Preview of the Adelaide test

[Gambit]

It seems Jaffer won't play because according to some reports, KKD and Bhajji had a long net session yesterday. So it's going to be either of the two.

[talksport]

One thing to note... India has done well with Two Specialist Openers....

[Dhondy]

If there ever was a side that was just a hair's breadth from pressing the self destruct button, it is India. One of the reasons they looked a settled side at Perth was because they had banished the ad-hocism that had plagued them in the first two Tests. Dravid was back in his usual position, and there was an all rounder coming in at no. 8 in the first innings. Having won that Test, they are now considering driving the axe into their own netherlands instead of burying it deeper in Australia's posterior. To bring back Bhajji, whose only qualification seems to be to befuddle Ricky Ponting for some mysterious reason best known to the two protagonists, in place of a batsman, is foolhardy in the extreme and a display of brainless disregard for the portents of history when 5-bowler combos have always fallen flat on their face, as one of those bowlers is almost inevitably underutilized. It's not as if India have set the series on fire with the bat. There have been two sub-200 scores and one that barely crossed 200 even with the benefit of seven batsmen in their ranks. The presence of Pathan might well make them feel warm, cozy and confident that they have an extra batsman to play with, but it really is inviting trouble, displacing him or Dravid into an unfamiliar role when they both came off with distinction in what they consider their niche at Perth. Coming on the back of the Indian selectors' shameful shenanigans, this is nothing sort of digging a deep, deep hole for themselves. Has anybody considered why the Indian selectors acted as they did, announcing the ODI team in great haste, with one more, vitally important Test match still to go? To get an answer, look no deeper than the reaction in the media, among the ex-players , the current incumbents and even on this board. Everybody is going to town on how they backed the winners, how they were stake holders in this success until the bile starts to rise in your throat. I have read at least 5 different articles on how Sehwag masterminded Ponting's dismissal. This kind of kiss-and-tell stories couldn't have waited till after the series, I suppose? It reminds me uncomfortably of how Kumble let slip his ploy in getting Younis Khan stumped down the leg side after India's win at Calcutta, only for Younis to promptly come back and pulversise us at Bangalore, making India look very foolish indeed. Too much belching going around for my liking. Too much satiety. But back to the selectorial gaffes. It was nothing but shameless headline seeking that prompted those clowns to announce the ODI team in the wake of Perth. They were telling us, "Look, it's us who selected this lot that won the match. Don't you dare forget us for a moment. Please acknowledge our role, and what's more, look, I'll give you this lil reminder to demonstrate how powerful we are. We'll cut the winning team down to size by dropping some of them for the pyjama stuff, and if it screws up their morale, so what? We got our headlines, didn't we?" To be honest, I'd have sacked the selection committee just for this little bit of mindless totem-beating. I'd also have left Bhajji to run onto the ground with the tiranga after every match, because that's what his true place in this team is- the orderly to fetch drinks, carry flags, tighten shoelaces and round up the alcoholics when the series is over. Let the rest of the team get on with the cricket.

[IndianRenegade]

Adelaide calm sets up storming finish

Adelaide calm sets up storming finish Siddhartha Vaidyanathan in Adelaide January 23, 2008 So beautiful is the Adelaide Oval that you feel like forgetting this state of series, the quiet tension enveloping the ground and the sheer anticipation of one of the most important Tests in recent times. Sitting on the grassy banks, under the shade of the cathedral, it's easy to forget what's at stake. The spirit of the game can be expected to stay intact; the air is too peaceful for squabbles. It's been two-and-a-half years since a final Test involving Australia meant something. It's bound to produce that butterfly-in-the-stomach sensation. You can hear it in the captains' voices, see it in the players' faces and feel it in the conversations. It's important enough for Ricky Ponting to, uncharacteristically, not reveal the final XI and for Anil Kumble not to provide even a hint. The dry heat is only making the situation more taut. India's combination is a tricky one. It's almost certain that Wasim Jaffer will sit out, meaning either Harbhajan Singh or Dinesh Karthik will get a game. Unlike Jaffer, both spent plenty of time at the nets on match eve. The bold move would be to play five bowlers but Karthik's expertise at the top would allow the side to not ruffle the middle order. Five bowlers would mean either Rahul Dravid or Irfan Pathan will move up to open. Considering Kumble's positive moves through the series, it wouldn't be out of place to imagine him picking five bowlers to go for the win. It's India who are chasing the series. Australia's batsmen, swung out at Perth, get a chance to feast on a hard, true pitch. Matthew Hayden is back and Phil Jaques is due. Ricky Ponting, out of sorts so far, will look back on his 142 last year, an innings that helped set up a most improbable victory against England. Back in 1992, Ponting insisted he stay back in the academy rather than go home, simply to watch Sachin Tendulkar practise. Now he's up against him, in the same arena. The toss up for the final slot will be between Brad Hogg, the chinaman bowler who was left out of Perth because Australia "misread the conditions", and Shaun Tait, the local lad who was insipid last week. Hogg didn't do that well in Sydney, despite conditions favouring him, but he could still be preferred for the value he adds with the bat and on the field. Considering the amount at stake for India, the selection of the one-day squad couldn't have been more ill-timed. But it's time they put it behind them and look at the challenge on hand. It was fitting that Sourav Ganguly led India's huddle on the day before their most important Test in recent times. Standing in the centre, he addressed the close-knit group for about two minutes. He was captain when India were here last and, despite the recent murmurs about his one-day exclusion, would have known best how to spur his team-mates on. India are the only visiting team to win here in the last 12 years. There has been just one draw in that period, though batsmen tend to dominate first innings. It's one of the few grounds in Australia where Tendulkar is yet to leave an imprint. He hasn't gone past 61 in six innings, strange considering the batsman-friendly nature of the ground. He's received a tremendous response across all grounds and you can be assured of the grand reception his entry will prompt. Brian Lara's final Test in Australia was at the same ground - he cracked an imperious 226 in that match - and Tendulkar could end with a similar flourish. This is Don Bradman's territory after all. Nobody is even considering the possibility, but Australia will be the happier side if the game ends in a draw. Rain is forecast for the first two days and a good batting pitch could well push the game towards a stalemate. Beating Australia for two Tests on the trot is a daunting task but India, who remain the only team to have surmounted the challenge in this decade (in 2001), know what it entails. Australia (likely) 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Phil Jaques, 2 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Andrew Symonds, 7 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 8 Brad Hogg, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Mitchell Johnson, 11 Stuart Clark. India (likely) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Rahul Dravid, 3 VVS Laxman, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 Sourav Ganguly, 6 Irfan Pathan, 7 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), 8 Anil Kumble (capt), 9 Harbhajan Singh, 10 RP Singh, 11 Ishant Sharma. Siddhartha Vaidyanathan is an assistant editor at Cricinfo © Cricinfo

[bunny]

^^ While Bhajji hasn't been at his best you are being too harsh on him. When the ball did turn in the 2nd innings of Sydney, he was giving problems to Hussey and Hayden as well. Here again I'd say AK should decide based on form in the nets. If he is bowling really well in the nets then yeah take a gamble (and that gamble could be to either drop IS or WJ or both). I sincerely hope Bhajji is not played because he can cast a voodoo spell on Ponting but because pitch is gonna assist spin and his form in the nets looks good.

[IndianRenegade]

Variation is Kumble's greatest strength - Jenner

Variation is Kumble's greatest strength - Jenner Nagraj Gollapudi in Adelaide January 23, 2008 Terry Jenner, the former Australian legspinner, stood among the crowd, arms folded, observing Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh in the nets in front of him at the practice session at the Adelaide Oval. Since he was sporting shades, it was difficult to figure out which of the two Indian spinners he was focussing on. "Neither of them have got enough rewards for the way they have bowled so far," he said without moving his gaze. Jenner, Shane Warne's coach and mentor, had come over to the nets to renew his ties with Kumble, and fondly remembered meeting him four years ago at the same ground. "He wanted me to tell him everything I saw about his bowling," Jenner recollects of the 2003 meeting. "And I told him 'Mate, it's just one day before the Test', but he was intent on listening." Back then Jenner observed that Kumble was trying to bowl with a Warne-like action instead of trusting his own style. "We spoke about getting him to bowl from over the eyes - from the top of his head," said Jenner. The two also spoke about the sequence of deliveries, which Jenner believes was crucial in Kumble taking his first five-wicket haul in Australia in India's memorable win. Fast forward four years and has anything changed? "He is mostly doing the same things apart from bowling his faster one that pushes on to the bat." Jenner felt Kumble had overdone that delivery during his first tour to Australia in 1999-2000, making him too predictable. However, after their chat "he started to mix up his deliveries, making the batsman come out of his crease and do something". He observed that Kumble's greatest strength was his ability to mix up his deliveries, and bowl the conventional legbreaks with his unorthodox googly and the faster ones to keep the batsmen guessing. Jenner understands Kumble now has the responsibility of being the captain. "He's torn between bowling it quick and taking the risk of tossing it up," said Jenner about Kumble's mindset while leading the side. Jenner is a big admirer of Kumble, but he also thinks highly of Harbhajan, especially his seam position during delivery. He also had an interesting take on the fact that Harbhajan had dismissed Ponting three times in 18 deliveries, but had only taken four other wickets in the series. "A lot of emotions go into the wicket of Ricky Ponting, and perhaps that doesn't allow him to prepare for the next wicket." Looking ahead to the Adelaide Test, Jenner felt India's best option would be to play two spinners on a surface that usually helps turn. "The bounce on the third and fourth days is low and playing two spinners could prove to be beneficial." Nagraj Gollapudi is an assistant editor at Cricinfo © Cricinfo

[Mr. Wicket]

Agree with your insights and feelings on this, Dhondy. India just cannot afford to pick Harbhajan and again throw out the balance of the side. If this side was good enough to win us a game at Perth, they can do so at Adelaide without batsmen being sacrificed for an ineffective spinner averaging upwards of 50 for the last year. And if the pitch does take turn, then let Sehwag and Tendulkar bowl a bit more. Sehwag's spell on the last day at Perth was better than just about anything Harbhajan has bowled this series. And let's not forget that when India last won, Tendulkar broke the back of Australia's middle order. Those two will be very handy along with the four specialist bowlers who got the job done at Perth. Harbhajan can sit in the dressing room and be thankful that he's at least in the touring squad.

[coffee_rules]

FAO Hari..India drop Jaffer as they seek to level series So...I lose the bet. Some Cha Ching! for you.!!! ------------------------------------------------------------ India drop Jaffer as they seek to level series PTI PrintSaveWrite to EditorMail ADELAIDE, January 23: A resurgent India have dropped struggling opener Wasim Jaffer but were still undecided on whether to opt for a five-pronged bowling attack as they go into the fourth and final Test against Australia on Thursday seeking to level the four-match series. Jaffer, who has failed in his six innings in the series so far, has been omitted from the shortlisted 12 for the crucial game which India needs to win to square the series 2-2. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who sat out in Perth where India recorded one of their greatest overseas victories, and wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik have been named in the 12 but the team management has decided to wait till tomorrow before finalising the playing 11. With the Adelaide Oval expected to assist the slow bowlers on the last two days, Harbhajan stands a good chance of playing the match. The Indians also have the option of going in with a five-pronged bowling attack, in which case Karthik may have to perform the 12th man's duties. But if they stick to the conventional four-man attack, Karthik is almost certain to don the opener's role at the expense of a paceman. "There are a few possibilities but we would like to take another look at the pitch. It (five bowlers) is an option and that is something we will definitely assess," skipper Anil Kumble said. India's unheralded pace trio -- RP Singh, Irfan Pathan and Ishant Sharma -- were highly impressive at Perth and it will be a tough call to leave one of them out to accommodate Harbhajan. The 72-run triumph at Perth will no doubt serve as a tonic for Anil Kumble and his men who have now proved to be worthy challengers to the champion team, which has been strengthened by the return of opener Matthew Hayden. The Australians have also not finalised their composition but it is likely to be a choice between paceman Shaun Tait, who was far from impressive in Perth, and spinner Brad Hogg. Captain Ricky Ponting refused to divulge details about team composition and said he was still to make up his mind on whether to persist with Tait or bring back Hogg. "We just have to toss up in our head whether the spin is the way to go or do we try and use pace with variable bounce late in the game," he said. "I think historically spin has probably been the preferred option for the Australian team to play in most conditions around the world. But when you have someone like Taity -- it gives you lots of options but makes your decision very difficult as well," he added. But if spin was to be Ponting's option, the Australian skipper said he would try not to put too much pressure on Hogg. "If he does come in, it's important we make sure he is not under too much pressure because we all do know how hard it is to perform when you do feel like your spot is on the line," Ponting said.

