1st Test Nagpur, February 09 - 13, 2023, Australia tour of India - PREMATCH

[Lord]

1 minute ago, Gollum said:

Are bhai more or less 7-8 years our test bowling has been more exciting than batting. Moreover many of of our bowlers have made handy/clutch contributions with the bat especially at home, while our batsmen don't bowl, are inconsistent with the bat and drop multiple catches every single test. 

 

The reason why we have enjoyed such a good phase in test cricket is our bottom 5, in all conditions. Pair the present bunch of pacers, spinners and keeper with fab 4 team and we'll more or less get our Indian ATG XI, at least 80-90% of maximum strength. 

yes as I said earlier almost all our losses in last few years have been due to top/middle batting

 

When top/middle batting has provided even decent scores, lower order and bowlers have converted it into wins 

[Number]

 

 

Interesting stat about BGT.

Sachin played only 2 more games than RD. Runs diff between them us 1100+

 

[R!TTER]

Well there's a reason why most of us rate SRT as India's best ever, arguable the best ever in the world as well. Whilst it is true he failed in a lot of games when chasing so did *ing everyone else, however there aren't so many games where others stood up like him especially counter attacking great bowlers! In recent times only Sehwag & pant come to mind, the likes of VVS & to a much lesser extent Dravid were all about absorbing pressure. Peak SRT, if he could've batted long not unlike Lara, would've been the best test bat ever ahead of the overrated Don 

 

I'd say the only blemish, in the first half of his career, were big innings but tbf we never played too many 4-5 match series at home & that may have contributed to it as well. At his peak he played what 15-20 tests less than Júnior Waugh 

[AKane]

I expect this to be the Australian bowling in first test

 

Cummins

Lance Morris

Boland

Lyon

Todd Murphy

 

Let us see.....

 

Also Aus selectors are quite disdainful of people hiding behind injury excuses in tough series conditions. If Hazlewood and Starc do not play - and play well - in India, it can be sayonara for their test careers. Both are 32+ and Aus is not England who may play Anderson till he is 52 to break the Murali record.

[AKane]

And....somehow.... somehow.... Unadkat will get at least one match in this series. 

[AKane]

59 minutes ago, R!TTER said:

Well there's a reason why most of us rate SRT as India's best ever, arguable the best ever in the world as well.

 

In tests? Thankfully I am not in the "most".

 

Reason is below.

 

Neither SMG nor Viv nor Sobers nor others had the luxury of being hit in the head like this - they would have died against  the bowlers they faced if this had happened. Contractor's career ended after being hit by Griffith like this. 

 

 

 

[SRT100]

9 hours ago, Lone Wolf said:

Hazelwood & Starc are out.  Boland will play first test.   He is a trundler who won't get much help in India.  They won't risk Lance Morris straightaway...  Might come in Dharamsala. 

 

Rahul

Rohit

Gujara (sadly) 

Kolli 

SKY/Gill ( 50-50 battle afaik) 

Jaddu

Bharat

Ashwin

Kuldeep/ Axar (Patel in case of a mine field) 

Siraj

Shami

 

 

 

From what I have been reading and watching online, it looks like SKY over Gill because a better player of spin and Axar over Kuldeep as it will be a rank turner.

 

This is the team that will play the first test, lock it away its happening.

 

KL

Rohit

Pujara

Kolli 

SKY

Jaddu

Bharat

Ashwin

 Axar

Shami

Siraj

 

[R!TTER]

5 minutes ago, AKane said:

 

In tests? Thankfully I am not in the "most".

 

Reason is below.

 

Neither SMG nor Viv nor Sobers nor others had the luxury of being hit in the head like this - they would have died against  the bowlers they faced if this had happened. Contractor's career ended after being hit by Griffith like this. 

 

 

 

Amarnath has a better record against Windies at their peak, so does Greg, Border & I think one more batter(Gooch?) at the time. As for getting hit on the head did you miss the time Lara was literally on the floor against Shoaib or Chanders against Lee? Even with the helmet cricket is a relatively hazardous sport, as the Late Hughes would attest to!

[AuxiliA]

2 hours ago, Gollum said:

Are bhai more or less 7-8 years our test bowling has been more exciting than batting. Moreover many of of our bowlers have made handy/clutch contributions with the bat especially at home, while our batsmen don't bowl, are inconsistent with the bat and drop multiple catches every single test. 

 

The reason why we have enjoyed such a good phase in test cricket is our bottom 5, in all conditions. Pair the present bunch of pacers, spinners and keeper with fab 4 team and we'll more or less get our Indian ATG XI, at least 80-90% of maximum strength. 

