2nd Test Australia v India, Dec 26 - 30 at the MCG

[akkaps]

Alot easier to be aggressive against this Australia side.

In comparison, it would due to the fielding. I rate both the Starc and co attacks and the McGrath and co attacks. But the fielding in the 00s was a lot better for Australia

 

[akkaps]

It's the mindsets to me that set them apart, when I was growing up Indian sides that came out here were softly spoken with many speaking no English, deferential and with the odd highlight aside, mostly unsuccessful. I'd argue Tendulkar and co had more in common with them whereas the modern Indian side doesn't think like that.

If we are talking on field banter, that is a different topic altogether. I hate it when the Aussie supporters now complain that Kohli and co are loud and abusive, as if the Aussies weren't that in the 00s.

 

[Gough]

If we are talking on field banter, that is a different topic altogether. I hate it when the Aussie supporters now complain that Kohli and co are loud and abusive, as if the Aussies weren't that in the 00s.

Not just the banter, it's an overall self belief that I don't think Indian sides had twenty or thirty years ago.

 

[PhatBoy]

Alot easier to be aggressive against this Australia side.

They have always been aggressive though. It was a hallmark of all their teams that have played against Australia. That's kind of my point. They have been the most successful team against a side that has just - overall at least, maybe not in the last 7-8 years - smashed everyone and a lot of that would seemingly be because they've actually been aggressive and not cowed into playing a different way. Even as far back as 99-00 when they got thrashed out here, Laxman was throwing the kitchen sink at everything in that century in Sydney. Harbhajan was sticking it up everyone whether he was bowling well or not (and usually being an utter twat in the process). Even the guys who do like to play quiet, defensive cricket - Dravid and Pujara - some of their biggest contributions have come after they've sucked it up and then opened up.

 

[Perth bloke]

There are positives of of both set ups. Whilst Tendulkar and co were more stable and reliable, Kohli and co are much more aggressive and eager to win

I must admit I love the modern Indian attitude to tests. They may be poor in the field but they push the game ahead quickly with the bat and ball

 

[Perth bloke]

If we are talking on field banter, that is a different topic altogether. I hate it when the Aussie supporters now complain that Kohli and co are loud and abusive, as if the Aussies weren't that in the 00s.

Mate we were racist AF back then. We should have had blokes banned

 

[akkaps]

I must admit I love the modern Indian attitude to tests. They may be poor in the field but they push the game ahead quickly with the bat and ball

My grandfather use to complain that the Indians in the 80s were sluggish in the field and always played for themselves.
That has been he one benefit that we are starting to see from the introduction of T20 cricket, where batters are willing to push the runrate, bowlers are willing to try something different, and the fielders realize that they can cut down the runs in the field.

Mate we were racist AF back then. We should have had blokes banned

I have spoken to a lot of Aussie supporters who would say not, unfortunately.

 

[eddiesmith]

In comparison, it would due to the fielding. I rate both the Starc and co attacks and the McGrath and co attacks. But the fielding in the 00s was a lot better for Australia

The McGrath and Warne attack was light years ahead of the current attack

 

[Oaktree]

I think this current Indian side is better than the Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly side, it might not be as strong batting line up but the bowling is so much more classy.

It's an interesting question to pose.

Imo hands down the bowling unit of today's team wins.

Though their batting with Sehwag and keeper Dhoni would win that side of the equation.

As a collective team, I'd give the current side a very slight edge.

I think having someone like Jadeja in the side is the difference.

Sent from my SM-G985F using Tapatalk

 

[Richard Pryor]

I think this current Indian side is better than the Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly side, it might not be as strong batting line up but the bowling is so much more classy.

Is really close I think. The Tendulkar side had a toothless pace attack, but the current batting line-up is only a few great balls (or instances of bad luck) from being just as toothless with the bat imo.

 

[Richard Pryor]

Not just the banter, it's an overall self belief that I don't think Indian sides had twenty or thirty years ago.

I can see where this comes from, but personally I disagree. Say what you like about Gavaskar J don't think he lacked self belief, his side just was not that good overall.

 

[Perth bloke]

My grandfather use to complain that the Indians in the 80s were sluggish in the field and always played for themselves.
That has been he one benefit that we are starting to see from the introduction of T20 cricket, where batters are willing to push the runrate, bowlers are willing to try something different, and the fielders realize that they can cut down the runs in the field.

I have spoken to a lot of Aussie supporters who would say not, unfortunately.

What was tolerated back then would get players life bans these days

 

[Gough]

What was tolerated back then would get players life bans these days

Michael Holding said he never got racism from Australian players but the crowds were something else.

 

[Perth bloke]

Michael Holding said he never got racism from Australian players but the crowds were something else.

