South Africa Tour of Australia 2025 , 3 T20Is and 3 Odis

[Chakdephatte]

1 hour ago, Gollum said:

1987, 2023 they literally stole the trophies when they weren't even among top 2 sides the whole tournament. 

Isn't that what we call luck? 

[Gollum]

22 minutes ago, Chakdephatte said:

Isn't that what we call luck? 

Mental toughness, fearlessness in high stakes games. 

[Chakdephatte]

13 minutes ago, Gollum said:

Mental toughness, fearlessness in high stakes games. 

Media made rhetoric. How did even you fall for it? 

[Gollum]

12 hours ago, Chakdephatte said:

Media made rhetoric. How did even you fall for it? 

When I used to see Djokovic play BPs against his equals like Federer/Nadal, or big points in general. When I see German hockey team or Aussie cricket team when match is on the edge. There is something extra which usually (not all the time) tilts the game in their favor, even if rest of the game is 50:50 or them being outplayed. If whole sporting world talks about psychological aspect, if all players and teams carry their own mental coaches with them, one can't ignore that. 

 

Pragg is the better player, also someone who has posed maximum problems to Carlsen since he was a 14 year old. But Gukesh is the youngest world champion. Everybody attributes that to his psychological toughness, he is also the only chess player since Karpov/Kasparov to hire a mental conditioning coach (their 'patriarch' Botvinnik made it compulsory for Soviets back in the day, and mental coaches used to live with the players). He always bounces back after a setback or even during the game. Pragg like Federer is a better frontrunner, but the minute he sees someone else on a hot streak, he fades away. Still early days but that is the trend. 

 

German hockey team in 2000s won a couple of WCs, then 2 Olympic golds. At a time when Dutch and Aussies were league above them and smashing them everytime outside these big events. But in big games, they would somehow outclutch their opponents. Last 10 years, Belgians and Aussies have had the best teams but underperform in big events, especially Aussies who have won nothing. Belgium lost to Argentina in Rio final, to 10th ranked Spain in Paris QF. Germany somehow won the last WC despite trailing 0-2 each time in their QF, SF and final (beating a much much better Belgium).

 

This is not a media made rhetoric. 

Edited August 21, 2025 by Gollum

[Lord]

10 hours ago, Gollum said:

When I used to see Djokovic play BPs against his equals like Federer/Nadal, or big points in general. When I see German hockey team or Aussie cricket team when match is on the edge. There is something extra which usually (not all the time) tilts the game in their favor, even if rest of the game is 50:50 or them being outplayed. If whole sporting world talks about psychological aspect, if all players and teams carry their own mental coaches with them, one can't ignore that. 

 

Pragg is the better player, also someone who has posed maximum problems to Carlsen since he was a 14 year old. But Gukesh is the youngest world champion. Everybody attributes that to his psychological toughness, he is also the only chess player since Karpov/Kasparov to hire a mental conditioning coach (their 'patriarch' Botvinnik made it compulsory for Soviets back in the day, and mental coaches used to live with the players). He always bounces back after a setback or even during the game. Pragg like Federer is a better frontrunner, but the minute he sees someone else on a hot streak, he fades away. Still early days but that is the trend. 

 

German hockey team in 2000s won a couple of WCs, then 2 Olympic golds. At a time when Dutch and Aussies were league above them and smashing them everytime outside these big events. But in big games, they would somehow outclutch their opponents. Last 10 years, Belgians and Aussies have had the best teams but underperform in big events, especially Aussies who have won nothing. Belgium lost to Argentina in Rio final, to 10th ranked Spain in Paris QF. Germany somehow won the last WC despite trailing 0-2 each time in their QF, SF and final (beating a much much better Belgium).

 

This is not a media made rhetoric. 

 

Why don't other chess players have mental conditioning coach? Even cricketers should have it.

[New guy]

On 8/20/2025 at 9:59 PM, Chakdephatte said:

Isn't that what we call luck? 

Winning key moments under pressure is the opposite of luck. 

[Nikhil_cric]

On 8/20/2025 at 9:59 PM, Chakdephatte said:

Isn't that what we call luck? 

They were one of the top 2 teams in the 2023 World Cup.

 

They had batting firepower/depth, a good bilateral record going into the World Cup and a squad with plenty of players who had experience. 

 

 

 

 

[Gollum]

1 hour ago, Lord said:

 

Why don't other chess players have mental conditioning coach? Even cricketers should have it.

Maybe with time it will pick up.

 

Now almost every single top 50 tennis player has one sitting in his/her box. 

[tapandrun]

Its futile to discuss about Aus team when they were a super team.

But even after that era Aus has won 2 Odic wc and 1 t20i wc. They have been most successful team all around and across format.

Most of it comes from the basic understanding they have in all department of the game, repeating the things which are right and weeding out the wrong things .

 

And then the cricketing culture, players are honest to themselves and coaches and system is honest to the players too. They play till their prime and happily retire afterwards.

