India in Australia, 2018-2019

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Atithee
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by Atithee »

Re: team selection, isn’t it mind boggling how players on the fence get “injured” conveniently or are otherwise unavailable so the desired changes can be made and not be questioned.
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by suresh »

Atithee wrote: Wed Jan 02, 2019 11:24 pm Re: team selection, isn’t it mind boggling how players on the fence get “injured” conveniently or are otherwise unavailable so the desired changes can be made and not be questioned.
:-) Shows a lack of spine and courage to face the music on the part of people making the selections. It annoys me when people like power but do not wish to take up the responsibility that goes with power.
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by Atithee »

With Rahul experiment failing again, my oft repeated need for not losing the opening bat early comes to fore again. That’s why Vihari’s 60+ ball inning for just 6 runs was invaluable.
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by Sin Hombre »

KL will get banished after this test match for a long time, and rightly so.

2.5 spinners and 2 pacers will probably come back to haunt us. If Kohli was so insistent about playing a second spinner, we should have played Hardik instead of KL then to at least give us a third fast option.
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by prasen9 »

Agree. :-( Kuldeep has almost no experience abroad. Experience matters. Except if you are Bumrah, I suppose.

Mayank played well. But, the only reason to loft in the first day of a test match is when a player is up and you are going over their head. That would then force the opposing captain to move the player back to the boundary. And, open up easy singles for you. Stupidity to get out. I am sure he is ruing missing out on his maiden century.

Rahul will be banished no doubt. But, I think at this point his issues are mental. Someone should have talked to him. :-( Maybe they did and he still was tentative.

Who will be the third opener abroad? Unless we get someone in the A-team performing, maybe we should go with two openers and back them up with emergency measures such as having Pujara or Pant open. In India, of course, anyone works. Maybe bring Dhawan back if one of these two get hurt. But, do not take him abroad even if he scores 400 in an innings.
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by Sin Hombre »

First couple of sessions go to India with Mayank and Pujara batting well.
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by Sin Hombre »

India's day with Pujara batting to stumps. Vihari with a nice cameo and hopefully he can go big tomorrow.

Bat until tea tomorrow and this is India's series.
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by prasen9 »

Vihari has no footwork. If the ball is not moving around, then he is fine. Just as here. They just started bouncing him. He left a lot of the short balls very well. Some he had to play and those were a bit iffy. The problem is that he does not score at all if they pitch short at the body. They will do this tomorrow morning after being rested. He has to have the patience to keep leaving it or, if they do not have someone at the deep square leg, then go for a hook or pull. Once they cannot make him play a false stroke, then they will bowl to him on the stumps and he can play pretty well there.

We need at least 450. Preferably, 500 and over. Today goes to Mayank and Pujara. If Mayank did not have that brian-fade, we may already have been pretty close to winning the series after D1.
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by prasen9 »

We now have several decent young players in the pipeline, who are starting to do well in tests. Prithvi, Pant, Kuldeep, Bumrah, Vihari, Pandya. Add to that Gill to come and we may have a young core around whom to build a world-beating team. Of these, I have the most doubt about Vihari. But, given that we lost Rahul to loss of form, Mayank has just bloomed, Shami is mercurial, and Bhuvi is not played in tests :-(, this is a good regeneration going on if they stick.
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by ssp »

Winning the toss and Pujara's brilliance has put us in a great position.

We need to bat another 50-60 overs at least to secure the series. There's usually a later order collapse in most matches, incomplete contrast to the opposition batting, so getting 450 would be great.
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by arjun2761 »

Nice start by India. Pujara has definitely been the batsman of the series.

Compared to teams past though (in the SENA countries), the biggest difference in this series is that the ace quick in the series belongs to India - Jasprit Bumrah. In the past we have had a couple of decent quicks but mostly had trundlers while the other teams had decent quicks and generally the ace belonged to the opposition. Therefore, we could only win on the spin friendly tracks despite the fact that we often had the best bats. Hopefully, Bumrah and the spinners can deliver a victory here now that Pujara and the batsmen seem to have laid a nice foundation.
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by indiansportsfan »

The pitch seems really easy to bat on. So unless it starts breaking very quickly, we might be looking at a long slog for the bowlers and a boring draw.
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by prasen9 »

There were a few shooters. I remember one that Pujara got. And Rahane got a snorter. So, there is very occasional uneven bounce. This will get more pronounced as the match goes. Also, there is already some rough being created by the bowlers footmarks. So, I think there will be deviation for the spinners from the rough. I still think there will be a result if our bowlers can be disciplined. Let us see.

The key is the next two sessions. If we do not lose more than 2-3 wickets in the two sessions, then we will be well set. However, often, the overnight batsmen get out the next morning. This is because the ball is new, the bowlers are rested, etc. I remember many times Ganguly was set and then went pretty soon the next morning. This series, did not Kohli (or was it Rahane?) who went early in the next morning? So, Vihari and the must-be-tired Pujara need to bat strong to see the bowlers off. If they can even stunt the ball for one more hour, that will pay dividends because Pant and especially Jadeja may not be that well equipped to play the new ball.

All I want is a double century from Pujara. Ok, all I want is an Indian win. But, I will take a double hundred for now ;-)

Vihari got out trying to sweep, Mayank trying to loft, Kohli trying to pull or paddle or whatever. Bad shot selection all over. I hope the pitch deteriorates and the Aussies do not score 650. Upto Pant and Jadeja to work with Pujara.
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by prasen9 »

I would like Pant and Pujara to go at 3.3-3.5 runs/over for the next session without getting out. That would get India about 100 more runs to around 500. Then, hit like crazy for the next hour or so. And, then have Australia bat. But, I do not think Pant can keep his cool for one full session when India is ahead. Pujara has done a great job in keeping him honest. The rule should be clear. Do not loft over fielders. Loft where there are no fielders at the boundary. Then, if you mishit and get out so be it. The better option is as Pujara and Kohli do. Do not loft, pretty much. Deal in 4s. Pant has got great placement capabilities. And, with at least 3 fielders on the boundary lots of holes in the infield. Take a single every ball if you can.
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Re: India in Australia, 2018-2019

Post by Sin Hombre »

I'll say this though, Pant has very much looked a test batsman all series. India's 3rd highest scorer now.

If we get to 500, the series will be done.
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