Australian Cricket Tour of India 2017

[JohnS]

Greetings Cricket Fans!

By now if you've been following India's demolition of all opposition in the last few years at home , you'd be aware that the current Australian Cricket tour of India had pundits and experts alike predicting an Indian 4-0 drubbing! And who could blame them? After all, Australia record against spin and on the sub-Continent in the last few years has been deplorable...they've lost 9 recent test matches, mainly due to a lack of application in batting.

India's record, on the other hand, has seen them go 19 consecutive tests at home without losing mainly due to their captain Virat Kohli scoring 'big' multiple times and their twin spinning threat, Ravi Ashwin and Ravi Jajeda have cleaned teams up, but...that has been on the back of defending big Indian totals. The last time India lost a Test Match was in 2015 in Sri Lanka. The last time India has lost a Test Series was in 2012. This is all under serious threat now due to the 'Miracle at Pune' a week-and-a-bit ago.

What is the Miracle at Pune? Well, in layman's terms it's like what Cassius Clay did to Sonny Liston in 1964 in their World Heavyweight Championship fight. It's what Joe Namath said the NY Jets would do to the Colts in SuperBowl III. It's what Eli Manning did to the Patriots in SuperBowl LXII. It's what the Mets did in 1969 (and perhaps 1986). It's Australia winning the America's Cup in 1983. And if you'd like a non-sporting analogy, well, let's try Alexander the Great spending over 6 months building a causeway off the Syrian Coast to Tyre and wiping out their non-ceding inhabitants, as well a gutting it to the ground in 332 BC.

Yes, Australia beat India in the 1st test by 333 runs. A spinner no-one rated name Steve O'Keeffe took 6-35 in both innings and Kohli and Indian Coach, Anil Kumble refused to acknowledge that performance. Now Nathan Lyon has taken best-ever figures of 8-50 to begin the 2nd test. Who said, "pride comes before a fall"? How true. But how has Australia turned around their performance to dominate this series so far? Read on for my opinion...

1) Australia has prepared well

By spending a week in Dubai to acclimatise to sub-Continent conditions the Australian Cricket team show serious intent in being competitive this series.

2) India has played too many matches since October 2016

On the other hand, the Indians prepared for this 4-match series against Australia by play a test against Bangladesh. This is the exact opposite intent to the Australians practice in Dubai. Add the 5-test series against England and 3-test series against New Zealand and I think what we have is Indian players suffering burnout. Their administrators thought that the team will just need to show up to beat the Australians. They probably thought that after losing so badly in Pune by 333 runs that the Indian team will turn it around. They still may do so. However, the Indians need to now acknowledge that they aren't playing badly, they're been outdone by a quality well-prepared Australian team willing to admit their past faults on the sub-Continent.

3) Australia is showing adaptability and application

They've talked about the importance of patience and defence in batting. They've talked about adapting in their bowling. In fact, whatever the Australian team has talked about doing, they've been specific about. In contrast, the Indians have been talking in non-stop generalisations, hence why they've been making the same mistakes. If you can identify what needs to be done on the field, you're more likely to do it. Sounds simple doesn't it?

4) India can still come back but it will take incredible application to do so

Sure, it's happened before. Think 2001 and V.V.S Laxman's 281 (and Rahul Dravid's 180) in the 2nd test, coupled with Harbajhan Singh taking 32 wickets in a 3-test series. Think about it, because this is what India will need to be competitive with the Australians right now. Virat Kohli mentioned after the 1st test at Pune that India beat Sri Lanka 2-1 in 2015 in Sri Lanka after losing the 1st test there. Sure, that happened but look closer...India won the 2nd and 3rd test scoring totals above 300 nearly every innings. Not even Ashwin and Jadeja can help you if your batting can't get past 200.

Can Australia win this series? All they need is to win one more test and they will retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Then we may need to talk about comparisons to Buster Douglas and Mike Tyson 1989. But to quote a famous sporting cliché, "let's not count our chickens before they hatch!"

