Australia v India Test Series: General Discussion

[lovetravellingoz]

it was their one innings that was more than a century (Pujara and Rahman) that was the difference between the teams.
.

Though having a 6th batsman rather than an all rounder that bowled 5 overs for the match, and who was out of form with the bat, may have assisted in offsetting some, or all, of that innings.

 

[serfty]

So Handscombe's average drops to 60 ...

http://m.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/334337.html

 

[CaptJCool]

Batting last in a Test is a bit like using publicloos at the end of the night. .....

More politely put by another

[TD="class: answercell"]I think, in Cricket, it is not always the case of win the toss & bat first or win the toss & bat second. The case, sometimes is also, win the toss and bowl first or win the toss and bowl second. Whether the decision is emphasized by bowling or batting completely depends on the pitch conditions and weather.
Let us take the case of Test cricket first.
In conditions like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa & England, where the pitch is more hard & grassy, that helps a fast bowler in swing & seam bowling. Since the game starts early, the grass is fresh & moist & aids swing & seam, hence in these particular countries, the decision is, mostly, win the toss & bowl first. That means, the batting, invariably, comes second. Also, the pitches in these regions dont crack much & dont deteriorate even on day 5, so batting last on day 5 is not that troublesome. Thus, most captains win the toss & choose to bowl first.
On the contrary, in places like India, Pakistan, Srilanka, Bangladesh, pitches are dry, dusty & less grassy, naturally conducive to spin bowling rather than fast bowling. Also, the pitch is a death trap on day 5. Only a handful of teams have managed to win a game chasing a decent score on day 5. Thus, in these countries, the emphasis is on batting. Mostly, captains who win the toss, chooses to bat first.

[/TD]

 

[JohnK]

I know it was a good match but our batting is just not that versatile under all conditions.

Can't see how we can 1-3 loss unless everything goes our way.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Ah dear (young) Mitchell -

"In commentary on Tuesday, Michael Clarke recounted how he asked Steve Smith why Marsh was selected to tour India. The answer he reportedly got was: “He is playing spin better than anybody.”"
​

mitchell-marshs-horror-run-reaches-historic-new-low

(Apologies for quoting the CM...)

Wonder if they will finally send him home or doom our chances in the next test by keeping him?

 

[docjames]

Ah dear (young) Mitchell -

"In commentary on Tuesday, Michael Clarke recounted how he asked Steve Smith why Marsh was selected to tour India. The answer he reportedly got was: “He is playing spin better than anybody.”"
​

mitchell-marshs-horror-run-reaches-historic-new-low

(Apologies for quoting the CM...)

Wonder if they will finally send him home or doom our chances in the next test by keeping him?

I thought that ("plays spin better") was a comment in relation to SMarch not MMarsh?

 

[TheRealTMA]

I thought that ("plays spin better") was a comment in relation to SMarch not MMarsh?

No It was Michael Clarke commenting just before MM got out! I did LOL at the time.

 

[RB]

Batting last in a Test is a bit like using publicloos at the end of the night. .....

More politely put by another

[TD="class: answercell"]I think, in Cricket, it is not always the case of win the toss & bat first or win the toss & bat second. The case, sometimes is also, win the toss and bowl first or win the toss and bowl second. Whether the decision is emphasized by bowling or batting completely depends on the pitch conditions and weather.
Let us take the case of Test cricket first.
In conditions like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa & England, where the pitch is more hard & grassy, that helps a fast bowler in swing & seam bowling. Since the game starts early, the grass is fresh & moist & aids swing & seam, hence in these particular countries, the decision is, mostly, win the toss & bowl first. That means, the batting, invariably, comes second. Also, the pitches in these regions dont crack much & dont deteriorate even on day 5, so batting last on day 5 is not that troublesome. Thus, most captains win the toss & choose to bowl first.
On the contrary, in places like India, Pakistan, Srilanka, Bangladesh, pitches are dry, dusty & less grassy, naturally conducive to spin bowling rather than fast bowling. Also, the pitch is a death trap on day 5. Only a handful of teams have managed to win a game chasing a decent score on day 5. Thus, in these countries, the emphasis is on batting. Mostly, captains who win the toss, chooses to bat first.[/TD]