There is no culture of creating white elephants. Player like Ponting were drop-able if not performing.

 

Almost every player has a reserve tank for big occasions , they do not make unforced error.

 

The tangible things which a viewer can see Aus batters donot go for technique where they need to look good while playing a shot, they go for a technique where they are able to score runs and can play all the shots both sides of the wkt. 

 

The fast bowlers are proper fast bowlers - tall, fast and accurate and even the spinners they chose are v.good. Add they are good all around not like this bowler is only oggd for certain conditions or they can only bowl in PP , such bowlers will never come through there system.

 

Fielding ever one is a good fielder, in so many years only zampa comes to mind who is not a particularly a good fielder.

 

If they bring some1 who is seasoned player in their domestic system can directly plug into the team and perform the role they are given right away

 

For the ICC events atleast for Odis they properly prepare the team, not parachute some1 from no where or try to recycle some1.

 

Take it compare to anyother system be it Ind, Eng, SA no one has such system or cricketing culture.

 

They may or may not win the t20i wc but look at their set-up now all big batters able to hit multiple 6s in an over, they are trying stuff. As they know the trio is aging and they do not have best t20 kind of bowling so the hard work has to be done by the batters.

 

Its not just luck they know what they are doing and they have a template and a system for it 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2025 by tapandrun

[Gollum]

What amazes me about Australia is low profile players emerging from nowhere, winning them a trophy and disappearing shortly after that. 

 

Started with 1987 WC where Veletta, Simon O'Donnell came out of syllabus. That was the worst ever squad to win any ICC trophy IMO, 7th ranked and only ahead of SL/Zim. Them beating Imran's Pak in the SF in Lahore must rank as the greatest upset in the history of WCs. 

 

Reiffel, Moody in 1999 WC. Bang average but broke Pak's back in the final.

 

Bichel suddenly emerged in 03 WC and won a couple of lost games for them against NZ, Eng....then embarrassed us later that year in TVS tri-series and disappeared. 

 

Bracken, Tait had very short careers but matched McGrath in the 2007 WC, those 3 and Hogg were the 4 best bowlers that tournament and will go down as the most dominant campaign by any team in WCs. 

 

Faulkner in 2015, MOTM in the final, where is he now? 

 

Labu will probably never play another ODI for them, but he played a big hand in that Nov 19 final. 

 

Axar gives me similar vibes, low profile guy who rises to the challenge in big games. Guys like Madan Lal, Munaf Patel in the past. 

Edited August 22, 2025 by Gollum

[nitinbwj]

Sa battinng is shyte. Kahan se pakad ke laye hain yeh Muthuswami ko. Tailender batting at 6 

[Lone Wolf]

Stubbs is usually a safe catcher dropping dollies today.

SA still ahead though 

[rollingstoned]

Aus 3 down for 38 chasing 278. They batted well.but kept losing wickets. Ball seems to be moving under lights. 

[rollingstoned]

2 minutes ago, Lone Wolf said:

Stubbs is usually a safe catcher dropping dollies today.

SA still ahead though 

He has been dropping catches all series. Very uncharacteristic. 

Edited August 22, 2025 by rollingstoned

[Lone Wolf]

With Travis Tulla in awful form and probably is on decline.. England has a golden opportunity to win an away Ashes.

Khawaja Tulla Konstas Smith Green Carey is a pretty poor batting unit.

 

Smith and Carey are only reliable players as of now.

[rollingstoned]

1 minute ago, Lone Wolf said:

With Travis Tulla in awful form and probably is on decline.. England has a golden opportunity to win an away Ashes.

Khawaja Tulla Konstas Smith Green Carey is a pretty poor batting unit.

 

Smith and Carey are only reliable players as of now.

Aus batting will still find a way to make runs, I'm confident of it. 

[Lone Wolf]

Boundaries are big here in Cairns... Tough track.

Breetzke played a superb knock looking at it.

[rollingstoned]

1 minute ago, Lone Wolf said:

Boundaries are big here in Cairns... Tough track.

Breetzke played a superb knock looking at it.

Match is at some other ground in Queensland. It is not Cairns. I like it, seems to have something for everyone and not easy to hit 6es. 

[Lone Wolf]

Just now, rollingstoned said:

Aus batting will still find a way to make runs, I'm confident of it. 

English batters are younger and have higher ceiling and talent than Aussie counterparts.

 

This Ashes is like a Young lightweight boxer taking on a World beating but a washed up Champion.

 

Could be career ending for many Aussies and probably from England Stokes only.

 

Khawaja and Starc are high on my retirement list if Eng win.

[Lone Wolf]

2 minutes ago, rollingstoned said:

Match is at some other ground in Queensland. It is not Cairns. I like it, seems to have something for everyone and not easy to hit 6es. 

Mackay.. looks like this is first Men's International series here.

 

India is also playing a T20 in Gold Coast this year.  Aussies seem to be expanding their cricket to newer centres.