[Ken Gargett]

good thoughts, john.

of course, we are into day two and it has been more of the same - touch wood. lyon taking an amazing 8 wickets in an innings.

i would suggest that the douglas and tyson comparisons is something with which i struggle.

australia have been a strange team in recent years. de villiers, kohli or smith - take your pick as to the world's best batsman at the moment but i think smith, after that great innings in pune, has the nod. the australian team is largely a good one with some big question marks. when the former head of selectors left, and smith got the team he supposedly wanted, things turned around. he is a far better captain than people give him credit for.

the reason for the dire predictions, given that australia had turned things around and whomped both NZ and Pakistan (after a flogging from south africa) was more that india is usually so hard to beat at home in favourable conditions, rather than that australia is not a good team - it is, i believe ranked number 1 in the world for one day games and up there at number 2 behind india (before this series) for tests. so no mugs. and we have played a lot more tests than india so i'm not on board with the indian burn-out theory. but it has been a surprise as to how well they have gone.

both sides some good players but i think that if kohli fails, as he has so far, then india panic/collapse. looking at the rankings (please line up for the grain of salt), we have smith as 1 and then kohli is 2. we have warner in the top ten but there are no other indians (three south africans and two pakistanis). bizarrely, the number 12, kwahaja, was dumped for a marsh brother - they rank 42 and 94, though i expect both went backwards after the last test. renshaw and handscomb in top 40. one of the most staggering stats i've ever seen is that starc is at 61, and that was before his heroics last test. why do we see mitch marsh as an all rounder but not starc? odd given starc can bat and bowl but marsh can do neither.

as for bowlers, ashwin is 1 and jadeja and hazelwood equal 2. we then have starc at 10. but starc is one of those bowlers who can have a blistering spell and change a game. our spinners not in the top ten. lyon at 18 and o'keefe not in the top 100. the fact that the two indians have bowled poorly has been crucial.

i think also that there are a few further factors that cause us to have grave doubts about our team and we do not see them as a great aussie team (this tour is helping to change some of that and reinforce other things). we look at the invincibles and they are the greatest of all teams, but it always reminds me of the old kennedy quote about the collection of individuals having dinner with him in the white house (or somewhere there) as the greatest assembly of minds in history, except for when thomas jefferson dined alone. any team with bradman in it (for non cricket fans, and you can try and argue against this all you like, the greatest sportsman in history - his record is so extraordinary that cannot seriously be denied) would be considered the greatest team. then we have chappell's great team of the 70s and then the long period of complete dominance with taylor/waugh/ponting etc. we are not back there yet - those teams had few holes but this one has too many.

warner - the results speak for themselves but he never gives the impression of the solidarity an opener is supposed to convey. now renshaw - too soon to make a fair judgement but it does look very promising. this could turn out to be a great strength of the team.

the keeper. this is the big disappointment. bradman had tallon. the 70s had rod marsh. the next era had healy and gilchrist. we have had nevill and wade. wade is perhaps the most ordinary keeper we have had in fifty years. he was brought back to replace nevill to score more runs - a massive selection blunder for me as keepers are so important, so what if he scores 20 more if he costs us 100. and nevill has the better batting record. wade must go. this can never be considered a top side while he is there.

we have never had great confidence in lyon. people basically criticise lyon for almost no other reason than he is not warne. who is? warnie was the best bowler in history - hard to compete with that. he has done better than most other spinners.

the marsh brothers. in centuries to come, cricket historians will look back on this era and wonder what the hell was going on? shaun has been given more 2nd chances than a corrupt politician. and to come in and replace a batsman of kwahaja's class and success is truly the stupidest decision, not just in sport but in anything, in human history. bar one. and that is the repeated inclusion of the most bog average underachieving woeful hopeless joke of a cricketer, his brother mitch. his shield record is dismal and he'd struggle to make any decent state side. an allrounder? give me a break. he'd make no side as a bowler and no side as a batsman but these dimwitted selectors think that they can squeeze him in because he does both. badly. it is criminally inept. mitch marsh - 20 tests, 2 fifties and an average of 22. and under 30 for first class cricket. 20 tests and 29 wickets. christ on a stick, spare me. he should not make a backyard eleven. shaun - 20 tests and an average of 37. khawaja - 23 tests and an average of 48. but take out his first nine tests from a long while ago. the bloke in his last 14 tests is averaging 65. which ranks as one of the greatest averages ever seen in cricket. selecting a marsh can be nothing other than corrupt.

[JohnS]

Great thoughts there, Ken! In regards to the Marsh brothers, the only reason to opt for Sean Marsh is his record on the sub-continent and against spin, younger brother Mitchell bowled 2 overs in the 1st innings of the 2nd test and batted reasonably well in the 1st test to help Smith get a hundred, but still it doesn't justify his position in the team. Yes, Usman Khawaja must be allowed to make up for the mistakes he made on the Sri Lankan tour, he's capable of doing that.

