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

[Gollum]

Another thing that confirms how great Sachin was....his 90s stats. 90s pitches can be compared with what we get these days. 

 

Only 4 players averaged 50 in that decade....Gooch who hardly played for 3-4 years. Steve Waugh and Lara who averaged 50 and 52 respectively. 

 

Then there was Sachin with 58 average, despite starting so young and averaging <45 in his first 3-4 years of the decade. 

 

BCCI truly screwed the GOAT over by limiting test cricket in that era. 

Edited December 27, 2025 by Gollum

[vvvslaxman]

Just now, Gollum said:

Another thing that confirms how great Sachin was....his 90s stats. 90s pitches can be compared with what we get these days. 

 

Only 4 players averaged 50 in that decade....Gooch who hardly played for 3-4 years. Steve Waugh and Lara who averaged exactly 50.

 

Then there was Sachin with 58 average, despite starting so young and averaging <45 in his first 3-4 years of the decade. 

 

BCCI truly screwed the GOAT over by limiting test cricket in that era. 

It is like that everywhere. GIlchrist was talking about it.  SHeffield shield average has come down by 16 points compared to the 2000s.

[Gollum]

6 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

 

We did win 2 tests in England.  Could have won at SCG too but for absence of Bumrah. Those are good wickets.

SCG lasted 190 overs, sub 200 runs in all innings, spinners (including Lyon) didn't pick one wicket, how was that a good pitch? 

Edited December 27, 2025 by Gollum

[Gollum]

Supporting Poms here for a change. Just for preparing such a garbage wicket, Aussies should be punished. I know this too will get an 'excellent' rating, so let them get the L on the cricket field. 

[Trichromatic]

6 minutes ago, Gollum said:

 

Things were fine before the pandemic. In fact if you see the numbers at that time, Smith used to average 64, Kohli 55, Pujara 53.....latter two averaged 65 odd at home....at one point Kohli's avg even touched 70 and had second best home record after Bradman. 

 

I think 2013-20 test cricket was glorious to follow, best phase of that format with perfect balance between bat/ball, pace/spin....not many pakau draws as well. 

 

Teams started going to extremes after that in terms of pitch preparation.

 

PCB rolled out pattas to make mediocre Babar a superstar but when they started finishing last in consecutive WTCs, even PCB had enough. This kind of pitch prep is not normal. 

 

 

I am still sure if Kohli and Pujara get similar conditions where 2 out of 4 matches are on patta, 1 on good pitch and 1 on bowling track which was norm in those 8 years, they would still score 1 century each series and overall avg of 42-45, something which batsmen of 2000s did quite often with big series having 4 out of 4 pattas and sometimes key blowers getting injured.

[Serpico]

1 minute ago, Gollum said:

Supporting Poms here for a change. Just for preparing such a garbage wicket, Aussies should be punished. I know this too will get an 'excellent' rating, so let them get the L on the cricket field. 

real punishment is the millions of dollars cricket australia will be refunding to the day 3 and day 4 ticektholders

[Trichromatic]

6 minutes ago, Gollum said:

SCG lasted 190 overs, sub 200 runs in all innings, spinners (including Lyon) didn't pick one wicket, how was that a good pitch? 

Not even good, but top rating was farce.

[Serpico]

 

[vvvslaxman]

7 minutes ago, Gollum said:

SCG lasted 190 overs, sub 200 runs in all innings, spinners (including Lyon) didn't pick one wicket, how was that a good pitch? 

Lottery pitch. But we could have won despite loss of toss.  Winning the toss was important there. Same on a lottery pitch against SA we could have won too but for loss of a batsman. We are capable of winning in most conditions except the square turner with loss of toss.  We totally ignored the first class performers made some left field selections.

[nevada]

4 minutes ago, Gollum said:

Supporting Poms here for a change. Just for preparing such a garbage wicket, Aussies should be punished. I know this too will get an 'excellent' rating, so let them get the L on the cricket field. 

The pitch in the first test was deadly too, at-least for the first three innings. 

[Trichromatic]

Boarding flight to Bangkok. Will the game be over before landing?

[vvvslaxman]

INdia vs ENgland test series is handsdown the best series of the year. 25 days of cricket finished on 25th day.

[Serpico]

2 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

INdia vs ENgland test series is handsdown the best series of the year. 25 days of cricket finished on 25th day.

drawn series though

[vvvslaxman]

Just now, Serpico said:

drawn series though

Way more entertaining with twists and turns. This is crap test series with a lot of mediocre cricket by both teams. Few individuals like Starc, Carey, Head stood up for Australia. 

[Suhaan]

9 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

Lottery pitch. But we could have won despite loss of toss.  Winning the toss was important there. Same on a lottery pitch against SA we could have won too but for loss of a batsman. We are capable of winning in most conditions except the square turner with loss of toss.  We totally ignored the first class performers made some left field selections.

Thing is if we are so into preparing "minefields" we should be considering domestic performers but on true surfacesor faltbeds we can manage with most of this lot

[nitinbwj]

11 minutes ago, Trichromatic said:

Boarding flight to Bangkok. Will the game be over before landing?

Kya karne ja rahe ho bhai 

[Trichromatic]

1 minute ago, nitinbwj said:

Kya karne ja rahe ho bhai 

 

Returning back to India.

[Gollum]

Eng winning these last 2 tests is good for us, go Poms !!!!!! Outside chance of making the WTC final...but we have to win 3/4 tests in SL/NZ next year. Anything short of that and even a 5-0 win in BGT won't be enough. 

 

https://predictor.cricketxi.com/world-test-championship/

[Suhaan]

GamBall happy for his myte Bazaalim

Edited December 27, 2025 by Suhaan

[Suhaan]

Atleast England batsmen didn't make heavy weather of this chase or lost their way

India would have been 9 down by now for 35 runs lesser