Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

As the other sports forums seem to have taken old to some respect, well here is a cricket forum. NOTE: This forum will be heavily moderated and can be revoked at any time is discussions go out of hand.

Moderator: Moderators

User avatar
prasen9
Member
Member
Posts: 19124
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 8:49 pm
Please enter the middle number: 1
Location: State College, PA
Has thanked: 25 times
Been thanked: 8 times
Contact:

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by prasen9 »

PKBasu wrote: Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:56 am Gill and Rahul played the Bangladesh series together. Gill out-performed Rahul comfortably, and hence should have been picked for the first two tests ahead of Rahul. If Gill had failed, Mayank or Eashwaran could have been blooded here. But comparing Gill's numbers from a single test where no other Indian batsman (apart from Pujara in this innings) has got past 25 with Rahul's from tests in which others contributed hugely (including a century from the other opener) is a tad unfair, perhaps even disingenuous.
Nope. Comparing to Rahul is not the yardstick. Gill has been poor in his career. We should have trusted that more than his one century in Bangladesh where Bangla were down and the pitch was easy. My point is both Rahul and Gill did not deserve to be in the team. To Bangladesh even. We kept continuing with Rahul and Gill. Comparing Gill to our failed batsmen is disingenuous. Yes, this is a hard pitch. But, you have to score runs somewhere. After his Australia series, Gill has scored runs consistently nowhere. Why does Gill deserve a shot more than Easwaran? The only reason is because you and the selectors see his excellent performance in T20Is and ODIs. My point is that those innings do not really matter wrt figuring out who can bat well in these tough pitches.

I fully accept that two innings is not enough. But, then two innings in Bangladesh. Or two tests in India against Australia should also not be the yardstick. Take the last 15 innings. Both Rahul and Gill have failed. Stop the favoritism. Send them both back to the domestics and ask them to score runs. Then, let them come into the test team.
ssp
Member
Member
Posts: 3708
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 8:11 pm

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by ssp »

It's really difficult to break into the team because the selectors are just too slow/conservative/blind to make changes. We now have too many 32-33+ yr olds. It's OK if they are performing (I'm talking about the batting), but if they have been poor for 10-15 innings, why not take a chance on young talent?
rajitghosh
Member
Member
Posts: 1450
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 9:04 am
Antispam: No
Please enter the middle number: 5
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by rajitghosh »

India has avoided innings defeat
User avatar
PKBasu
Member
Member
Posts: 36869
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2003 6:04 pm
Please enter the middle number: 1
Location: New Delhi / Kolkata
Been thanked: 8 times

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by PKBasu »

India lead by 25 runs, with 6 wickets in hand. Match nearly on :-)
Good counter-attack by Shreyas Iyer.
User avatar
PKBasu
Member
Member
Posts: 36869
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2003 6:04 pm
Please enter the middle number: 1
Location: New Delhi / Kolkata
Been thanked: 8 times

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by PKBasu »

prasen9 wrote: Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:07 am
PKBasu wrote: Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:56 am Gill and Rahul played the Bangladesh series together. Gill out-performed Rahul comfortably, and hence should have been picked for the first two tests ahead of Rahul. If Gill had failed, Mayank or Eashwaran could have been blooded here. But comparing Gill's numbers from a single test where no other Indian batsman (apart from Pujara in this innings) has got past 25 with Rahul's from tests in which others contributed hugely (including a century from the other opener) is a tad unfair, perhaps even disingenuous.
Nope. Comparing to Rahul is not the yardstick. Gill has been poor in his career. We should have trusted that more than his one century in Bangladesh where Bangla were down and the pitch was easy. My point is both Rahul and Gill did not deserve to be in the team. To Bangladesh even. We kept continuing with Rahul and Gill. Comparing Gill to our failed batsmen is disingenuous. Yes, this is a hard pitch. But, you have to score runs somewhere. After his Australia series, Gill has scored runs consistently nowhere. Why does Gill deserve a shot more than Easwaran? The only reason is because you and the selectors see his excellent performance in T20Is and ODIs. My point is that those innings do not really matter wrt figuring out who can bat well in these tough pitches.