There's a YouTube clip floating round of Merv Hughes calling Greenidge a black so and so. Classy stuff big Merv. Hopefully bigotry will be dealt with when the politicians decide harsh words do indeed hurt and cause harm

 

[PhatBoy]

Is really close I think. The Tendulkar side had a toothless pace attack, but the current batting line-up is only a few great balls (or instances of bad luck) from being just as toothless with the bat imo.

Yes and no. I think pant is as good with the bat as dhoni and the likes of Ashwin and Jadeja give it more depth. Rahane, Kohli and Pujara is a shade behind Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman but it’s probably closer than people think, they haven’t found anyone in the same hemisphere as Sehwag and obviously Ganguly gives it a depth edge in the middle order

 

[PhatBoy]

Michael Holding said he never got racism from Australian players but the crowds were something else.

Yeah Lehmann’s blow up aside I think it was more a case of general hostility than racism as such as far as the players are concerned

 

[PhatBoy]

I can see where this comes from, but personally I disagree. Say what you like about Gavaskar J don't think he lacked self belief, his side just was not that good overall.

For all the crap he cops - and he was selfish so some of it is a bit deserved - he was a mighty player.

Even then, while their batting wasn’t overall brilliant, a guy like Amarnath was genuinely good away from home and Vishy and Vengsarkar had their moments. If the pitches weren’t spinning though it was just kapil dev and nobody with the ball

 

[Gough]

Yeah Lehmann’s blow up aside I think it was more a case of general hostility than racism as such as far as the players are concerned

From what we know of Ian Chappell's politics I don't think a racist player would have lasted long in his team.

 

[PhatBoy]

From what we know of Ian Chappell's politics I don't think a racist player would have lasted long in his team.

Not at all. Say what you like about his commentary and pre occupation with Grandfather and Les Favell, I respect him as a human being

 

[Gough]

Not at all. Say what you like about his commentary and pre occupation with Grandfather and Les Favell, I respect him as a human being

He's been at the coal front of Australian cricket all his life, what he doesn't know probably isn't worth knowing.

 

[PhatBoy]

He's been at the coal front of Australian cricket all his life, what he doesn't know probably isn't worth knowing.

100 per cent.

If you could combine his actual knowledge - and he’s one Australian commentator who actually knows about cricket in other countries - with the colour that guys like Greig and Lawry brought, you’d have the perfect commentator.

Geez I miss Greigy

 

[PhatBoy]

Ironic as he had a bit if a reputation after the grovel comment for some racial insensitivity

 

[Gough]

100 per cent.

If you could combine his actual knowledge - and he’s one Australian commentator who actually knows about cricket in other countries - with the colour that guys like Greig and Lawry brought, you’d have the perfect commentator.

Geez I miss Greigy

Guys like that were more rounded humans as much as anything else, most elite sportsman are trained to be so from the moment they hit puberty. Nothing I've seen or read about Steve Smith suggests there's anything interesting about him beyond cricket.

 

[PhatBoy]

Guys like that were more rounded humans as much as anything else, most elite sportsman are trained to be so from the moment they hit puberty. Nothing I've seen or read about Steve Smith suggests there's anything interesting about him beyond cricket.

Mate I can tell you from my relatively limited but still very vivid experience interviewing guys like that, that they’re not.

Even a guy like Copeland - who I really like and must have interviewed two dozen times, and who’s family I am reasonably close to - he’s just a jock. Not in a bad way, not in a stereotypical American way but he’s just a sports nut with seemingly not a lot else going on outside of that. On a basic level it’s awesome, we would spend more time talking about other random sport than we would about the immediate pressing cricket issue, but I just never got the impression that he was across anything beyond sport.

A good mate of mine grew up with Cummins as basically an extended family member and says he is genuinely one of the nicest guys you would ever meet - said that to me before he’d even made his debut for Australia and he gives the impression he’s a pretty intelligent guy. But most of the others don’t come across that way.

I listened to some of Kurt Fearnley’s recent podcast with Nathan Lyon and it didn’t give the impression he has a lot going on.

Contrast that with a guy like Mark Renshaw (name dropping like a rapper here I know) who I spoke to regularly, or Peter O’Malley - probably the two most famous sportsmen from where I live - who both seemed to have so much more going on as people. Renshaw when he found out I was going to Europe and watching a few stages of the Tour even sat me down and gave me a verbal guide as to where to go in Europe to experience the best of the place.

 

[eltrain]

I think this current Indian side is better than the Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly side, it might not be as strong batting line up but the bowling is so much more classy.

Early 00s India beats the current Indian team in the batting and spin bowling departments, and the current side beats them in pace bowling and fielding. It was just as tough if not more so to win over there back then as it is now. It took a Herculean effort from Australia to finally break through in 2004.