the moment. Rahane and Rahul will have to do a lot more work. and I hope its Ashwin and not Saha coming in at 6. Saha batted ahead of Ashwin against Bangladesh and scored a ton, and his overhyped keeping was fully functional yesterday, particularly when he took an absolute stunner of a catch, pretty much in the air. But Ashwin is a more reassuring batsman, and looks more like a batsman than Saha ever does. But they all will have to contribute, not only Ashwin and Saha, but Jadeja and Jayant as well.

Rahul goes just as he and Rahane somehow survived and just about edged ahead. They put together 50, they needed 150.......

KL Rahul is a good player. But he tends to selfdestruct far too often just like he did now. And then his fitness is always suspect. If he can work on his discipline and his fitness, he'll be a great one for the future. Isn't quite there, and think he needs some proactive help from the team management in that course.

Now India well and truly on the mat as Rahane, who never looked entirely comfortable out there, goes. At 95-5, how much more can the lower order contribute and cut down the Australian lead? That Mitchell Starc innings already looks a match-turning one........

The heart is ripped out of the Indian innings, that too by the weakest of the bowlers on show? Its O'Keefe. He has bettered Starc, has taken 3 in the over to leave India dead and buried at 95-6. Saha the latest to join the que, gone for a duck.

Ashwin and Jadeja, what can they do? This seems to beyond them. If India can add another 50 60 and limit the lead under 100, perhaps Ashwin and Jadeja can still salvage something perhaps? Looks a long way off at the moment.

Ashwin can now sit, relax and contemplate his bowling plans as Lyon joins in! 95-7. This reminds me of the England collapse in that last T-20I against Chahal!

KP_fan wrote:Ind inspite of being so efficient and ruthless under Kohli made the cardinal sin of taking things granted and breathing easy once the 9th wicket fell....and in 40 minutes 10 odd overs.....the game turned not fully but 30 runs too many and one wicket still to go.

India still would be favorites to overhaul 260 odd..BUT...all that it takes is ONE collapse from India in the first inning....and they will be up and against it in the 4th inning...

the margin is quite thin.....and not even half an hour of passage of play can be taken for granted especially when you have lost the toss on a turning pitch

Ohh my worst fears

msp83 wrote:The heart is ripped out of the Indian innings, that too by the weakest of the bowlers on show? Its O'Keefe. He has bettered Starc, has taken 3 in the over to leave India dead and buried at 95-6. Saha the latest to join the que, gone for a duck.

this is what happens when you create a lottery of a pitch.......even medicore bowlers have to just "put it there & let the pitch do the rest"

let's see how much charcater this Indian team has now......can they show a superhuman effort and still win....
Indian defeat is a 90%  probability scenario now

Unbelievable. A stunning collapse. I honestly thought 260 runs would be passed in a canter from the Indian top/middle order.

Lost for words, KP_f... but how will Australia perform in their 2nd inning? This one will be a battle of the minds and confidence... who will be the last man standing sort of thing. Nightmare of a 'pitch'.

omg... another. 9 down now for 101.

once the slide started.....the "bowling allrounders" were all caught like rabbits in headlight....frozen

So 6 for O'Keefe and India done for 105. That's a massive 155 run first innings lead for Australia. Unless there is an absolutely dramatic collapse from them and an even more dramatic batting performance from India, Australia are going to be 1 up in the series........