The Ashes | 2025-26 | 5 tests | Nov 21 to Jan 08 | Discussion Thread

[Lone Wolf]

14 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

We won 17 series in a row toss or not. We didn't rely on toss. We didn't even have stable batsmen right through that journey. Also we lost mostly on rank turners during that phase. We also dominated opponents on pitches that just turned enough not overly turning. Even teams that had ABDV, Amla struggled here. 

 

Teams improved.  NZ nearly knocked us over in 2021 itself.  It took a knock for the ages by a certain Mayank Agarwal to defy them in Mumbai..  rest of the batters surrendered against Ajaz Patel.. who didn't have anyone to partner him.

If not for Mayank we were gone for all money.

This time around they came prepared and ambushed a aging side.

 

Last BGT at home Aussies had some brainfades, they clearly were the superior unit on talent and personnel..  

India were so frightened post Defeat in Indore they had to roll out a road to salvage a hard fought lead.

 

Signs were there that top oppositions had figured the method to win in India.

Some fine tuning was needed.

 

Our toss woes were bound to catch up on us.. and they did spectacularly .

[vvvslaxman]

Just now, Lone Wolf said:

Teams improved.  NZ nearly knocked us over in 2021 itself.  It took a knock for the ages by a certain Mayank Agarwal to defy them in Mumbai..  rest of the batters surrendered against Ajaz Patel.. who didn't have anyone to partner him.

If not for Mayank we were gone for all money.

This time around they came prepared and ambushed a aging side.

 

Last BGT at home Aussies had some brainfades, they clearly were the superior unit on talent and personnel..  

India were so frightened post Defeat in Indore they had to roll out a road to salvage a hard fought lead.

 

Signs were there that top oppositions had figured the method to win in India.

Some fine tuning was needed.

 

Our toss woes were bound to catch up on us.. and they did spectacularly .

 

 

Real issue started when our lower order stopped contributing with bat covering the problems of top 3. India struggled at times because of trimurthi in the middle hanging around for  far too long. Had we phased them out early enough we would not have been in this situation.  Also Rohit sharma was a gun batsman against spinners. Unfortunately against NZ he got out even before spinners were on.  Last time agianst SOuth Afriac he scored three massive centuries.  We need a couple of great players against spin like Murali vijay, Agarwal at the top of the order. 

[AKane]

1 hour ago, Lone Wolf said:

2 hours ago, Gollum said:

Yeah, both India and Eng are middling sides atm. Both have psycho coaches as well. 

Both sides lack Top level test class talent.  Replacements are raw and untested.

But it was the "replacement" bowlers in Akashdeep and Prasidh who helped win the 2 matches we won in England along with the relentless Siraj.

 

Edited December 26, 2025 by AKane

[AKane]

5 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

We need a couple of great players against spin like Murali vijay, Agarwal at the top of the order. 

People have figured out that 1 spinner in India does not work and they are bringing 2 into the match - like Swann and Panesar,  Santner/Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips, Harmer and Maharaj. 

 

Look for Aus to try the same in their tour later ....

[vvvslaxman]

1 minute ago, AKane said:

People have figured out that 1 spinner in India does not work and they are bringing 2 into the match - like Swann and Panesar,  Santner/Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips, Harmer and Maharaj. 

 

Look for Aus to try the same in their tour later ....

Australia did play 3.  Moeen was all over us in England. But struggled here. Our pitches were not overly spin friendly. Only after covid this got worse. India also had rever swing specialists. Shami and umesh were as deadly as Ash and jaddu.

[Ultimate_Game]

6 hours ago, The Hound said:

Bethell doesn't bats above 5 in FC, has no hundreds and averages around 26 but is a #3 in test team here. 

There are players averaging 45+ not in consideration because they don't bat at 80+ strike rate in FC. 

 

I thought of Bethell at 3 as "horses for courses" selection. It was similar to us playing Pathan at 3 at WACA in 2007. On these pitches a quick 30-40 is more suited and I doubt Eng had anyone else in the squad who would've done better. But yeah Eng's squad selection is poor and a no. of Eng batters lack technique and aren't Test batters.

