Australia v India Test Series 2024/25

[Bornadog]

He hasn't been great the last two tests, although he steadied us today. But, he made 89 in the second innings of the first test plus the two hundreds in tests two and three. Pretty good going for a number four.

Yeah, I was a bit harsh based on the other innings.

[lemmon]

Very intriguing what the eleven looks like for the first test in Sri Lanka.

Cummins isn't going, Green probably won't be ready, the talk is Head will shift up the order - where does that leave us for openers? The pitches over there will suit Khawaja but if Konstas is their man, they need to keep playing him and work out what we actually have.

[GVGjr]

On Konstas, that's what's also bizarre - this isn't his natural game. He's a shot-maker, but he's not Virender Sehwah or a Risabh Pant and he never has played like that at the level below. I wonder if Bailey did him a disservice in saying we were looking for a more aggressive approach to Bumrah? It feels like it's got to him

There's proactive batting and then there's giving your wicket away.

I agree, I've watched some a couple of his Shield games and he isn't anywhere near as reckless.
When he was trying to do it in the net session at Melbourne it just needed one of the coaches to say 'that's not what we want to see' and I suspect he would have adjusted. As it was he took their silence as acceptance.

[GVGjr]

I remember one of my captains (Lenny Balcam) said to me being an opening batsman batting on some spicy pitches was to play your game, and it frees your mindset to the situation with a more positive approach, doesn't mean play silly shots but still hit it hard if there, had been and seen many players crumble just gutting it out on pitches that simply won't allow that, 100 deliveries is a lot of balls with a pitch doing plenty, on a flatter track absolutely 100%.

There is a blast from the past, he was a good cricketer.
My guess is Balcam would acknowledge the difference between the natural game with shots batters have mastered and premeditated all or nothing shots when your primary job is set-up the other batters.
Having his lead foot heading over to mid wicket as he tried to bludgeon a shot is poor cricket.

[mighty_west]

There is a blast from the past, he was a good cricketer.
My guess is Balcam would acknowledge the difference between the natural game with shots batters have mastered and premeditated all or nothing shots when your primary job is set-up the other batters.
Having his lead foot heading over to mid wicket as he tried to bludgeon a shot is poor cricket.

Uzzie, Head and Webster played the occasion extremely well, still playing shots and hitting them hard, no point just dabbing here and there (looking at you Marnus), Konstas was on track until that shot, extremely poor but he will learn, and with the way he's been playing perhaps he was given free range from the captain and coach which would be my guess and at this stage watching him play at this level, just don't think his game is good enough just yet and i'm putting that on the selectors rather than calling a 19 year old selfish, he's absolutely not playing against the teams wishes, he's just not, even Uzzie was throwing the bat around early compared to the way he's been playing of late.

For mine, he would have been told to get the team off to a good start (which he did) as we weren't exactly 3 for 30 with doubts going through the dressing room.

Lenny was a beauty, i remember one game struggling letting the bowlers get on top, told me to just play some shots, next ball i hit it for 6 and the shackles just released from that ball and ended up making 60 or 70 for memory.

[GVGjr]

Boland has been huge for us. A 10 wicket haul in a test is outstanding.
I don't think Bumrah has achieved a 10 wicket performance.

It's a shame Boland isn't 5 years younger but he's now achieved 56 test wickets at an average under 18.

[Axe Man]

Very intriguing what the eleven looks like for the first test in Sri Lanka.

Cummins isn't going, Green probably won't be ready, the talk is Head will shift up the order - where does that leave us for openers? The pitches over there will suit Khawaja but if Konstas is their man, they need to keep playing him and work out what we actually have.

I've heard Handscomb's name mentioned as a horses for courses selection. Surely we don't select Maxwell or Zampa as rumoured a while back. I would assume Murphy and Swepson will tour. If Webster can revert to his offies could we play 2 of Starc/Boland/Hazelwood plus Lyon and Swepson over Murphy for variety?