I loved the comment about Thomas Jefferson, that had me chuckling.

Matthew Wade still hasn't convinced me he should be there. I can't see him batting and making a quality 30 or 40 either on these type of difficult pitches.

I agree about the reliance of the Indian cricket team on Virat Kohli to succeed. If you've seen how hard it is to bat on this pitch in Bangalore, then you'd agree that Kohli would need a masterclass effort to hit 50 in the 2nd innings!

Ken, check out the highlights of day two of the 2nd test. Would you not agree that this pitch is not proper for test cricket? I mean Australia has just batted 29 overs for 47 runs and lost two wickets. Steve Smith made 8 off 52 balls. Matt Renshaw is currently 40 not out off 144 balls. The inconsistency of bounce, the balls that shoot and dart off the wicket, the excessive spin, this is a day 7 or 8 pitch. If Australia can get to 200 all out in the 1st innings after being 2/87 at lunch on day two, well I think that would be an incredible effort.

[Ken Gargett]

sorry, john.

okay, there needs to be one of those undo buttons because i have just done a big post in response and it disappeared. not for the first time. i have neither the time nor interest in doing it all again. it is a huge flaw in this system.

[Ken Gargett]

and mitch marsh disappoints no one with another duck, the ball before tea. stellar stuff. what character. why? just why?

[JohnS]

Ken, have you got Mark Waugh's mobile number so we can give him a ring? The (Australian) selectors need some help when it comes to Mitchell Marsh. I mean he's average, very average on flat Australian wickets, but raging Indian turners? Come on!

[JohnS]

Mitchell Marsh is out of the rest of the test series with a shoulder injury. We could have used more runs at No.6 this test. Oh well, time for Usman Khawaja to be given a go!

[Ken Gargett]

4 minutes ago, JohnS said:

Mitchell Marsh is out of the rest of the test series with a shoulder injury. We could have used more runs at No.6 this test. Oh well, time for Usman Khawaja to be given a go!

if that isn't the ultimate case of loser's limp.

he had to know he was gone. khawaja has averaged 65 since his return to test cricket. marsh averages 20. and it is not as though he takes wickets. no better than one a test but they are not even bowling him.

how did he do it? certainly wasn't from anything cricket realted.

[JohnS]

Honestly Ken I haven't bothered to check. It couldn't be for bowling something like 10 fruitless overs in two tests could it?

[hedgeybaby]

As an Englishman I am dreading The Ashes this year. Aussies are currently the odds on favourites at 8/11 with us "Poms," at 11/4 (1.73 and 3.75 in decimals.)

[JohnS]

I think the Ashes are a long way away. In the meantime, this second test has been quite a circus, no one cited for their behaviour and both captains having a sit down to reconcile differences prior to the 3rd test.

Incidentally, I've been having quite a laugh tonight on cricinfo reading how India thumped the Aussies in this test and now they'll win easily 3-1. On the contrary, this win in the 2nd test was anything but easy. As some have mentioned, if these type of pitches are prepared from hereon in, the outcome of the toss is critical. It's just not feasible that a team can score in the 4th innings on these tracks.

[JohnS]

Mitchell Starc is injured with a stress fracture in his right foot and his tour is over. How will this effect the Aussies in the next two tests?

Is Jackson Bird and Usman Khawaja a good replacement for the injured Mitchells (Marsh and Starc)?

[Williamos]

Starc is a wonderful bowler and damaging with the bat: a big loss for sure. My heart sunk when I heard he was out injured. That said, our best chance in the next Test is batting first and posting a large first innings. Their spinners in the fourth dig won't be denied anything less than 150.

Who to bring in for Starc? Jackon Bird for mine. Postman Pat will break down over 4-5 days. For Marsh? Maxwell. Also, if Warner's going to get out, I'd rather see him blasting - he's struggling temperamentally with a patient game.

As sad as I was we lost the last Test, crickey! What a game! Amazing contest. And Kohli, got a bit of the Steve Waugh about him. Love seeing him get out, though I admire his beautiful batting. And his behaviour, what's good for the goose...

We all love The Ashes but seriously, these Gavaskar-Border Trophy matches I now look forward to them more.

