Have India lost the Australia series already?

[cameron_black]

India have problems in every department, and it doesn't look like they'll be able to fix them in time for their year-end tour Ian Chappell India's performance against England has been abysmal but things could get worse before they get better. This disastrous tour has been a while in the making. The selectors' failure to address issues like an ageing batting line-up, a declining offspinner, and substandard fielding in the five-day game, has finally come home to roost. The shrewdness of MS Dhoni's captaincy, the potency of Virender Sehwag's strokeplay, and the bowling of Zaheer Khan have all done a better job than spackle in covering up the Indian cracks. But like firemen on their sliding pole, the descent for India will be much quicker than their steady climb up the rankings was. In all likelihood, India will be ranked No. 3 by the time they tour Australia. Following three heavy losses to England in the last Ashes series, Australia, it was assumed, would be easy pickings for India. I wouldn't be so sure. With all Australia's problems - and there are many, with two reviews into poor performance running concurrently - they do have fast-bowling potential. If they get the bulk of their young fast bowlers fit for selection, Australia should field a decent pace attack. If they do, the Indian selectors, who have been negligent in their duty, could face their worst nightmare. The selectors have been reluctant to show faith in some talented young Indian batsmen. Now they have to choose a team for Australia where there are serious questions about the ability of some to play short-pitched bowling. Further muddying the pool, India's better batsmen are now a liability in the field. Most Australian pace bowlers grow up certain of one thing: they know how to bang the ball in short. Whether they do it wisely is another question, but judging by the performance of Suresh Raina, Abhinav Mukund and Yuvraj Singh in England, quantity will suffice if quality is in short supply. The Indian selectors also have the added concern of the bowlers. In addition to batting and fielding weaknesses, the bowling attack is in tatters. The Australians can struggle against good spin bowling. There have already been glimpses of this in Sri Lanka, although the Test batsmen are better equipped than those whose demise in the Twenty20 series was abject. In the days when India didn't have much pace bowling they were still able to hold their heads high in Australia thanks to quality spinners. In 1967-68 and then 1977-78 India made Australia fight hard for every advantage through the skill of spinners like Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwath Chandrasekhar and Bishan Bedi. If India can get Zaheer fit and Ishant Sharma back to the form he displayed on his last tour of Australia, then with Mishra and another good spinner they could have their best balanced attack Those times are a distant memory. Harbhajan Singh has for long been a better defensive bowler than an attacking weapon. And while Amit Mishra is a steady legspinner who has some value in Australia, he needs the faster bowlers taking early wickets to be effective. If India can get Zaheer fit and Ishant Sharma back to the form he displayed on his last tour of Australia, then with Mishra and another good spinner they could have their best balanced attack. The selectors have to decide whether Harbhajan is worth the gamble, and if they do, hope Dhoni can cajole or berate his offspinner into a return to his more attacking ways. The biggest issue facing the Indian selectors is finding a batting line-up that can score enough runs in Australia to give the bowlers a chance. Of the experienced batsmen Sehwag is the best equipped to mount a counterattack that will set the Australians back on their heels. However, it's too much to expect Sehwag to play a lone hand, so Sachin Tendulkar may be forced to play a more proactive role in this ploy. Of the younger batsmen Rohit Sharma is the most talented, and he also copes best with the short-pitched delivery. He should have been in the Test side a while back. It would be asking a lot of him to take on an aggressor's role in his first Test series and in a hostile environment. Then comes the job of drastically improving the fielding. It's crucial to catch well and field athletically on the big grounds in Australia. With ageing batsmen and poor fielding bowlers, this will be a difficult selection puzzle. The selectors have failed to confront the tough issues and now face a damned-if-you-do-and-damned-if-you-don't situation. If India slide quickly down the rankings, weaknesses off and on the field will have played their part. http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/527277.html

[cameron_black]

mind games have already started. brace yourselves people.

