India's down under mission-PETER ROEBUCK

[vamos_rafa]

Doubtless Indian cricketers are keeping a close eye on events in Galle. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his exhausted men arrive in Australia in December seeking their country's first series victory down under. A month or so ago the prospects seemed bright. Now, like Waterloo, it might be a close run thing. Anyone studying the Australian batting line-up will notice that it contains lots of familiar names but will observe that the bowling contains several unknowns. Batsmen are like camels; they can survive for years on next to nothing. Bowlers need to keep taking wickets or else they will be told to pack their bags. If the first innings was anything to go by the old batsmen are still worth their places. Ricky Ponting looked full of beans. He has always been fit and looked relaxed as he unfurled crisp drives. Maybe he was too relaxed because his downfall was abysmal, a lofted stroke that dropped into the hands of a deep fieldsman and another miscued pull. Ponting cannot keep ignoring Father Time. Mike Hussey was full of guile and grit. It's always tricky to know when a sportsman's time has come. It's easier with vegetables and fruits because they go rotten. Moreover all sportsmen endure bad patches, just that ageing players cannot survive them. Veterans factor Australia was right to keep Hussey and Ponting and to ditch Simon Katich. Certainly the seasoned opener could have scored a few more runs but a struggling team cannot keep playing three old batsmen. India has retained its veterans and soon could lose them all in one fell swoop. Whether or not the younger blokes are up to the task is another matter. Technique has deteriorated. Owing to the demands of Twenty20, their games are based on all out attack. Most have more shots than a whiskey bottle. However, they are poorly placed to counter the moving ball or bat for long periods. By the look of things, though, Phil Hughes has tightened his game. He has become a compact back foot player. Experience is a good teacher. Usman Khawaja remains an intelligent, alert batsman likely to outscore more gifted but less astute peers. Michael Clarke looks fit and fresh and is reinvigorating a team whose culture was heavily criticised in the recent independent review. Bowling If the batting is settled, the bowling is in a state of flux. Indians might not know much about Trent Copeland or Nathan Lyon. Most Australians are in the same boat. Both came from outside the system. Neither attended camps or were selected for elite squads. They are old fashioned country boys from good cricketing families who played together as 13-year-olds. Funny how things can change. In those days Copeland was a keeper and Lyon spent his time watching his brother bowl leggies! Anyone watching these fellows wheeling away would have been impressed not so much with each delivery as the way overs and spells were put together. Copeland is tall, keeps his arm high, hits the spot and makes the ball wobble about. Lyon spins his offies, lands them on a length and curls them teasingly. Neither has a special ball, both rely on accuracy and other neglected customs. People keep saying the game has changed but mostly it stays the same. More changes can be expected. Australia has several fine pace prospects on stand-by. Already three members of the Ashes ÅÂttack have been dumped. Mitchell Johnson needs to watch out. The Indians might find themselves facing not the mercurial slinger but a bunch of hungry and capable young guns determined to uphold a great tradition.

[achilles]

Lyon seems good. He seems to have bowled well, also took a brilliant catch the other day and I was really amazed with the snap in the newspaper. Hughes is trash. The Aussies think he is the new Sehwag, but well, he has simply one shot in his repertoire - the cut shot. Harris is someone we need to be concerned about, ditto with Shane Watson. Copeland might be good.... but given the quality of the team he was up against, I would reserve making a comment on him.

[vayuu1]

Lyon seems good. He seems to have bowled well, also took a brilliant catch the other day and I was really amazed with the snap in the newspaper. Hughes is trash. The Aussies think he is the new Sehwag, but well, he has simply one shot in his repertoire - the cut shot. Harris is someone we need to be concerned about, ditto with Shane Watson. Copeland might be good.... but given the quality of the team he was up against, I would reserve making a comment on him.

i agree,but we should'nt underestimate our opponents .

[vamos_rafa]

^ I know but before thinking about our oppnents, we should think about our own team. Wth so many injuries, I don't think we would be able to produce a quality test team that would be able to compete down under.

[Robelinda]

India will hammer Australia, I really can't see Australia being able to dismiss Sachin for many low scores, he will feast against our terrible attack, we haven't bowled very well in our own home conditions for quite a few years, in terms of a whole series. We will struggle to penetrate the Indian lineup, our pitches don't bounce anymore, or seam, they are all flat, nothing like England at all. The Indian batsmen will feast. PLus we are quite dumb with our general planning too, tho call may change with Clarke at the helm though.

