Australia v India Test Series 2024/25

[Bornadog]

Australian team really pathetic at the moment. 4/28

[whythelongface]

Australian team really pathetic at the moment. 4/28

5/33 what are they trying to do? Strange tactics

[bulldogsthru&thru]

5/33 what are they trying to do? Strange tactics

No tactic. Just the typical Australian batting order collapse.

[Axe Man]

No tactic. Just the typical Australian batting order collapse.

Nah, they are clearly trying for quick runs but the wisdom of doing so is highly questionable. Still a lot of weather around so a draw is still the overwhelming favourite but why give India a sniff and confidence going to Melbourne?

[Eastdog]

Disappointing we didn’t get result due to the rain. Would have been a very exciting finish in the end.

Sets up an exciting Boxing Day Test with it still at 1-1. I’m a provisional MCC member and planning on going Day 2 and after.

[GVGjr]

So with Hazlewood out it should be Boland in to play on his home pitch. Is there any chance the make a change with our Peanut Brittle batting line up? Webster for Marsh?

[FrediKanoute]

More worried about how bad Khawaja has been this Summer

[lemmon]

So with Hazlewood out it should be Boland in to play on his home pitch. Is there any chance the make a change with our Peanut Brittle batting line up? Webster for Marsh?

It was pretty weird to play Marsh and Hazlewood in the same side. Hazlewood had to be a huge risk in this Test and clearly Marsh is not right to bowl and they know that - we probably win that game if we had the spare bowling option. In hindsight, it had to be Marsh and Boland or Webster and Hazlewood.

Boland is durable and can bowl long spells, so it does make more sense for Marsh to retain his spot and he's been our best bat in the last 18 months or so.

The issue with the batting is that top-3 but I don't think there's anyone else you could parachute in against Bumrah on more than a guess.

McSweeney will get the series (and rightly so) - he's a 25-year old playing his first series against the best new-ball bowler we've seen on these shores in decades. He's battling and his returns are equal with Khawaja. They won't change Khawaja because they had a hard enough time finding one opener and I don't think you can send two new guys in against Bumrah. Marnus is at least starting to show 'something' but I still think he's under most pressure.

It really does come down to a lack of options at the next level, and now we're playing silly slog stuff for the next few months, no one has the opportunity to make a score that matters and put pressure on the incumbents.

[Axe Man]

Media reports that Sam Konstas will be added to the Boxing Day squad at the expense of McSweeney. Have to feel for McSweeney as it's been incredibly tough against Bumrah but he's young enough that hopefully he can fight his way back before too long if he is dropped.

[GVGjr]

Media reports that Sam Konstas will be added to the Boxing Day squad at the expense of McSweeney. Have to feel for McSweeney as it's been incredibly tough against Bumrah but he's young enough that hopefully he can fight his way back before too long if he is dropped.

That is a big call. McSweeney's future probably is as the number 4 though

[lemmon]

Media reports that Sam Konstas will be added to the Boxing Day squad at the expense of McSweeney. Have to feel for McSweeney as it's been incredibly tough against Bumrah but he's young enough that hopefully he can fight his way back before too long if he is dropped.

That's a brutal call if it happens. This is a total gamble by the selectors - dropping a 19-year old in to open the batting halfway through a tied series against a rampant Bumrah...they'll look like geniuses or clowns.

[Axe Man]

McSweeny and Hazlewood out, Konstas and Jhye Richardson in. Not sure I would trust Richardson to get through a test match yet, hurt his shoulder high fiving a few weeks back.

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Travis Head (vc), Steve Smith (vc), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

[lemmon]

Interesting that George Bailey called out strike rate at the top of the order and they felt we have to be more aggressive early. It's an... interesting point of view considering McSweeney and Marnus were lauded on day 1 of the Adelaide Test for getting through a tough spell that set up the innings for Trav Head.

Konstas is a good talent and he's clearly in great touch, but I really don't think this is the right way to manage a 19-year old. This isn't Phil Hughes who had a 6 or 7 first class centuries and a century in a Shield Final - Konstas is still in his infancy as a first class cricketer. Big call.

[GVGjr]

Under McDonalds suspect leadership our selectors have continued to irritate me.
Last year when Bancroft was in form Smith basically demanded the opening spot and of course the selectors back that move and we know it didn't work,
This year with Bancroft unable to even buy a run Smith wants to be moved back to number 4. The selectors do that pivot.
I'd say Smith deliberately blocked Bancroft from a spot 12 months back and McDonald backed that all the way rather than deal with finding a genuine opener.

So we go into this series against a very good Indian pace bowling group led by possibly the best bowler in the world and hand the openers spot to McSweeney knowing full well he's more suited to batting at 3 or more likely 4.
Now rather than also dealing with the shocking form of Marnus and Khawaja A-Mac makes McSweeney the sole scapegoat. I get you have to back the players but this level of loyalty smells like a boys club.

We need a change of coach and we should be demanding our batsman perform.

[Axe Man]

Under McDonalds suspect leadership our selectors have continued to irritate me.
Last year when Bancroft was in form Smith basically demanded the opening spot and of course the selectors back that move and we know it didn't work,
This year with Bancroft unable to even buy a run Smith wants to be moved back to number 4. The selectors do that pivot.
I'd say Smith deliberately blocked Bancroft from a spot 12 months back and McDonald backed that all the way rather than deal with finding a genuine opener.

So we go into this series against a very good Indian pace bowling group led by possibly the best bowler in the world and hand the openers spot to McSweeney knowing full well he's more suited to batting at 3 or more likely 4.
Now rather than also dealing with the shocking form of Marnus and Khawaja A-Mac makes McSweeney the sole scapegoat. I get you have to back the players but this level of loyalty smells like a boys club.

We need a change of coach and we should be demanding our batsman perform.

The Smith opening experiment didn't work but based on available evidence Bancroft would most likely have performed no better. The main problem with Bancroft being brought in was that someone else had to miss out and that most likely would have been Cameron Green. I think not playing Green would have been a big mistake and he would never have made 174 v NZ. It's worth remembering at the time nobody really deserved to miss out.

I just think Bancroft (and Harris for that matter) aren't quite test level and given their ages I'm happy to move past them.

To suggest Smith asked to open to keep Bancroft out of the team sounds fanciful at best and unhinged conspiracy theory at worst.