[Stuge]

what if all the players ,who are misfiring right now are back in the form ? Australia will run for cover then .

[Bdeshpatriot]

well, evnthough ind got thrashed against eng...i feel ind will win the tour down under...aus are in absolute shambles....and ind will have recovered by then....

[maniac]

I must say Ian Chappell has made some really valid points and I am surprised because he generally comes across as more arrogant and can be harsh with his bashing but I don't see anything wrong with what he said

[Robelinda]

Yeah India will destroy us, our cricket is in no shape right now. Though.....it all depends on how we do in SL and SA coming up, if we happen to win, and you never know, then we just might pose a threat to India.

[maniac]

India have problems in every department, and it doesn't look like they'll be able to fix them in time for their year-end tour Ian Chappell India's performance against England has been abysmal but things could get worse before they get better. This disastrous tour has been a while in the making. The selectors' failure to address issues like an ageing batting line-up, a declining offspinner, and substandard fielding in the five-day game, has finally come home to roost. The shrewdness of MS Dhoni's captaincy, the potency of Virender Sehwag's strokeplay, and the bowling of Zaheer Khan have all done a better job than spackle in covering up the Indian cracks. But like firemen on their sliding pole, the descent for India will be much quicker than their steady climb up the rankings was. In all likelihood, India will be ranked No. 3 by the time they tour Australia. Following three heavy losses to England in the last Ashes series, Australia, it was assumed, would be easy pickings for India. I wouldn't be so sure. With all Australia's problems - and there are many, with two reviews into poor performance running concurrently - they do have fast-bowling potential. If they get the bulk of their young fast bowlers fit for selection, Australia should field a decent pace attack. If they do, the Indian selectors, who have been negligent in their duty, could face their worst nightmare. The selectors have been reluctant to show faith in some talented young Indian batsmen. Now they have to choose a team for Australia where there are serious questions about the ability of some to play short-pitched bowling. Further muddying the pool, India's better batsmen are now a liability in the field. Most Australian pace bowlers grow up certain of one thing: they know how to bang the ball in short. Whether they do it wisely is another question, but judging by the performance of Suresh Raina, Abhinav Mukund and Yuvraj Singh in England, quantity will suffice if quality is in short supply. The Indian selectors also have the added concern of the bowlers. In addition to batting and fielding weaknesses, the bowling attack is in tatters. The Australians can struggle against good spin bowling. There have already been glimpses of this in Sri Lanka, although the Test batsmen are better equipped than those whose demise in the Twenty20 series was abject. In the days when India didn't have much pace bowling they were still able to hold their heads high in Australia thanks to quality spinners. In 1967-68 and then 1977-78 India made Australia fight hard for every advantage through the skill of spinners like Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwath Chandrasekhar and Bishan Bedi. If India can get Zaheer fit and Ishant Sharma back to the form he displayed on his last tour of Australia, then with Mishra and another good spinner they could have their best balanced attack Those times are a distant memory. Harbhajan Singh has for long been a better defensive bowler than an attacking weapon. And while Amit Mishra is a steady legspinner who has some value in Australia, he needs the faster bowlers taking early wickets to be effective. If India can get Zaheer fit and Ishant Sharma back to the form he displayed on his last tour of Australia, then with Mishra and another good spinner they could have their best balanced attack. The selectors have to decide whether Harbhajan is worth the gamble, and if they do, hope Dhoni can cajole or berate his offspinner into a return to his more attacking ways. The biggest issue facing the Indian selectors is finding a batting line-up that can score enough runs in Australia to give the bowlers a chance. Of the experienced batsmen Sehwag is the best equipped to mount a counterattack that will set the Australians back on their heels. However, it's too much to expect Sehwag to play a lone hand, so Sachin Tendulkar may be forced to play a more proactive role in this ploy. Of the younger batsmen Rohit Sharma is the most talented, and he also copes best with the short-pitched delivery. He should have been in the Test side a while back. It would be asking a lot of him to take on an aggressor's role in his first Test series and in a hostile environment. Then comes the job of drastically improving the fielding. It's crucial to catch well and field athletically on the big grounds in Australia. With ageing batsmen and poor fielding bowlers, this will be a difficult selection puzzle. The selectors have failed to confront the tough issues and now face a damned-if-you-do-and-damned-if-you-don't situation. If India slide quickly down the rankings, weaknesses off and on the field will have played their part. http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/527277.html