 

1. Sehwag

2. Gambhir

3. Dravid

4. Tendulkar

5. Laxman

 

6. Pant(wk) 

7. Jadeja

8. Ashwin

9. Shami

10. Bumrah

11. Siraj

 

Pretty solid lineup! 3 lefties. Lots of bowling options. Will do well in all conditions. 

 

Replace Gambhir with Gavaskar and Siraj with Kapil, you will get the All Time India Test XI. 

 

 

[zen]

lol at the thought of Ashwin, Jadeja, etc,. in an Indian AT 11 when guys like Mankad, Chandra, Kumble, etc, are available (even for AT11s, some people appear to be stuck with the imagination of playing on doctored pitches )

 

ICF strikes again! 

Edited February 5, 2023 by zen

[nitinbwj]

How is Axar better than Kuldeep on a rank turner ?

[AKane]

5 hours ago, R!TTER said:

Amarnath has a better record against Windies at their peak, so does Greg, Border & I think one more batter(Gooch?) at the time. As for getting hit on the head did you miss the time Lara was literally on the floor against Shoaib or Chanders against Lee? Even with the helmet cricket is a relatively hazardous sport, as the Late Hughes would attest to!

 

Helmet changed cricket. Period. That blow in the head will end a career otherwise.

 

Amarnath had guts no doubt.

 

However only two batsmen in the 70's and 80's batted without a helmet. SMG and Viv.  Rest all used helmets. 

Edited February 6, 2023 by AKane

[zen]

1 hour ago, nitinbwj said:

How is Axar better than Kuldeep on a rank turner ?

 

On a rank turner, it is difficult for a batsman to be sure either on front foot or the back foot. ... Any spinner who can land the ball accurately on the pitch will do. Axar is accurate and his balls can go straight too at times ... Pathetic concept.

 

Kuldeep turns the ball w/o relying on pitch "relatively" much. 

 

 

[SRT100]

India and in particular, Fatman and Ash need to be really careful in the way they use DRS, dont burn your reviews.

 

Dont take chances, where its only a 50:50 call.

[speedracer]

Think this is what will transpire. 

 

India wins 2-1. Tough series. Bad blood. Bones of both sides will be broken. Enemies made.

 

And then in wtc sri lanka pumps kiwis 2 0 and faces Aussies in finals. Easy Oz win in wtc final. 

 

If India gets to wtc by winning 3-1 or 2 0 then we will draw the final and share the trophy. 

Edited February 6, 2023 by speedracer

[Machine]

We will win min 2-0. There batting is weak except Smith. Just need jaddu to be healthy for at least 3 tests

[SRT100]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/cricket-australia-vs-india-first-test-news-preview-injuries-teams-virat-kohli-state-of-play-for-nagpur/news-story/b347102e70cd5c62d6633db0ddb98c9d

[Vijy]

On 2/3/2023 at 7:17 PM, SRT100 said:

@express bowling@raki05@Vijy

 

Havent heard much preamble from you guys about this series?

 

Would love to know your thoughts, your concerns? Is my very worrying concern justified?

 

Our batting line up that is 1-6 is a strong as fresh papadum.

 

I have faith in Gill but he is just not reliable yet at Test level to convert the 20s,30s or 40s that he scores into big 100s.

 

Fatman may score a 50 and Pujara a patient 30 off 200 balls, but the rest will just crumble.

 

We are not getting more than 50-80 runs out of Pujara, Kohli and KL.

I would have more faith if we played Ash, Jaddu and Axar. In fact I would bet that they will outscore Pujara, Kohli and KL.

 

We will only beat Australia on slow low, turners. So the other concern is if the pitch is not blown up the day before.

 

 

we will lose 3-1 without iyer, pant.

[Vijy]

On 2/4/2023 at 3:59 AM, SRT100 said:

 

Dont underestimate the Aussie bowlers, many many average Aussie spin bowlers have done well in India, then disappeared for the rest of their careers.

agar is not o'keefe level. o'keefe had fantastic domestic stats in sheffield, and IMO was just as good as lyon - just that he was not given a long rope and handled well. ditto for krezja. agar is much lower than both -he's roughly on level of bryce mcgain

[AKane]

39 minutes ago, Vijy said:

agar is not o'keefe level. o'keefe had fantastic domestic stats in sheffield, and IMO was just as good as lyon - just that he was not given a long rope and handled well. ditto for krezja. agar is much lower than both -he's roughly on level of bryce mcgain

How about the new fellow Todd Murphy?