My prediction 2-2. Cannot wait for the next Test.


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[JohnS]

Good thoughts @Williamos! Postman Pat (Cummins) is indeed coming over and likely to start the 3rd test as strike bowler after one first-class match in six years! I wonder how that would make Jackson Bird or Chadd Sayers feel? I wouldn't be surprised myself if Cummins breaks down after one test. 

[Ken Gargett]

3rd test underway and guess what - the aussie selectors confirm their blind stupidity.

we persist with shaun marsh. sure, he got a 60 in this series but his long track record suggests he only ever has one half-decent innings a series. and sure enough, bugger all yet again. when needed. 93 runs in five innings. that would be disappointing even for a tailender, let alone our number 4. pathetic.

mitch marsh has gone but if not for injury, would the worst cricketer ever to play in a test be back there again?

in comes maxwell. lord save me. he has a total of 7 test wickets (love to know how many of those were tailenders) and the stellar average of 13, yes that is not a misprint, a high score in the 30s.

we deserve to lose.

what the hell has khawaja done to the selectors? since he came back after his initial stint, he has been averaging 65. in tests. puts him up with some of the greats. but not good enough to get in ahead of either marsh, maxwell, handscomb and probably anyone else who sticks up their hand.

our selectors couldn't pick a nose. what chance do we have?

[westg]

Yep ...looks as though we are a batsmen short.... Maxwell is not a test batsmen ...Khawaja should be at four ....WTF Maxwell ....I agree Ken we deserve to lose.

[JohnS]

Sean Marsh made 2, first innings 3rd Test. Over to you Ken for your thoughts... 

[Ken Gargett]

6 minutes ago, JohnS said:

Sean Marsh made 2, first innings 3rd Test. Over to you Ken for your thoughts... 

john, you been on the piss?

check two posts above.

[JohnS]

18 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

john, you been on the piss?

check two posts above.

Of course, you're right. I'm about to fix a nice drink now. I'm a little in shock that Glenn Maxwell has almost hit 30! And...he took over 50 deliveries faced to hit his first boundary. Also, I find it delightfully funny that he is batting with his second favourite cricketer ever, Steve Smith. If Smith is out next, then he'll be joined at the crease by his very best mate, Matthew Wade. Oh, the irony of it all!

[El Presidente]

16 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

 

in comes maxwell. lord save me. he has a total of 7 test wickets (love to know how many of those were tailenders) and the stellar average of 13, yes that is not a misprint, a high score in the 30s.

we deserve to lose.

what the hell has khawaja done to the selectors? since he came back after his initial stint, he has been averaging 65. in tests. puts him up with some of the greats. but not good enough to get in ahead of either marsh, maxwell, handscomb and probably anyone else who sticks up their hand.

our selectors couldn't pick a nose. what chance do we have?

Maxwell was looking nervous when he came out to bat. 

From the dressing room balcony Coach Boof yelled out " Gargett has just posted that you are a USELESS NONG!"

Maxwell takes guard, looks up at the bowler and is heard mumbling "**** that wine swilling ignoramus"

89 not out. Brilliant innings. 

4-299 end of day one. 

 

You nailed it Ken 

 

[El Presidente]

Century to Maxwell!

 

[Ken Gargett]

2 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

Century to Maxwell!

as an aussie cricket fan, i could not be more delighted, unless he goes on to score 200 and then i'd be deliriously happy.

it does not change the fact that it was a dumb decision and the three blind mice got lucky.

[Ken Gargett]

and now, just when he is needed, he gets out! let's down the side. drop him.

[JohnS]

Glenn Maxwell also known as 'The Big Show'. Well that 104 was quite a 'Big Show'! 

[Williamos]

Late on rejoining this thread and just had a good laugh. Gee we've got some whipping boys in this current Test team. But look on the bright side, they're nothing like Leg Before Watson. He must have had some seriously compromising photographs of the selectors. Give me Marsh and Wade any Test of the week.

Wonderful first dig AUS and take a bow Maxwell. Great innings. And Smith, seriously, how good is this bloke? Average back over 60. Machine.

Poor Kohli was hit by the karma bus and dragged along the outfield for 100m before it reversed over him.

450-500: hard to lose from there. Have to admit to enjoying the shots of Kohli in the Indian change-rooms sucking eggs. Cummings will try to knock his block off when he bats with men close around the bat. Can't wait.


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