Do we have the worst top order in Test cricket?

[rollingstoned]

2 hours ago, tapandrun said:

That has been the case over the years now, Ind had Rahane a specialist test batter batting with an avg. under 40 who was also the v.c. 

Pujara even though he was good in Aus but he still had sub 45 test average.  how can these be specialist test batters- yes wkts in Ind have not been that  batters' friendly but how can they be called specialist ?? Ind should have replaced atleast one of them long back.

 

But now here is a situation where TM and selectors are backing some one in GIll who they think is future superstar but its clear he lacks technique for no.3, then there KL who is getting backing from every1 at one time bcci looked him and pant as next in line superstars after Rohit and Kolhi which is getting clearer that they are not.

 

Rohit and Kolhi are on other side of 35 not many batters are able to perform that well after that kind of age, specially batters from sub-continent.

 

Over all its kind of mesh-up of various problems coming at same time. Its been Ind lower middle order who has been getting runs for the team and mostly doing the rescue jobs.

 

There is not a single batter who is peaking or is in his prime they are either average batters , aging batters or few new batters trying to find their feet in intnl cricket, this is like a transitional side but which is not exactly in transition, this is the same problem is fast bowling too and spin bowling too but to lesser extent. This is because of lack of foresightedness.

 

And over all batting in Intnl cricket is at v.strange crossroads in many decades, after the so-called fab your who are the next in-line top end batters ????

 

If you take a look at Sachin's era (no sure what else word to use here), there were v.top end batters like Sachin, Ponting, Kalis, waughs, Lara, Dravid then there were v.close to top-end batters too like chaderpaul, gangully, jaisurya, Inzi, Anwar, yousuf, viru, cook, hayden ,peterson, sanga, mahela,amla and many more list goes on and on...

 

right now after so-called fab four its labuschagne and this is the reason babar looks good to when ppl. know he is no-where the top-end but because of lack of v.close to top-end batters there no other reference he can be compared to so gets compared to kolhi. root, smith and williamson

 

 

 

We don't have any stand out batter apart from KL in early 30s which is an issue. ones who are that age but have never been picked for India are Ranji journeymen or are international level but with very specific skill sets and weaknesses like Mayank Agarwal. So we have to wait for those who are approaching. mid-20s to step up and hope Iyer comes good who we invested a lot in. Dnt forget Rohit Sharma didn't even seal his spot in the team until the 2020/21 tour to Aus when he came into the team for Shaw who has never been part of the squad since. 

Edited September 21, 2024 by rollingstoned

[Adamant]

2 hours ago, Frustrated said:

Chalo.  For a change, finally u hv started to admit a few glaring flaws on Kohli, to the possibility of him getting dropped.  Refreshing to see  (That's quite unlike you).    Having said that, I feel his inability to handle spin was inherent since his debut. (And not developed in 2020)

Just check how many times he was dismissed by part timer 'Moenalitharan' even before 2020.  (Especially in tests).  

I have seen it and I know that he was quite better at playing spin than what he currently is.

One simply cannot rack up 500+ runs series in India if he lacks the play against spin, before 2020, he had many dominating series at home, again not saying that he is close to the best player against spin but he had a way of scoring against them.

 

Since last 4 years, haven’t seen a single inside out shot , hardly plays against the turn and footwork is also minimal.

He even had a beautiful cover drive vs spin where he brought the bat from way up and played a wristy cover drive.

 

If you remember, he used to be a very wristy player, that always helped him score runs vs spin, now its gone.

 

As you might have observed, he hardly plays cut shot against pacers, but he used to play cuts against spin, any short of length ball on off and he would cut it away for 4, that quickness of hands is gone, I think its reflexes nothing else.

 

 

 

[Adamant]

for example, watch this

He plays all of those shots in this innings 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2024 by Adamant

[express bowling]

8 hours ago, Ultimate_Game said:

Kohli only has two weaknesses at the moment...

 

1. He can't play pacers when they bowl in the channel on 4th & 5th stump line. He'll eventually nick one.

 

2. He can't play spinners and is a candidate for LBW.

 

 

Mr. XYZ doesn't go to work only and only on 2 types of days.

 

1. When it rains.

2. When it does not rain. 

[Suhaan]

1 hour ago, express bowling said:

 

 

Mr. XYZ doesn't go to work only and only on 2 types of days.

 

1. When it rains.

2. When it does not rain. 

Aaaaannnd kela doesn't play courageously when water is wet

Edited September 21, 2024 by Suhaan

[cowboysfan]

Rohit and Kohli look bad  but they have shown they can bounce back later on in the tour.

[Lord]

10 hours ago, Adamant said:

I have seen it and I know that he was quite better at playing spin than what he currently is.

One simply cannot rack up 500+ runs series in India if he lacks the play against spin, before 2020, he had many dominating series at home, again not saying that he is close to the best player against spin but he had a way of scoring against them.

 

Since last 4 years, haven’t seen a single inside out shot , hardly plays against the turn and footwork is also minimal.

He even had a beautiful cover drive vs spin where he brought the bat from way up and played a wristy cover drive.

 

If you remember, he used to be a very wristy player, that always helped him score runs vs spin, now its gone.

 

As you might have observed, he hardly plays cut shot against pacers, but he used to play cuts against spin, any short of length ball on off and he would cut it away for 4, that quickness of hands is gone, I think its reflexes nothing else.

 

 

 

 

That is the most confusing thing about him.

 

I've seen batsmen lose reflexes and timing but Kohli's range is far lesser than what it used to be.

[BacktoCricaddict]

11 hours ago, Adamant said:

for example, watch this

He plays all of those shots in this innings 

 

 

 

I remember still having dark hair on my head then.

[Ultimate_Game]

6 hours ago, express bowling said:

 

 

Mr. XYZ doesn't go to work only and only on 2 types of days.

 

1. When it rains.

2. When it does not rain. 

 

This applies to my philosophy about drinking as well 

[G_B_]

It is a major concern.

Ashwin jaddu are in their late 30s. Kohli and Rohit late 30s.

Barring pant no new batter wjo has played more than 15 tests averages more than 40.

Sent from my SM-S928B using Tapatalk

[gattaca]

14 hours ago, cowboysfan said:

Rohit and Kohli look bad  but they have shown they can bounce back later on in the tour.

Only silver lining is they are failing against Bangladesh but I do remember our fab 4 kept on failing multiple tours England and Australia and then they retired. Hopefully we don’t get same experience from these two. 

[gattaca]

6 hours ago, G_B_ said:

It is a major concern.

Ashwin jaddu are in their late 30s. Kohli and Rohit late 30s.

Barring pant no new batter wjo has played more than 15 tests averages more than 40.

Sent from my SM-S928B using Tapatalk
 

Gill and jaiswal have played few tours. Sarfaraz and jurel showed they can play well under pressure. 

Edited September 22, 2024 by gattaca

[Ultimate_Game]

On 9/21/2024 at 5:24 PM, G_B_ said:

It is a major concern.

Ashwin jaddu are in their late 30s. Kohli and Rohit late 30s.

Barring pant no new batter wjo has played more than 15 tests averages more than 40.

Sent from my SM-S928B using Tapatalk
 

 

Well we had a great opportunity to play youngsters like Sarfaraz and Jurel but we stuck to  has beens.