Bad vibes before boxing day test match.

[Blue Panther]

Varun injured, ishu injured, pk injured, just hope a 1-1 result. Nothin more.(

[Cricket Tragic]

Okay.

[J P K]

u forgot shreesanth and sir arvind`s name

[G_B_]

to be fair its not as if aus have had the best of times with injuries.

[Cricket Tragic]

Yeah but their back-up bowling attack is far better than ours.

[Blue Panther]

^^^^If our selectors are wise enuf they can select great replacements for our injured bowlers. Unfortunately our selectors are nothing but lazy **** retards.

[saneindian]

As if the bowling was going to win us the series. It was and still remains with the batsmen. Post 400+ consistently and even Vinay Kumar and Mithun will bowl the Aussies out twice a couple of times. Also a bowling unit of Zaheer (hope he is fit), Umesh, Vinay/Mithun/XYZ and Ashwin is no worse than the combo of Nehra, Irfan, Balaji, Kumble (2003-4) or Irfan, RP, Ishant, Kumble (from 2007-8).

[G_B_]

Yeah but their back-up bowling attack is far better than ours.

which means they have better depth in the pace department. But they too are missing, Marsh Johnson, Cummings, and probably Harris, its even touch and go with Watson. Who will not be bowling. and lets not jump to conclusions on their bowling attack. The pitches v NZ were bowler friendly.I dont think 2 tests for Starc and Pattinson in those conditions is a good judgement of their abilities. If Zaheer is fit then IMO we have the best bowler in the match. Ashwin too i feel is better than Lyon who is a good spinner no doubt.

[Cricket Tragic]

which means they have better depth in the pace department. But they too are missing, Marsh Johnson, Cummings, and probably Harris, its even touch and go with Watson. Who will not be bowling. and lets not jump to conclusions on their bowling attack. The pitches v NZ were bowler friendly.I dont think 2 tests for Starc and Pattinson in those conditions is a good judgement of their abilities. If Zaheer is fit then IMO we have the best bowler in the match. Ashwin too i feel is better than Lyon who is a good spinner no doubt.

Agree but it is a big IF. Can he 4 tests without getting injured? I hope so but I wouldn't bet in it.

[G_B_]

Agree but it is a big IF. Can he 4 tests without getting injured? I hope so but I wouldn't bet in it.

its the same for the aussies. I cant see Watson lasting 4 matches. Even as a batsman only. Even Pattinson. He has barely played any first class cricket (10 matches) . There is a good chance even he will break down at some point in the series just like Cumming. Atleast we have bowlers who have played significant cricket at some level to tone their bodies. I personally do think Zaheer will last the series. He has had three months of rest. Played in 2 ranji games and will play in the warm up on monday. Looks fit physcially from the pics and videos i have seen.

[carnish]

As if the bowling was going to win us the series. It was and still remains with the batsmen. Post 400+ consistently and even Vinay Kumar and Mithun will bowl the Aussies out twice a couple of times. Also a bowling unit of Zaheer (hope he is fit), Umesh, Vinay/Mithun/XYZ and Ashwin is no worse than the combo of Nehra, Irfan, Balaji, Kumble (2003-4) or Irfan, RP, Ishant, Kumble (from 2007-8).

see the fact with both those two line-ups was the presence of kumble which gave India the kind of confidence going into any contest whether in INDIA or abroad... today its the same for Zaheer but the fact that he is quite unlikely to go through the four tests without injury is what makes us worried.

[G_B_]

see the fact with both those two line-ups was the presence of kumble which gave India the kind of confidence going into any contest whether in INDIA or abroad... today its the same for Zaheer but the fact that he is quite unlikely to go through the four tests without injury is what makes us worried.

dude Kumble had a so so record in Aus http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/30176.html?class=1;template=results;type=allround 37 with the ball is not exactly match figures though not bad either.

[master22]

dude Kumble had a so so record in Aus http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/30176.html?class=1;template=results;type=allround 37 with the ball is not exactly match figures though not bad either.

huh? jumbo has been the most effective spinner in aus conditions even murali has not done anything of note there.

[carnish]

dude Kumble had a so so record in Aus http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/30176.html?class=1;template=results;type=allround 37 with the ball is not exactly match figures though not bad either.

