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[kaustav]

Any thoughts Gentlemen?

Do you think Australia will bounce back or will India rectify its English summer mistakes?

[Village Trundler]

Gunna be interesting. Two pissweak bowling attacks.

If zaheer khan has lost about 10 kgs and has some match fitness, he should slice through Warner and Marsh (the latter assuming the tampons in week aligns with a test and he is playing). If we get anything flat (and given the pitches are prepared for the great, exciting and classy big bash, that's what you can expect), sehwag will be dangerous and Dravid will only get out when he is sick of batting.

Prediction is India to start slow, lose the first test only..... After that only Indian wins and draws.

[Buzz]

I think the Aus quick bowling will be better than the Indian quick bowling, but the Indian spinner will have the biggest impact - if he gets lots of wickets the Aussies will lose - if the Aussie batsman play him well the series will be close.

As said above - the Aussies must win the first test as the indians are traditionally slow starters.

I think the Indians should have too much for the Aussies - unless the new young aussie batsmen can keep the indian batsmen in the field for very long periods of time - that was the big thing England did in the summer.

[langer17]

I think the Aus quick bowling will be better than the Indian quick bowling, but the Indian spinner will have the biggest impact - if he gets lots of wickets the Aussies will lose - if the Aussie batsman play him well the series will be close.

As said above - the Aussies must win the first test as the indians are traditionally slow starters.

I think the Indians should have too much for the Aussies - unless the new young aussie batsmen can keep the indian batsmen in the field for very long periods of time - that was the big thing England did in the summer.

Lol, Australian's keep the Indians in the field a long time, haha good one, lol.

They need to get rid of Ponting and Haddin and bring in some young players. They always say the older guys offer gret experience and they guide the younger players, but last time I checked, that's what coaches are for, so it always frustrates me when they say they add so much experience to the youth.

Also, they keep saying Ponting look great in the nets, that also gets to me because net form means absolutely nothing! No pressure, not playing for anything, so it means nothing. Anyone can be a net hero, but if they constantly fail in the middle then they clearly aren't up to standard, which Ponting falls into.

[Buzz]

I didn't say they woould!!

you do need experience on the pitch to help the younger players - I have seen this just in league cricket and I am sure that it onlt increases in test cricket.

the question is the balance - young players sould be nurtured into the side - so you can't have three youngsters in the top three then ponting, clarke and hussey at 4, 5 and 6 - this is why the culling of Katitch was a serious error - how much stronger would the top 6 be if (assuming fitness) it was - Katich, Warner, Hussey, Marsh, Clarke, Watson. I don't know much about the reserve wicket keepers - but if I was selecting the team this is what i would want.

[langer17]

I didn't say they woould!!

you do need experience on the pitch to help the younger players - I have seen this just in league cricket and I am sure that it onlt increases in test cricket.

the question is the balance - young players sould be nurtured into the side - so you can't have three youngsters in the top three then ponting, clarke and hussey at 4, 5 and 6 - this is why the culling of Katitch was a serious error - how much stronger would the top 6 be if (assuming fitness) it was - Katich, Warner, Hussey, Marsh, Clarke, Watson. I don't know much about the reserve wicket keepers - but if I was selecting the team this is what i would want.

That's fair enough, as long as the older blokes are performing. If they aren't then they need to go, and Ponting has been on the slide for 2 years now. There is still Clarke and Hussey, so that's more than enough, plus Langer is the batting coach and he hasn't been out of the game for that long.

Katich name was tossed around at a CA meeting about the team for the Boxing Day test, but he is still highly unlikely. There have also been quite a few better batsmen in the Sheffield Shield this year, so he is down the list I would imagine. Marsh pulled out of the 3 day lead up game against the Indians, so he is highly unlikely to be fit in time as he still can't bat with his back.

2011/2012 Sheffield Shield Batting Statistics:
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/sheffield-shield-2011/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=6788;type=tournament

From that list Forrest, Christian and Cowan would probably be the most likely. Also, Cooper got 182 n.o against the Indians in a two day game which concluded today, he is also the only batsmen to get a double century in the shield so far this season. I would say Christian would be the most likey of that lot as he is an all-rounder so he offers that extra bowling option, which Australia needs as Watson is coming back into the team as a batsmen only.

Paine is out for another 3-4 months as his finger didn't heal properly, so the next keeper will either be Neville or Wade, with the later being more likely in my book.

[kaustav]

Hmmm...do you think India's bowling line-up can take 20 wickets regularly though?

