Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Thu, 09 Feb, 4:00 AM
1st Test, Nagpur, February 09 - 13, 2023, Australia tour of India
India
Australia

Fri, 17 Feb, 4:00 AM
2nd Test, Delhi, February 17 - 21, 2023, Australia tour of India
India
Australia

Wed, 01 Mar, 4:00 AM
3rd Test, Dharamsala, March 01 - 05, 2023, Australia tour of India
India
Australia

Thu, 09 Mar, 4:00 AM
4th Test, Ahmedabad, March 09 - 13, 2023, Australia tour of India
India
Australia

Fri, 17 Mar, 8:00 AM
1st ODI (D/N), Wankhede, March 17, 2023, Australia tour of India
India
Australia

Sun, 19 Mar, 8:00 AM
2nd ODI (D/N), Visakhapatnam, March 19, 2023, Australia tour of India
India
Australia

Wed, 22 Mar, 8:00 AM
3rd ODI (D/N), Chennai, March 22, 2023, Australia tour of India
India
Australia

a mini-furore has erupted with the photos coming out of Nagpur, with the pitch being seemingly selectively prepared to counter the left-handed-heavy Aus batting lineup. The watering and the roller went everywhere, but a good length for the left-hander.

Dustbowls are fine, and to be expected in India, but this does look a little beyond the pale.

Here's hoping for a Cummins cointoss win.

I'm not sure where you draw the line between legitimate preparation of a wicket that plays to the strengths of the home team because it's naturally what they play on and know how to get the most of, and pitch doctoring where you try to get an 'unfair' advantage, but this looks as though it's on the doctored side of the line to me.

This has crossed the line. Not only does it maximise India's spinners against LHB it also limits Lyons effectiveness against India's RHB. Preparing pitches that favour the home team is fine in thie modern game but this is next level stuff. As my Indian friend said today, Sandpaper before a ball has even been bowled and no one will be punished for it.

Im sure the Indian board will be doing everything possible to try and make the pitch look the same colour before the start of play and they will get away with it. But in my view this is cheating. basically 2 different pitches have been prepared for LHB and RHB. And thats not right.

Even Indiainfo, sorry i mean cricinfo have had trouble defending this.

Of course the great irony of all this is that India probably did not need to do this.

yuppie wrote:Of course the great irony of all this is that India probably did not need to do this.

Indeed.

It gives India and the BCCI the appearance of being scared of the Aus batters. Why?

I would truly be embarrassed if I was an India supporter.

Aus win the toss, and not surprisingly opts to bat.

Travis Head is not playing - I don't know why. Handscomb(e) replaces him, leaving Matt Renshaw still in the team.
Todd Murphy is replacing Ashton Agar, from the last side. Murphy is making his debut - tough one, debuting an off spinner in India.

Yes rather odd all round. Guess it isn't technically illegal to present a "varied" pitch ; but it somehow seems a bit off... The silly thing being I am not sure why India would feel they need to disadvantage the left handed bats : surely they would fancy their chances against most of them on any moderately helpful Indian pitch ? It is the two right handers , Smith and Labuschagne that they might feel they'd like a little extra assistance to combat , no ?

Anyway here we are . And after two wickets in 13 balls at the start , we have seen a solid 82 run stand from the two premier bats before Marnus and Renshaw fell in successive balls to Jadeja. Who then bowled a no ball when seeking his hat trick

85/4 in the fortieth. A lot on Smith now. India may yet regret dropping him on just 6 earlier.

Head must feel hard done by here. He had a great summer in Aus and gets dropped first game away.....Whilst Warner continnues to get picked away from home even though his record is less than average.

Though hihs one run today probably gets him the man of the match for the Aussies:))

So many balls beating the edge as well. This could have been a real low score, as it is only going to be a low score.....

Lyons gonna have a field day on this wicket turning square already!!

Murphy is really being thrown in the deep end. He will be targeted and will be lucky to have 150 to defend.

yuppie wrote:Head must feel hard done by here. He had a great summer in Aus and gets dropped first game away.....Whilst Warner continnues to get picked away from home even though his record is less than average.

Though hihs one run today probably gets him the man of the match for the Aussies:))

Yeah I think they've overthought the "horses for courses " thing this time. Head did struggle last year in Asia ; but he had a brilliant home season so was surely full of confidence : and he is quite simply a better player than Renshaw. Poor selection ; looking worse already.

Maybe that will get Renshaw a second innings hundred

Assuming with head being dropped...Marnus will now have a lot of bowling to do..his leggies will probably be needed

Manus does not have the control being a Part time leggie, does anyone know where its going, does Manus?

Head did more than enough to keep his place. If they were dropping someone it should have been that chap at the top of the order...... Renshaw in for him would have been my suggestion.

Hanscomb is a sound selection for these conditions.

100% agree head shouldn't have been dropped!awful selection of renshaw is flawed and yes if he was gonna play then Warner should have been left out....agree about marnus's bowling isn't consistent but who else they gonna use?