I never said that kumble had done well in australia... even zaheer hasn't done anything significant in australia but just having him in the side going into a big series gave confidence to an otherwise pretty ordinary bowling unit and the others bowler even get inspired by presence of a good bowler in the team... similarly the presence of zaheer even brings out the best in other bowlers in today's team.... its just in the minds since definitely when one is selected to play for INDIA, he definitely has the talents(Mithun excluded)

[G_B_]

huh? jumbo has been the most effective spinner in aus conditions even murali has not done anything of note there.

two different things. Jumbo has been the most effective spinner in Aus conditions. But has an average of 38 with the ball in Aus conditions. Which means that conditions in Aus are not good for foreign spinners. It does not mean or imply that Jumbo won us many tests in Aus.

[G_B_]

I never said that kumble had done well in australia... even zaheer hasn't done anything significant in australia but just having him in the side going into a big series gave confidence to an otherwise pretty ordinary bowling unit and the others bowler even get inspired by presence of a good bowler in the team... similarly the presence of zaheer even brings out the best in other bowlers in today's team.... its just in the minds since definitely when one is selected to play for INDIA' date=' he definitely has the talents(Mithun excluded)[/quote'] I honestly dont think Kumble as a bowler made much of an impact in Aus, just like any foreign spinner. Zaheer khan's presence is a different story. He being a pace bowler is able to lead the attack from the front and even coach the other pace bowlers and set fields for them. As he has done before. India usually play 3 seamer and only 1 spinner in Aus.

[saneindian]

see the fact with both those two line-ups was the presence of kumble which gave India the kind of confidence going into any contest whether in INDIA or abroad... today its the same for Zaheer but the fact that he is quite unlikely to go through the four tests without injury is what makes us worried.

Give Ashwin and co 450-500+ totals on the board (which we did a few times in 2003-4 and 07-08) and they could well win us the series. Have a feeling Vinay Kumar is going to surprise a few of us here. Someone who has bowled millions of overs on dead tracks of Indian domestic cricket, gets a lucky chance to play a series in Australia, gets written off totally even before he has bowled a ball...ideal scenario for him to use all his experience and do well.

[G_B_]

Give Ashwin and co 450-500+ totals on the board (which we did a few times in 2003-4 and 07-08) and they could well win us the series. Have a feeling Vinay Kumar is going to surprise a few of us here. Someone who has bowled millions of overs on dead tracks of Indian domestic cricket, gets a lucky chance to play a series in Australia, gets written off totally even before he has bowled a ball...ideal scenario for him to use all his experience and do well.

the bounce on Aussie pitches should benefit Ashwin as well. He constantly has been saying that bounce gets him wickets and not turn. I for one wont be surprised if he as a sub 30 average in Aus. Hard i know. But for me not surprising.

[carnish]

I honestly dont think Kumble as a bowler made much of an impact in Aus, just like any foreign spinner. Zaheer khan's presence is a different story. He being a pace bowler is able to lead the attack from the front and even coach the other pace bowlers and set fields for them. As he has done before. India usually play 3 seamer and only 1 spinner in Aus.

Its not about how much kumble contributed, its about how much confidence the INDIAN team had on him... every time the guy went to the field the whole team expected him to win the game for us... even the opposition treated with respect except probably Sri Lanka as I have seen Aavinda treating kumble badly but apart from that when a guy like kumble was bowling the respect the opposition had for him made it possible for him to hold one end up and since he was a racehorse the other bowlers even knew if any of them wanted they could bowl a few overs less in a day and so gave maximum effort... you don't always have to get a 5 or 10- wicket haul in an innings or a match to give a positive result Similarly, even if sachin gets out for a duck, its his presence in the Indian side that makes the opposition respect the batting India has got... that in itself is a great morale booster for the entire team...

[carnish]

Give Ashwin and co 450-500+ totals on the board (which we did a few times in 2003-4 and 07-08) and they could well win us the series. Have a feeling Vinay Kumar is going to surprise a few of us here. Someone who has bowled millions of overs on dead tracks of Indian domestic cricket, gets a lucky chance to play a series in Australia, gets written off totally even before he has bowled a ball...ideal scenario for him to use all his experience and do well.

Even i have the same feeling that VK will bowl pretty well in Australia... just am not sure about how effective he will be in INDIA is the question and i don't want him to cememt his place in the INDIAN test team with a performance in AUS where we will only play after 3 more years...