[Cricket Tragic]

India will hammer Australia' date= I really can't see Australia being able to dismiss Sachin for many low scores, he will feast against our terrible attack, we haven't bowled very well in our own home conditions for quite a few years, in terms of a whole series. We will struggle to penetrate the Indian lineup, our pitches don't bounce anymore, or seam, they are all flat, nothing like England at all. The Indian batsmen will feast. PLus we are quite dumb with our general planning too, tho call may change with Clarke at the helm though.

Serious?

[Sachin=GOD]

I really don't see how the Aussies can win this series.

[mrinalmech]

I really don't see how the Aussies can win this series.

+1 England are a far superior side to the Aussies. We'll win. Not 4-0 or anything. 2-1,2-0,1-0 kind of margin.

[Lord]

+1 England are a far superior side to the Aussies. We'll win. Not 4-0 or anything. 2-1,2-0,1-0 kind of margin.

they just thrashed Lanka in most oppresive conditions for them n they wont win at home.get real dude.they r favorites

[Rightarmfast]

India will hammer Australia' date=' I really can't see Australia being able to dismiss Sachin for many low scores, he will feast against our terrible attack, we haven't bowled very well in our own home conditions for quite a few years, in terms of a whole series. We will struggle to penetrate the Indian lineup, our pitches don't bounce anymore, or seam, they are all flat, nothing like England at all. The Indian batsmen will feast. PLus we are quite dumb with our general planning too, tho call may change with Clarke at the helm though.[/quote'] I love it. Is this all like a setup plan ? The English fan had it the other way round. Putting us down any way they could . And here you are doing the opposite:hysterical: No, I do not see the Indian team being a threat at this point of time. What happens in the coming months is anybody's guess.

[Robelinda]

Yeah I don't think we'll steal a test anywhere, it will take some insane Indian fail to us to win, and boy is that on the cards! Almost every time India has come here in the past 10 years our bowlers have suffered, and our bowling is at the weakest point I've seen since the 80's, we will fail big time, and that will come after South Africa hand us our asses.

[Rightarmfast]

You are no aussie. You are one of us, dont kid us now :hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:

[vamos_rafa]

Both the teams are similar. Experienced batters and if Zak doesn play then inexperienced bowlers. If only darty could pick up his game then we may have some advantage in terms of bowling. But it would all boil down to the way we approach the series. If its anywhere close to the recently concluded series, then we should bid goodbye to another series.

[vamos_rafa]

I really don't see how the Aussies can win this series.

I hope you are not the one who had started the thread stating "How can we lose even a ingle test this summer?"

[Rightarmfast]

Both the teams are similar. Experienced batters and if Zak doesn play then inexperienced bowlers. If only darty could pick up his game then we may have some advantage in terms of bowling. But it would all boil down to the way we approach the series. If its anywhere close to the recently concluded series, then we should bid goodbye to another series.

I think Zak bade his final goodbye to international test cricket at Lords this summer. Darty will always be himself, so dont expect much from him. If Ishant can up his game somehow and if Varun gets a chance and proves to be the surprise package then we may have some sting in the attack. However, I do not see Ishant playing either. I think his injury is going to be a major concern in the months to come.

[mrinalmech]

they just thrashed Lanka in most oppresive conditions for them n they wont win at home.get real dude.they r favorites

Lanka without Murali were always going to be easier than Lanka with Murali. Even last year we lost with Murali. Take him out, the entire result changes.

[Robelinda]

You are no aussie. You are one of us' date=' dont kid us now :hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:[/quote'] after being beaten at home by SA and England us aussies don't have much faith in our team. We can't gloat about any great players that will be heroes in the near future, just a bunch of losers. But we did manage to beat SL quite well, but a very poor SL side it has to be said.

[Sid]

I really dont see how India can win this series.

[Robelinda]

Maybe neither team will win! 2-2, or 0-0. Wouldn't that be funny if both sides can't bowl each other out, 0-0. 1985/86 all over again!

[Cricket Tragic]

Yeah I don't think we'll steal a test anywhere' date=' it will take some insane Indian fail to us to win, and boy is that on the cards! Almost every time India has come here in the past 10 years our bowlers have suffered, and our bowling is at the weakest point I've seen since the 80's, we will fail big time, and that will come after South Africa hand us our asses.[/quote'] Yeah but our bowlers are even worse. So if we make runs, the chances are that your batsmen will match or better it.