Can't say that I believe stats would support the statement re Aust, NZ Sth Africa & England "Thus most captains win the toss & choose to bowl first". However I have found an article (2013) that has some interesting stats Numbers Game: Is batting first such an advantage in Tests? | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[CaptJCool]

Australia v India Test series 2017: Mitchell Marsh ruled out of series with shoulder injury

MM Gone !

 

[whatmeworry]

Mitchell Marsh sent home.

BANGALORE: Ousted batsman Usman Khawaja is back in the frame for a Test recall after all-rounder Mitchell Marsh was ruled out of the rest of the series with a shoulder injury.
Marsh is being sent home after the shoulder problem he has been nursing throughout the season deteriorated. With his bowling severely limited, he would most likely have been dropped anyway for the third Test in Ranchi after scores of four, 31, zero and 13.

Australia v India Test series 2017: Mitchell Marsh ruled out of series with shoulder injury

 

[Warks]

So he avoided being dropped which surely was inevitable?

I missed most of the action as I'm overseas but followed on Cricinfo a fair bit. I thought once the lead went over 120 we were out of it and so it proved. I don't know what pitch Rahane and Pujara were batting on when they took the game away in the last session of day 3 but it seemed different to every other session.

Australia's fate turned (in hindsight) when S Marsh got out to a soft dismissal late on day 2. If he'd managed to get through to stumps Aus could have had a 150 lead and put the game out of reach. All water under the bridge now. Marsh (you know which one) had batted so well so I don't want to blame him but it's moments like that which turn series.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Yes! Hilarious. MM 'has had a bad shoulder' . LOL. With no respect, WTF was he ever selected if not 100% fit!

 

[whatmeworry]

I was looking at MM averages for batting 16-17 and it is mostly cough. Big Bash batting average was boosted by not outs. His bowling has been up and down, but his Sheffield averages were decent.

 

[Cossie]

So who would you send to replace him? It seems Marcus Stonis has been picked. Maybe India was correct in playing an extra batsman, replace MM with Usman? If they follow the script, I'm sure the Indians will provide more turning wickets.

 

[QF WP]

I'd plump for Khawaja's Test experience over Stonis. Khawaja's only blemish was the recent series against Pakistan. He has the mettle. Stonis is as yet untried and a single innings of 146 doesn't compare against Khawaja's

 

[JohnK]

We are missing a keeper that can bat. I'm not going to check but what has Wade averaged since dumping Haddin? By the way I was not a fan of Haddin but it was him and Mitchell Johnson that won the last Ashes series in Australia.

Secondly we are missing a quality spinner. It's a shame that Lyon got 8 wickets in the first innings. How many wickets in the second?

Thirdly David Warner is totally overrated. What's his average on the sub-continent?

I know the solutions are not so straight forward but persevering with existing issues is not the answer either. If you're going to rebuild then rebuild from top-down. If you're going to choose a test team then choose the right test team for the conditions.

And fourthly I am just an arm chair critic....

 

[docjames]

Given the pitches and the form of our bowlers, surely in the third test you'd be adding a batter not an all-rounder.

Also, if you call up Stoinis and play him, why did they take Maxwell on the tour who would fill a similar role and not take Stoinis ahead of him in the first place?

 

[Rallo]

Despite all the doom and gloom it's 1-1 ,the sky hasn't fallen yet.

 

[Cossie]

Not good news, who will replace him?

India v Australia: Stress fracture to force paceman Mitchell Starc to return home - Sport - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

[CaptJCool]

India v Australia: Pat coughmins named as Mitch Starc's replacement for third Test squad - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

high risk or safe hands ?
Bold move
Be bold enough to be introspective for change.