Test Changes for... India 23 Edition + Post-match chat...

[Westend]

I'm not going to pretend to be an expert (I'm not - feel free to educate me) and some of your points sound fair but if you believe he shouldn't have been chosen in the first place (which I agree with) and he isn't the best option then I don't think he should be selected - regardless of whether that is 'fair', 'hurts feelings' or otherwise.

Test bowlers primary job is to take wickets and aside from his poor showings at Test level thus far, he averages over 42 with the ball in first class cricket. That is way too high and highlights he is not a wicket taker. Hell, our batsmen that bowl a bit have lower averages at Test level and they primarily bowl when there is an established partnership at the crease (when wicket taking is more difficult).

Then you have other spinners like Murphy who are 6 years younger and are averaging 17 less in the Shield (bowling average is nearly half that of Agar). I also believe picking high quality bowlers is often more important than the type of bowler. If you have a world class pace bowler (or wrist spinner) or an average SLO bowler, then I feel like the quality bowler is still a better chance to take wickets that the average bowler, even on pitches that better suit the SLO bowler. Teams are often picked for the conditions but I feel like I've seen so many examples of the quick bowlers still being the ones taking wickets, even on slow spinning decks, when the spin bowlers are average.

Finally, if you do have to pick an SLO bowler, I do note that Kuhnemann is 3 years younger, his bowling average is 8 less than Agar, his strike rate and economy are both less than Agar and surprisingly his batting average is very close (28 v 25), though I suspect that is misleading given all the not outs from Kuhnemann.

As I said though, I'm not an expert and an SLO bowler may be a MUST and Agar's bowling may be the equal of Kuhnemann's anyway but looking at the numbers, Agar does not appear the right choice.

Yeah you are right his total average sucks but guess what the selectors are looking at ....his average and performance in the subcontinent...against the bangers which is arguably the closest you are going get to indian conditions his bowling average is 23 plus he made a 41 not out another bonus in the first test

Give him a test in conditions which suit him and then make the call to F**k him off

 

[Westend]

You really think that Australia have everything in order to beat India in India? The last time anyone beat India in India in a Test series was England 10 years ago.

Australia are struggling to find enough spin bowlers to compete against the likes of Ashwin, Jadeja and Axar. You can even add someone like Kuldeep to the list if he gets selected. Yes you have Lyon, but none of the other spinners in Australia have enough international Test experience, let alone experience in India. Zampa is probably the next best option with experience in conditions and he is not going to get a look at. Even if you do bring in Swepson or Kuhnman, they don't have the skills or experience for India and the turning wicket. If the SCG Test was the preview for the India series, spin only took 3 of the 12 wickets, that too, one wicket by the part timer in Head. Lyon didn't take a wicket.

You will stick with the same three quick bowlers (starc, cummins, haze) because that's what Australia do. They rarely change that. They are going to tire out quickly in India, I guarantee. You need to rotate and rest your bowlers.

Usman has always struggled to play spin, that's why he could never hold a spot in an IPL franchise. And that's one of the reasons that he was in and out of the side in his early days.

Marnus and Smith will do well this series. And I am not 100% sure on Head and Carey. Whether Green is ready, I have no clue.

You are comparing India to South Africa, a mediocre bowling attack with an inexperienced batting line up that need to all be at their 110% to even make 350-400 runs. India is not South Africa

Rohit might be your easiest targeting, but we have plenty of stock to replace him. I don't see Australia as having an adequate second string side once Warner goes out cheaply again. The lack of depth in the Australian side astounds me, whereas a team like England can also play a second string side and still be competitive.

Shubman Gill guarantees you at least 100 runs every game. If I was a betting man, I would put something on Shubman to score a 50 in every Test of the series. Him and Pujara are better at tiring out a bowling attack than Marnus and Smith. Pujara has done it some many times; yes he doesn't score as quickly but expect your bowlers to be out there churning away as he blocks every ball and takes his time.

I think you underestimate how good Ashwin and Jadeja are, add Axar and Kuldeep to that as possible replacements, Australia will struggle to compete against this. You state that Marnus, Smith and Head are the best batters in the world a the moment, Bumrah and Ashwin are ranked 3 and 4 for Test bowlers. And Jadeja and Ashwin are ranked 1 and 2 as allrounders. That too, considering Jadeja hasn't played cricket since August and a Test since July.

I think you need to realize that these four Tests are being played in India, not Australia. Where the conditions are total different and more suited to India. Australia are comfortable at home, and if this series was in Australia there would be some creditability to your statements.

Yup we are a chance why not.....a lot will depend on the most watched finger atm in aussie cricket greenie should be right for the first test

I can see it going 2/1 either way for each side with one draw

 

[Westend]

Yeah confirmed above

thats why they picked renners and ash for sydney and treated it like a tour/warm up game for india

which I didn't agree with

 

[11kgm]

thats why they picked renners and ash for sydney and treated it like a tour/warm up game for india

which I didn't agree with

But what's stupid is there is like 10 games off between 2 and 3rd games

Just move the first game later have a 3 day game to start

 

[11kgm]

My gut feeling is Maxwell,s test cricket days are over.Perhaps will not see him on a cricket field to next summer.

Apparently he wants to be back for the next stars game which is crazy

 

[Jim Prideaux]

But what's stupid is there is like 10 games off between 2 and 3rd games

Just move the first game later have a 3 day game to start

Not really up to Australia, unfortunately.

 

[Sphynx]

Chris Green will/would get picked ahead of Maxwell imo.

 

[11kgm]

Not really up to Australia, unfortunately.