[Manormanic]

Also, they keep saying Ponting look great in the nets, that also gets to me because net form means absolutely nothing! No pressure, not playing for anything, so it means nothing. Anyone can be a net hero, but if they constantly fail in the middle then they clearly aren't up to standard, which Ponting falls into.

Agreed - I make well over a thousand runs a season and I look *awful* in the nets!

[Manormanic]

Serious note, the two sides look pretty even to me - India will do what they always do, which is bat well when the conditions are favourable and bat for a very long time, whilst probably struggling with the ball.  Their selectors might actually need to be the braver of the two sets in making steps to try and take 20 wickets - I'd like to see them pick the young leggie, Sharma, as well as Ashwin and accept that two pop gun seamers can do pretty much the same job as three in most conditions (ie try and keep the runs down).

Australia?  Well, their chances are in many ways governed by their selectors and their injury list - Watson is a loss, even if he plays as a batsman only, because I think his seamers are underrated and offer balance to the side.  Will they drop Punter, Hussey and Haddin? Will they bring back Katich?  All seem to be seen as impossibly brave calls, but I'd argue that at least two of tehm have to be done.

[Alvaro]

Is Rahul Sharma in the Test squad? Rohit's there but the spinners picked are Ashwin/Ojha.

[Alvaro]

Australia, given that Tim Paine is knacked (possibly permanently) will stick with Haddin. I also think that with Mickey Arthur saying that Hussey (seeing that Watson won't bowl in Boxing Day Test, his Collingwoods will be seen as a plus) and Ponting will play at the MCG, then as a selector, you'd take his word. Marsh, dicky back permitting will replace Khawaja, Watson will usurp Hughes. The bowling will be Siddle, Harris, Pattinson, Lyon.

[langer17]

Australia, given that Tim Paine is knacked (possibly permanently) will stick with Haddin. I also think that with Mickey Arthur saying that Hussey (seeing that Watson won't bowl in Boxing Day Test, his Collingwoods will be seen as a plus) and Ponting will play at the MCG, then as a selector, you'd take his word. Marsh, dicky back permitting will replace Khawaja, Watson will usurp Hughes. The bowling will be Siddle, Harris, Pattinson, Lyon.

Harris wont play, well not if CA are true to their word. He has been told that he has to gaurentee that he can play 5 days of cricket and play multiple games in a row before he will be picked again, so if they pick him they aren't following through with what they have said. This leaves a bowling spot open as Starc will go, he bowled okay, but his wickets were either dragged on, or bad balls that the batsmen just hit in the air. I would say the candidates are Hogan or Hillfenhaus. Shame Cutting got injured as he was the clear next choice, but oh well.

I think Christian is a strong chance to get picked, so that would mean a batsmen would go as he would bat 6 and be that 5th bowling option. If this were to happen, I would drop Ponting, then move Clarke to 4 and Hussey to 5.

[PedalsMcgrew]

Any Aussie bowling attack without Mitchell Johnson in it looks immediately stronger. There seems to be a few good young guys coming through, Pattinson in particular. I have always liked Harris, he's properly quick and seems to have good control but, as has been said, until he can last a 5 day test match it's pointless picking him. He's always carried too much weight and he still is so maybe he's not that bothered in which case don't pick him. I can't see Lyon having any impact on this series at all. He's a decent bowler but nothing more and the Indian batsmen will target him. I doubt he'll last the series imo.

If Khan turns up fit and ready then I would be massively surprised if he wasn't the pick of the bowlers in this series. I can see the likes of Warner and Watson having big problems against him.

I can see Australia having a good batting series and India having a good batting series but the bowling of both sides is very unpredictable. Drawn series if you ask me!

[Alvaro]

Interesting. Would you not gamble on Harris in an attempt to go one-up over a notorious slow-starting opponent? I'd say there's a fair chance that if Aus do win in Melbourne then the spoilt, lazy, excuse-heavy Indian side that toured England might rear it's head.
I would personally pick McDonald over Christian but that won't happen.

[Number4]

Interesting. Would you not gamble on Harris in an attempt to go one-up over a notorious slow-starting opponent? I'd say there's a fair chance that if Aus do win in Melbourne then the spoilt, lazy, excuse-heavy Indian side that toured England might rear it's head.
I would personally pick McDonald over Christian but that won't happen.

I don't think McDonald will be even on the selectors minds... Just doesn't have the runs on the board of late