I fully accept that two innings is not enough. But, then two innings in Bangladesh. Or two tests in India against Australia should also not be the yardstick. Take the last 15 innings. Both Rahul and Gill have failed. Stop the favoritism. Send them both back to the domestics and ask them to score runs. Then, let them come into the test team.
I've always said that Eashwaran should have played the tests against Bangladesh (after he'd made two centuries against Bangladesh A), and Gill should have batted in the middle order (if Rahul had to play, since he was captain). Ideally Eashwaran and Gill would have opened in those two tests, and Pujara (after his successes as Sussex captain) would have led the side. But such rational thinking is beyond our selectors and the sponsorship pressures they seem to be under.
User avatar
PKBasu
Member
Member
Posts: 36869
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2003 6:04 pm
Please enter the middle number: 1
Location: New Delhi / Kolkata
Been thanked: 8 times

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by PKBasu »

Iyer falls, and the idiocy of sending Bharat ahead of the in-form Axar continues. Why doesn't the team management apply their brains a little??
rajitghosh
Member
Member
Posts: 1450
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 9:04 am
Antispam: No
Please enter the middle number: 5
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by rajitghosh »

Bharat has been a total waste. Wonder who the next wicket keeping option is since Wriddhi won't be considered. Reminds me of the More days when he replaced Kirmani and kept dropiing catches.
User avatar
PKBasu
Member
Member
Posts: 36869
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2003 6:04 pm
Please enter the middle number: 1
Location: New Delhi / Kolkata
Been thanked: 8 times

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by PKBasu »

Meanwhile, South Africa are bowled out for 112 by the West Indies at Centurion, but the latter still face a stiff target of 247 to win.
rajitghosh
Member
Member
Posts: 1450
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 9:04 am
Antispam: No
Please enter the middle number: 5
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by rajitghosh »

Pathetic decision to send in Bharat ahead of Ashwin and Axar. At least they could have got more batting time and maybe got a few more runs.
User avatar
PKBasu
Member
Member
Posts: 36869
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2003 6:04 pm
Please enter the middle number: 1
Location: New Delhi / Kolkata
Been thanked: 8 times

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by PKBasu »

So Pujara doesn't get to 80, and India is toast. Asinine decision to send Bharat ahead of Axar (especially) and Ashwin.
User avatar
prasen9
Member
Member
Posts: 19124
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 8:49 pm
Please enter the middle number: 1
Location: State College, PA
Has thanked: 25 times
Been thanked: 8 times
Contact:

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by prasen9 »

PKBasu wrote: Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:27 am I've always said that Eashwaran should have played the tests against Bangladesh (after he'd made two centuries against Bangladesh A), and Gill should have batted in the middle order (if Rahul had to play, since he was captain). Ideally Eashwaran and Gill would have opened in those two tests, and Pujara (after his successes as Sussex captain) would have led the side. But such rational thinking is beyond our selectors and the sponsorship pressures they seem to be under.
But, my point is why Gill? Why not Mayank or Prithvi? Along with Easwaran? Or Panchal? Or Yashasvi? Gill has done nothing in FC cricket to show that he has fixed his issues in test cricket. My point is when someone is shown up in test cricket, we should not be getting them into the test side based on white ball cricket. So, SkAY should not be in the test team. If you need a MO bat, then have Sarfaraz. Or Indrajit. Or Dhull. Or whoever who has done something in FC cricket. Gill had. But, that was a long time ago. In trying to fix his white ball skills, he seems to have lost his technique and temperament in test cricket. Too many loose shots. Too much gap between bat and ball, etc. That can be fixed in nets but it is not clear if it can be. The best medicine is to force him to play FC cricket, get it right and then be in the team.
User avatar
prasen9
Member
Member
Posts: 19124
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 8:49 pm
Please enter the middle number: 1
Location: State College, PA
Has thanked: 25 times
Been thanked: 8 times
Contact:

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by prasen9 »

It is obvious that Axar should have swapped places with Bharat. But, no. Stupidity. And hubris. We are carrying a passenger who cannot take wickets, is one of the worst batters in test cricket, and the worst fielder in the world (at least among top countries). Why? I don't know. The selectors and team management is too slow and un-analytic. If we will get such a pitch at Ahmedabad as we have gotten in this series, we need to drop Siraj. Play another batsman. Get Sarfaraz in. Or Jaiswal. Or even SkAY.
Mukherjee Babu
Member
Member
Posts: 191
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2022 6:47 am
Antispam: No
Please enter the middle number: 5

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by Mukherjee Babu »

Siraj isnt responsible for such debacle. What experienced & stars players are doing ? Gill has thrown away his wickets. Pujara has saved some more innings with this 50.Kohli is facing torrid time in test. Bharat deserved India call after his consistent performance in domestic. Responsibilty is missing all wants to play bazball
User avatar
prasen9
Member
Member
Posts: 19124
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 8:49 pm
Please enter the middle number: 1
Location: State College, PA
Has thanked: 25 times
Been thanked: 8 times
Contact:

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by prasen9 »

No, Siraj is not responsible. But, the people who selected him are. You cannot play with 10 people against an 11 person team and expect to win. He has scored 2 runs over three test matches, has gotten 1 wicket in 5 innings at 73 runs/over, and misfielded about 25 runs. He has been the worst player in the team by a margin. He should not be chosen on such wickets. Those who select him are responsible for this debacle.

That Gill would throw away his wicket was to be expected, maybe. He has not played FC in some time and young players find it difficult to move to test mode from white ball mode and vice-versa. Again, those who selected him and his predecessor Rahul, who is in terrible form or has been a terrible opener for India are to blame.

Agree with you that Pujara and Kohli have been awful in this series not withstanding the 50 today. His series average is 24.5 and Kohli's is 22.2. Jaddu's is 26.7. If you look at Jadeja's strike rate this series, he is the only player batting in the 30's. That is, he is now slower than Pujara. Why? What is Dravid doing? Jaddu was blocking everything today. It was obvious that he will score not much and get a ball with his number written on it. That is exactly what happened. Oh, sorry, another person was batting with a SR of 30. KL Rahul. Does not work on these wickets. You should look to rotate the strike and hit the odd boundary when the ball strays a bit. SkAY batted at a SR of 40. Again failed. Pujara was faster than them all. Smart strategy but Pujara and Kohli have just lost that little bit that makes them give up their wickets. If Pujara had stayed on a little bit more, then we may have had a fighting total.

Bharat did not deserve a call. He averages about 37 or so in the domestics. That has never translated to a good batting average that is required of modern keepers in top teams. We should only blood batsmen who average over 50 in our domestics, 45 or at least 40 for wicket-keepers, and at least 35 for bowling all-rounders. I had said his batting would not translate and it did not. Miracles do not happen often and a large body of work means something.

If we lose, it is Dravid's fault for playing pacers who cannot bat and keepers who cannot bat by driving out one who could semi-bat. And, the selectors fault for sticking to the old middle-order. Why are there not people in the media calling for Pujara and Kohli to retire? Or better still, be dropped?
Rajkumar Sharma
Member
Member
Posts: 1320
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2022 4:10 am
Antispam: No
Please enter the middle number: 5
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 11 times

Re: Australia tests & ODIs vs India in India, Feb-Mar 2023

Post by Rajkumar Sharma »

Odi & T20Is teams have so many WKB options that the team sometime forced to play two WKBs with one as batsman, in test cricket it seems there is no one after Pant
Post Reply