India tour of Australia 17 Dec - 19 Jan: Tests

[Durhamfootman]

Clearly a sub India attack. But ok batting.

Aussies at a huge advantage. It reminds me of England touring Australia in the nineties when by the time of the Tests everyone was injured.

yet when they were touring here, people complained that Australia had been played back into form by the time the test series started

[Durhamfootman]

Is the India team selection a sign that they've given up and are just protecting/checking out players for the upcoming England tour?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Clearly a sub India attack. But ok batting.

Aussies at a huge advantage. It reminds me of England touring Australia in the nineties when by the time of the Tests everyone was injured.

yet when they were touring here, people complained that Australia had been played back into form by the time the test series started

Often some of the problem with England was that they took injured players away with them out of desperation and they were out of contention before long. And maybe crocked players who weren't fully fit. But they were really unlucky as well. Look how many of the 2005 series was gone/knobbled by 2006/7. And that wasn't even the nineties.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Aussies 2-down.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I presume Labu+Smith is the key partnership.

[Durhamfootman]

I'd imagine so

[bigfluffylemon]

Smith out.

For a second string bowling attack in the first innings at the Gabba, India are doing extremely well.

[alfie]

Smith out.

For a second string bowling attack in the first innings at the Gabba, India are doing extremely well.

Remarkably well. If they would stop dropping Labuschagne they'd be doing even better

Losing Saini to yet another injury has the potential to derail their attack completely though. Can't believe the run of casualties they've suffered in this series.

They really need to get Marnus - or Wade - very soon or this will get away from them quickly , despite their good start. Run rate accelerating now . 128/3 from 49.

[bigfluffylemon]

Marnus got a ton, but only by riding his luck.

250/5. Australia would usually expecting 400+ batting first at the Gabba. India are still fighting hard.

[sussexpob]

The next session is going to shape this game a long way. Fair play to Paine, who has gritted out runs and took the match away from India under pressure. Just sad from the perspective of the neutral that this Indian attack has been robbed of all its quality, Australia really have lucked out with India's unavailability. Marnus appears to have been very lucky, in fact he seems player who is massively blessed with luck on his side a lot; but if you get lucky, you still need to turn in scores. He certainly does that.

I read Australia have 1100 test wickets in its XI..... India has 11

Another interesting stat... Marnus now averages over 60. It was the first time two batsman with averages over 60 (and 1000 test runs in the bag) had batted together since Lara and Jimmy Adams shared a partnership in a match in 1993.

[yuppie]

India really need to look at the cause of so many injuries.

To much cricket?

[Durhamfootman]

India really need to look at the cause of so many injuries.

To much cricket?

Too little preparation?

harder to do atm

[yuppie]

India really need to look at the cause of so many injuries.

To much cricket?

Too little preparation?

harder to do atm

I think so, a long time with out cricket and then suddenly a lot of cricket.

A fully fit Indian team would have won this series comfortably. They have looked good once Virat went home and are still in this test match. Indias preparation has hindered their performance in this series.

Australia's 3rd best bat has been Paine, and thats a worry for them. 3 different opening combinations and no other bats making runs other than the main 2. Big problems moving forward for Australia. If not for the brilliance of Cummins and Hazelwood in the first test this series would look very different.

Bright times for India if they can keep players fit. The best teams have depth and India are showing here that they have plenty. Their bowlers might have harder tasks then bowling to Burns, Head and Wade.

[sussexpob]

I dont think you can simultaneously fault India's prep while earlier in the week inferring the facilities provided for this match were fair and adequate. The fact is they flew in from the IPL (not alone, lots of foreign players are in it too) after hard isolation, straight into another hard lockdown scenario. Without access to getting out the hotel and onto afield proper, I'd imagine they were never quite fully able to get up to bowling speed and fitness. Gym work is not the same preparation and only takes you far enough ,and as we have seen this week at times in this tour India have not even had any fitness facilities at all. How can we expect premier sportspeople to be at the top of their craft without the tools to be at the top of their game? I think these sorts of injury ravages are pretty natural in an environment were teams are under greater stress and who are limited in how they prepare.

Ok, you could fault the schedule but I dont think that is fair either. The BCCI wasnt going to cancel the IPL. This bilateral series was never going to be cancelled after zero international revenue for both teams for 12 months, both boards would have sent out people who they found volunteering in the street who dont even know what a bat is rather than consider another financial shelling. The series was going to happen, and to make it happen it had to be based around the smallest travel footprint possible. These meant condensed matches, no breaks, tough schedules. The player would probably prefer playing everyday than a more spaced out tour with lots of down time in isolated circumstances.

This is cricket in covid I guess. It is what it is. No one it at fault really. I think we have to be thankful that these players are doing all this with its associated risks and hardships, because boards like the ECB and CA risk bankruptcy without matches.

Of course, it could be none of the above. India could just be getting very unlucky, as the Aussies have had in the past (how many years did this current Aussie attack never get on the field together due to injuries? Starc looks pretty cooked at the moment and in need of a rst himself).

[Durhamfootman]

This is cricket in covid I guess. It is what it is. No one it at fault really. I think we have to be thankful that these players are doing all this with its associated risks and hardships

absolutely