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[kaustav]

Unless BCCI tries to improve the pitch conditions in domestic cricket, India will always struggle to find good deadly fast bowlers. When you start your career, all fresh and bubbling with energy, and send those 145 km/hr bouncers that do not rise above the knee of the batsmen, the confidence will go only downhill from there.

I remember my playing days in University cricket-- the pitches we got were so ridiculous that it is beyond imagination. Then in the playoffs, we would sometimes get to play in a place like the Eden Gardens and it was like heaven.

[Vic Nicholas]

Those weren't greentops in 2011 lol! A little more grass but Lords/Oval were as pretty much white and Trent Bridge/Edgbaston weren't far off by day 2.

Well, there is heaps more movement through the air and off the pitch in England compared to Australia.

Maybe iot is just the Dukes and some really good mints?

[Vic Nicholas]

Unless BCCI tries to improve the pitch conditions in domestic cricket, India will always struggle to find good deadly fast bowlers. When you start your career, all fresh and bubbling with energy, and send those 145 km/hr bouncers that do not rise above the knee of the batsmen, the confidence will go only downhill from there.

I remember my playing days in University cricket-- the pitches we got were so ridiculous that it is beyond imagination. Then in the playoffs, we would sometimes get to play in a place like the Eden Gardens and it was like heaven.

You have played at Eden Gardens???

[kaustav]

Rohit Sharma, Pujara, Badrinath and Mukund need to be given an extended run.

Kohli is a show pony in the mould of Yuvraj Singh...loves the flat track and short boundries of India.

The bowling looks OK, though lacking in depth. I would bring in Unadkat before Praveen Kumar.

India have young players, but the BCCI is screwing them all over with their skewed priorities.

Fair point Vic; the problem with giving these players extended runs lies mainly with the public; don't forget-- there are a billion selectors out there and extended failures are not something they like...lol

[kaustav]

You have played at Eden Gardens???

Was lucky 

That does not make me a great cricketer though----never..lol

[thedon]

Pakistan seem to produce excellent fast bowlers on dead tracks...

[uknsaunders]

Kohli is a good player. Is Rahane the lad who opened in the ODI's in England? He could hook a bouncer! Big fan of Rohit Sharma, another who can play overseas.

[kaustav]

Kohli is a good player. Is Rahane the lad who opened in the ODI's in England? He could hook a bouncer!

We dont want him to hook; he should start by leaving the balls outside the offstump unlike the great Gambhir.

[kaustav]

Pakistan seem to produce excellent fast bowlers on dead tracks...

That's a puzzle right? Even SL has Malinga.

When you go to any cricket camp, the majority of the kids want to be batsmen like Sachin and Sunny and so on.

In Pakistan, the kids want to be like Wasim or Waqar or Imran. I think that helps...lol

[Village Trundler]

Shows ODIs aren't a proper test too:P

[kaustav]

Test Matches are the past, present and future of cricket.

[Wills]

Wow, the margin of victory for Australia is the same as the total runs scored by Ponting.

[kaustav]

Wow, the margin of victory for Australia is the same as the total runs scored by Ponting.

Hear that Langer? Punter won you the game and you still complain

[alba caerulea]

Given how Pattinson, Siddle and Hilfenhaus bowled in this test, I don't think the difference is that great (IMHO).

Really? 3 innings wins would suggest otherwise. England had little trouble in dismissing Australia regularly on these pitches (which you are implying are flat) whereas the Australian attack, which included Siddle and Hilfenhaus were toiling for what seemed like weeks at times on the same tracks. You really need to start to beat another drum.

As mentioned by thedon, India usually start slowly and after being very competitive for 3 innings of this match I expect them to get at least a draw from this series. I'd be very surprised if Nathan Lyon took a batsmans wicket all series.

[uknsaunders]

Nathon Lyon won't get anyone out as they'll do what they did after Adelaide last year, prepare grassy decks to help seamers and minimise spin. Slowed Swann down a bit but will kill Lyon.

When's Watson back btw, could see him replacing Lyon. 4 seamers and an extra batsman makes sense on these decks (and Australia's habit of collapsing).