Wow looks like I an chappell has been lurking on ICF :omg: I completely agree with all these statements made by him

[div]

Yeah India will destroy us' date=' our cricket is in no shape right now. Though.....it all depends on how we do in SL and SA coming up, if we happen to win, and you never know, then we just might pose a threat to India.[/quote'] Sri Lanka couldnot beat West Indies,I dont think they can beat Australia

[Guest Gunner]

Yeah India will destroy us' date=' our cricket is in no shape right now. Though.....it all depends on how we do in SL and SA coming up, if we happen to win, and you never know, then we just might pose a threat to India.[/quote'] We couldn't win in 1978 when Oz cricket was even more dire what makes you think we will "destroy" you now? India is not the team it used to be certainly no the one which stared back at Australia in 2003-04. In my opinion both India and Australia have had the same humiliating descent into shambles because of the selectors and Board just a couple of years apart. Now we have to watch the poms crow.

[Rajiv]

If anything, India will be trying way hard to prove a point in Aus. Question is? Can they

[IKnowU]

We need proper fast bowlers and we are set. Ishant and Sreesanth are only ones that eligible so far out of a billion people.

[Trichromatic]

Ian has made some valid points. It will be tough tour for India and I won't be surprised if India struggles to beat Australia.

[bunny]

Ian Chappell is so biased in his thinking. Keeps repeating the same stuff.

[zep1706]

My observation from the last few years has been that most of the Indian batsmen are generally bothered by lateral movement more than bounce. In fact people like Sachin and Laxman likes to play on pitches with pace and bounce. So I am sure they will play better than they did in England. But still there are majors issues to be addressed, he does have some valid points.

[zep1706]

I just checked the schedule, they don't have a test in Brisbane which in recent years has become the only bowler friendly wicket in Australia. So that's a good thing for India. Adelaide and Sydney should suit India naturally whereas Melbourne and Perth aren't that fast anymore.

[Cricket Tragic]

My observation from the last few years has been that most of the Indian batsmen are generally bothered by lateral movement more than bounce. In fact people like Sachin and Laxman likes to play on pitches with pace and bounce. So I am sure they will play better than they did in England. But still there are majors issues to be addressed' date=' he does have some valid points.[/quote'] What about the bowling? Harby has been in decline for a while and finger spinners haven't been great in Australia in recent years. Zaheer Khan won't play another test before the tour and Sreesanth is a massive liability.

[IKnowU]

BCCI should offer a reward of 20 crores to anyone that can bowl faster then 145kph on Indian pitches. No swing needed, just accuracy and ability to scare the batsmen Easily fixed.

[Karan114]

We've never won in Australia, so it was always going to be tough even given how weak the Aussies are right now (mind you, Mitchell Johnson is unpredictable, if he has one of those devastating series like he did in South Africa in 2009 then their attack will look far more dangerous). Remember that even England in their current strong state reached Australia a month before the first Test, played three practice games and had every aspect of their preparation meticulously charted out, and that's how they won. We are, as usual, going to go in with zero preparation, and our pace attack is nowhere near England's standard.

[Cricket Tragic]

I think that we'll get a second warm-up game before the Australia series after what has happened in England.

[Trichromatic]

I think that we'll get a second warm-up game before the Australia series after what has happened in England.

Currently they have only 1 warm-up match followed by 4 test matches. That's how we are expected to do well in Australia where we have never won. :cantstop: