Still about a month to the first test in Adelaide but I’m looking forward to this series to see if the Aussies can maintain their good form at home. The last home series was a thumping 4- 0 ashes win but as we know a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.
Australia will certainly be the underdogs against the number one test team in the world, which is unusual going into a home summer, however they are not without a chance of winning this series given India’s poor previous record in Australia. A lot will depend on whether we can put together a functional batting line up which is capable of scoring at least 300 in the first innings. If that can be done, our bowlers are more than capable of keeping India down to managable scores on pitches that hopefully will suit Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins.
Kohli obviously looms large as a threat and he will no doubt get a few centuries but if we can keep his average for the series at around 40- 50,we will be in with a chance as I think some of their other batsmen will struggle to adapt to the extra pace.
Given Usman is fit I would play the following line up in Adelaide.
Khawaja
Finch
Sean Marsh
Hanscomb
Head
Mitch Marsh
Paine
Cummins
Starc
Lyon
Hazlewood
So from the last test in UAE, Handscomb, Cummins and Hazlewood in for Labaushane, Siddle and Holland.
If Usman is not fit, Renshaw or Harris could replace him.
mikeh…Kohli scored heavily v the Poms and India lost 4-1…India’s bowlers seem to struggle in Aust and our bowlers are our only one positive plus…can’t see any many changes to the Pakistan series as both Marsh boys have scored runs, yep Labushcagne will probably go as will Holland and Siddle…though by the end of the summer would love to see some boys playing like Sangha, Phillippe, Harris etc…but won’t happen if the team is winning…bit of a catch 22 I guess.
Shaun Marsh is a lock in for the summer after that fantastic innings yesterday. Renshaw failed to push his claims and Jhye Richardson and Daniel Worrell both put in excellent bowling efforts. Moises Henriques scored 150 but I don’t think he would be in serious contention. Still sticking with the team I named above.
Seems like Wade could be a dark horse for selection…making runs as per the JL selection mandate…can’t see many changes from that last Pakistan collapse TBH…just for balance can see Uzzie going back to 3 and pushing all the other bats down a peg in the batting order…opening wise Harris deserves a chance as he has regularly made runs for the top team in the shield so far…
Finch. Harris Uzzie, Head/Hanscombe, SMarsh MMarsh Paine Cummins Starc Lyon Hazlewood…with Head/Hanscombe 12th man…doesn’t exude confidence though…only Finch out of that lot is due a score…all the rest have made runs over the last month and are a due a failure…out of interest what has Paine done so far?..and be interesting to see if the big 3 fast boys are given a test or 3 to find their radar before other shield wicket takers get a sniff…all 3 did little in the ODI and shield game so far wicket wise…only Lyon really cemented his spot.
Hazlewood took a 4 for in the 2nd innings V Queensland Freezin, agreed that Starc and Cummins didnt do a lot. Thats why its important that they have another shield game to tune up ( even though its against WA: ):S
I would be surprised if Wade gets a go, there seemed to be a line put through his name when he was last dropped. Harris is a real chance though seeing that Renshaw has not set the world on fire.
It means nothing to the test series but the Aussies will take any win they can get this season. For once the batsmen fired although the Indian bowling and fielding was well below par. Zampa was the key bowler in the Australian attack with 2-22 from 4 overs and he should be playing more often in the 50 over games as well.
Australia squad
Marcus Harris, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Chris Tremain, Peter Siddle, Peter Handscomb
Well done to Marcus Harris, he has been consistently making runs for Victoria over the past few years. Will probably mean that Usman will bat at 3 and Tremain, Siddle and Handscomb will be the extras
Great to see Harris get a debut, not sure why Siddle is even there TBH…surely on performances alone the likes of Richardson, Boland and Bird should of gotten in the squad before Siddle…pretty straight forward side picked…4 lefties in top 6 if Head gets the nod over Handscomb…reckon one of India’s spinners will be licking their lips at that thought…
From the information I have read on CA’s website, it looks like the whole test squad apart from Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood have been released to play in the shield games commencing 27th November. Good for WA that they don’t have to face the test attack but I thought Starc in particular would have benefitted from another game to tune up as he has looked distinctly rusty so far this season. I didnt realise that the NSW V WA game is actually at Perth stadium not the WACA so it would have been a good opportunity for them to have a bowl on that wicket as well.
Ah yes I think Dunny mentioned that on the broadcast that the likes of Starc, Cummins & Hazlewood would NOT be playing in this upcoming Shield game at Perth Stadium I may have assumed it would be all the Test squad…I take it Lyon is playing in the match Mike?
I would assume so BH, it appears that only those 3 fast bowlers will not be available for selection. It will be an interesting selection meeting for WA with Stonis and Agar returning for this game. It may mean that the likes of Cartwright and Turner could be left out of the team.
Gee that pic of Shaw’s ankle/foot at right angles to his tib/fib doesn’t look flash…pity that because I was looking forward to seeing him bat…be surprised if he hasn’t broken at least his ankle…
Get Darcy and Max in me thinks to open …great opening stand of bash n crash
Was this in the tour game Freeze as I havent seen or heard anything?
Pity because I was looking forward to seeing the young fella bat out here after making a big impression in the Under 19 World Cup earlier this year and his debut Test Series just recently.
Yeah BH on the boundary at the SCG trying to catch Bryant…looks like his series is over, unless his bones are made of rubber…fingers crossed for the kid…
Does that mean that the wicket is very much bowler friendly! Maybe this will be a chance for the Aussie cricketers, batsmen in particular, to put their collective noses to the grind stone and make the bowlers earn their wickets.
For far too long we have seen our players succumb to some ordinary attacks because they don’t have the ability to build a long innings.Long and even boring innings from an Aussie player would be a real bonus for the team.Gives the others a chance to build their innings as well.