[Gollum]

6 hours ago, Trichromatic said:

 

I strongly believe Kohli, Pujara and Rahane were unlucky.

Tbh all 3 had leadership roles, mostly as captain or VC. It was their choice. 

[Trichromatic]

4 minutes ago, Gollum said:

Tbh all 3 had leadership roles, mostly as captain or VC. It was their choice. 

To some extent yes, but they didn’t have luck of players of 2002-2015 who got flat pitches in almost series outside India as well.

[pkmmamks]

Imagine the pressure on Duckket. He has to play a Head like Innings from the first test

[Chaos]

Boland opening . He already out scored fisherman against boland 

[Chaos]

Fisherman against bolands over: leave, leave, fish and miss, fish and miss and boom customary nick to slips or keeper 

 

[Lord]

Great day,

 

Aus taking the piss by opening with Boland

 

Happy for Neser been ignored for too long

[Lord]

4 hours ago, Lone Wolf said:

India can only win on rank turners at home.  Think tank's assessment was correct.

Only games we have come close to winning in two whitewashes were on rank turners.

Both Mumbai test vs NZ and Eden Garden test vs SA were winnable.

 

Our Pacers can't outbowl opposition Pacers and our batters can't outbat them on a sporting track.  Our spinners can't spin on a decent track as well.

 

To win you need to win toss in India.. and unfortunately we can't do that either.

 

We won on much better tracks v England before NZ series. 

[Lord]

13 hours ago, Ultimate_Game said:

 

On this pitch I can see Kamboj take 3-fer for 20 or 30 odd.

 

nah he'd spray the ball at 125k

[vvvslaxman]

Smith vs Tongue

 

35 runs 11.7 average 3 dismissal

 

Jadeja vs Tongue

 

55 runs 13.8 average 4 dismissals

 

Warner vs Tongue

 

37 runs 18.5 average 2 dismissals

[Ultimate_Game]

47 minutes ago, Lord said:

 

nah he'd spray the ball at 125k

 

You're thinking about Prasidh Krishna. Kamboj would keep it tight and on this pitch Akash Deep would take a 5-fer. These're the type of wkts I would prefer when we tour Aus. This will bring our bowlers into play as well and I wouldn't mind asking Pandya to play one Test a series if this type of pitch is served. Hell, I can even see Dube taking a couple on this wkt!

Edited December 26, 2025 by Ultimate_Game

[Lord]

6 minutes ago, Ultimate_Game said:

 

You're thinking about Prasidh Krishna. Kamboj would keep it tight and on this pitch Akash Deep would take a 5-fer. These're the type of wkts I would prefer when we tour Aus. This will bring our bowlers into play as well and I wouldn't mind asking Pandya to play one Test a series if this type of pitch is served. Hell, I can even see Dube taking a couple on this wkt!

 

Akashdeep yes but Kamboj was not accurate when he played. Guys like Arshdeep,Harshit would enjoy it too.

 

Hardik has given up on Test cricket

[Ultimate_Game]

17 minutes ago, Lord said:

 

Akashdeep yes but Kamboj was not accurate when he played. Guys like Arshdeep,Harshit would enjoy it too.

 

Hardik has given up on Test cricket

 

Pandya wouldn't mind playing one off match on these type of pitches where the Test lasts 2 days and he's unlikely to bowl more than 8-10 overs in an innings. It's almost like an ODI. Kamboj is accurate but played on a patta on his debut. He would do much better here.

[Chaos]

3 minutes ago, Ultimate_Game said:

 

Pandya wouldn't mind playing one off match on these type of pitches where the Test lasts 2 days and he's unlikely to bowl more than 8-10 overs in an innings. It's almost like an ODI. Kamboj is accurate but played on a patta on his debut. He would do much better here.

Arrey uncle ji he wont play tests forget about dreams. He too busy banging n doin ads flexing his muscles

[Chaos]

People who picked draw…