Surely we can say we want at least two 3 games or no tour

 

[Cleavy]

Need a shake of luck to win overseas, not just performance.

 

[Voice of the G]

Apparently he wants to be back for the next stars game which is crazy

My mail is Maxwell does not know when doctors will give the OK to play again.If he is ready to play again surely playing premier cricket at Fitzroy Dancaster instead of this T20 crap would be the way to go.

 

[11kgm]

Need a shake of luck to win overseas, not just performance.

Missing Green, Starc (But poor in India)

Doesn't help

 

[cricketnut14]

india's recent home results:

PLAYED 42, WON 34, DRAWN 6, LOST 2





played everyone other than ireland, zimbabwe and obviously pakistan.

not going to be an easy series.

maybe we just pick our best 4 bowlers , even if it means 3 quicks and lyon. that's how we got the job done the last time we won a series there.

no point playing a dud spinner and effectively being a bowler short, especially when the likes of head can have the same input, unless we genuinely believe they can have an impact.

 

[eth-dog]

Chris Green will/would get picked ahead of Maxwell imo.

No chance

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

That series was also setup by a dominant middle order i just cant see us getting on top of the spinners the way martyn katich and clarke did, everybody will argue over spin combo and bowlers but no matter what bowlers do i just dont see us having batting to put up match winning totals in india.

Agree on the batting, but given how weak the spin options are there is a very real possibility that a full quota of quicks and one spinner will bowl India out more cheaply than two spinners, two quicks and Green.
This is where Agar could get a look in, he could play in Green's place - three quicks and a backup quick seems unlikely - or come into the middle order if one of those players proves significantly weaker than the others. Head in India is almost a big a worry as Warner in India.

 

[Sphynx]

No chance

Yeah, he would.

12 wickets in your first 2 shield games and as good a batsman as Agar tbh, I’ve heard some stuff around the traps about him.

If he made his shield debut at the start of the season or they didn’t have the BBL break he would have been a real chance.

 

[eth-dog]

Yeah, he would.

12 wickets in your first 2 shield games and as good a batsman as Agar tbh, I’ve heard some stuff around the traps about him.

If he made his shield debut at the start of the season or they didn’t have the BBL break he would have been a real chance.

He's seen as behind Murphy if they take a second offie. He's no chance.

 

[Sphynx]

He's seen as behind Murphy if they take a second offie. He's no chance.

The original post was about Maxwell, not Murphy.

They also aren’t exactly like for like.

Green would be a spinning all-rounder option

Murphy has only played the 7 FC games himself also.

 

[Blue Arrow]

Bumrah to miss Sri Lanka ODIs, doubtful for Test series against Australia

The fast bowler had cleared a match simulation test at the NCA but experienced discomfort while building up to higher workloads

www.espncricinfo.com

 

[Nuggetz]

Just to be a campaigner, let's go the other way

Rohit (c)
Shubman
Pujara
Virat
Shreyas
Saha (+)
Jadeja
R Ashwin
Shami
Siraj
Bumrah

Mayank
Vihari
Axar
KL (+)
Shardul

What I want:
Would like to see Shubman play in the number three spot from here on in. He is our future #3 bat
Seeing Rishabh is out, KS Bharat and W Saha are aging, bring in either Sanju or Ishan as keeper. and have one of them as permanent back up to Rishabh

Jadeja and Bumrah have still not returned from their injuries, so both are massively underdone if they do play the first test. I wouldn't risk either of them without proper match practice. Axar is probably the ideal replacement for Jadeja and Umesh Yadav for Bumrah.

 

[frankrizzo]

india's recent home results:

PLAYED 42, WON 34, DRAWN 6, LOST 2


View attachment 1583934


played everyone other than ireland, zimbabwe and obviously pakistan.

not going to be an easy series.

maybe we just pick our best 4 bowlers , even if it means 3 quicks and lyon. that's how we got the job done the last time we won a series there.

no point playing a dud spinner and effectively being a bowler short, especially when the likes of head can have the same input, unless we genuinely believe they can have an impact.

We need to be flexible pick each team when we actually see the deck instead of what we seem to do and that is decide on team well in advance then just pray conditions actually suit that team, i get feeling we have already decided long ago the bowling lineup for india will be cummins lyon agar starc(hazlewood if starc is out) green, now thats fine if its right type of deck but what if its a flatter track that spins late and not a proper rank turner? then it should be extra quick and leave agar out.

It shouldn't be that complicated leave naming side till as late as possible actually look at the pitch not just select people based on what we expected the pitches to be pre series then name side.

 

[Plugger46]

Unfortunate for Maxi... would have probably played in Sydney and would have been picked for India..

I can't see him getting another crack

what about Zampa over Agar?

 

[frankrizzo]

Leggies get crushed in india and if we were going to risk one still rather we got swepson over zampa.

 

[eth-dog]

Anyone who is proposing Zampa obviously doesn't watch FC cricket. He's not even FC standard

 

[Ohitsthatguy]

There's no warmup matches because India would provide green tops for them and then dustbowls for the tests

 

[The 747]

Agree on the batting, but given how weak the spin options are there is a very real possibility that a full quota of quicks and one spinner will bowl India out more cheaply than two spinners, two quicks and Green.
This is where Agar could get a look in, he could play in Green's place - three quicks and a backup quick seems unlikely - or come into the middle order if one of those players proves significantly weaker than the others. Head in India is almost a big a worry as Warner in India.

While I get the logic, replacing either Green or Head with a bloke who has a FC batting average in the 20s and a bowling average in the 40s.....