[Dhondy]

Thal, what really bugs me is this immense inertia selectors, and even the folks here, display when it's time to get rid of deadwood. Our three greatest overseas triumphs in recent memory, at Jo'burg, Nottingham and Perth, all came on the back of a 3 seam+Kumble attack. If ever one were looking for a winning formula- it's there, staring us in the face. People wouldn't have missed that we lost the first two Tests in this series that featured Bhajji, the second on a spinner's track, with the surd being completely outbowled by the senior spinner in the team. Why this clamour for a second spinner then? I truly believe Indian selectors and fans love losers because they identify with them.

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[head coach]

Thal, what really bugs me is this immense inertia selectors, and even the folks here, display when it's time to get rid of deadwood. Our three greatest overseas triumphs in recent memory, at Jo'burg, Nottingham and Perth, all came on the back of a 3 seam+Kumble attack. If ever one were looking for a winning formula- it's there, staring us in the face. People wouldn't have missed that we lost the first two Tests in this series that featured Bhajji, the second on a spinner's track, with the surd being completely outbowled by the senior spinner in the team. Why this clamour for a second spinner then? I truly believe Indian selectors and fans love losers because they identify with them.

I agree with you and Salil. India should play Karthick and leave Harbajan as the 12th man. With Sehwag, Tendulkar, Ganguly to share the load there is no need for this guy. Infact why take him to tours like this at all. he should be given chance only after Kumble retires

[Guest dada_rocks]

Parthiv in similar volunteered to open and made 69 against pakistan....I wud say drop jaffar papar and bring that little fellow in after this series ..he is very very very compact littley beauty of a batsman..

[Dhondy]

Doc there is a lot of diff between Jo'berg,Perth and Adelaide. Ishant Sharma and IPK might not be that effective here.

Is there a difference between Adelaide & Sydney?

[talksport]

Harbhajan Singh is a tough selection call Captain has to face now that Sehwag is in the team .....I would like to see riled up Harbhajan to play in Adelaide.... No comparaisons there...Sydney is a farce. Harbhajan bowled very good in the series without luck bar the first innings of MCG... His selection will be as good or bad as Ishant IMO Drop Harbhjan rely on Sehwag Drop Ishant/Pathan rely on Ganguly Drop Karthik .... rely on divine intervention

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Dhondy]

After that spell against Ponting, I defy anybody to drop Ishant. And if Bhajji didn't have luck (gee, he has been "luckless" for a while now, the loser, hasn't he?) at Sydney, so didn't Ishant, who was excellent. Anyway, it's not between Bhajji and Ishant. The issue is, do you trust India to go in with one batsman short? I don't, and if they do, they'll almost certainly lose. OTOH, with 4 bowlers, they allegedly diminish their chances of winning (personally, I think that's just not true), but would be well placed for a draw.

[Guest HariSampath]

No, we shouldnt drop Ishant or IKP...they both are bowling very well and can get us vital wkts. Lets remember we need to take 20 wkts. we gotta go for win , dont even think of draw, better to lose going for win than draw. We need the 5 bowlers, and so by every combination, it looks like Bhajji in for Jaffer

[talksport]

After that spell against Ponting, I defy anybody to drop Ishant.

Ponting is an experienced batsmen of Pace, he will adjust his Technique, Whereas Ishant is more one dimensional..... I mean he is rubbish to Left Handers.... Even Mitchell Johnson played him with ease. It still is a tough call. Kumble has to face with motivating Dravid/Ganguly/Laxman and drop two of Ishant/Pathan/Karthik/Harbhajan..... I wouldnt want to be in his shoes.... If he pull off Adelaide...I would rate Kumble would be the Greatest Captain ...and India for sure has missed a trick when chosing between Ganguly and Kumble back in eary 2000

[Gambit]

Rain forecast for the Days 1 and 2. :mad:

[Chandan]

The issue is, do you trust India to go in with one batsman short? I don't, and if they do, they'll almost certainly lose. OTOH, with 4 bowlers, they allegedly diminish their chances of winning (personally, I think that's just not true), but would be well placed for a draw.

I don't think even India trusts itself to go with just 5 batsmen. The the issue is indeed either Bhajji or Ishant. Does anyone know the forecast for this match though? I heard there are chances of rain the first two days. Is that true?