India tour of Australia 17 Dec - 19 Jan: Tests

[Red Devil]

3rd test to be played in Sydney.

Spinning track maybe? Would help India given the injuries to seamers - but we would be happy to play again in Melbourne as well.

Ind probably looking at a debut for Saini unless we go with Kuldeep and hope it turns square.

Rohit seems to be coming in - not sure he'll do given his lack of time to acclimatise. I'd probably stick with Agarwal or look at Rahul.

Aus probably just switch out Burns for Warner and will be full strength.

India's absences for the next test is like Aus missing Smith, Starc, Hazlewood, Pattinson, Neser and Green!

[Arthur Crabtree]

Burns out, Pucowski and Warner in.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Tim Paine (c), Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner

[yuppie]

Will Pucovski had some problems with the short ball.

His record suggest he should get a go. He has had on going mental health problems which he is managing. I just hope the stress of playing for Australia does not make it worse.

[Durhamfootman]

BBC headline

Australia v India: Joe Burns dropped as hosts recall David Warner and Will Pucovski

When i first saw it I momentarily wondered if Langer's cunning plan is to field a 12 man team and hope India don't notice

[Red Devil]

BBC headline

Australia v India: Joe Burns dropped as hosts recall David Warner and Will Pucovski

When i first saw it I momentarily wondered if Langer's cunning plan is to field a 12 man team and hope India don't notice

[sussexpob]

He has had on going mental health problems which he is managing. I just hope the stress of playing for Australia does not make it worse.

I can be corrected by the Aussie contigent here, but I got the feeling that when him and Maxwell/Maddinson spoke out recently about their issues with mental health, it was unanimously respected with none of the players being judged in the press negatively and all getting the support they needed away from the spotlight. I think in his case, the proof is in the pudding; not many youngsters get a chance to walk away from selection citing health problems and get a second bite at the cherry very soon after. Got to respect the board for that, they believe in the player and have supported him and backed him, others would so often discriminate against it. Lets just hope if he wobbles a bit early doors the pundits wont drag his health issues up as the reason all the time.

We all love an underdog story, so I got my fingers crossed he does well and proves any doubters wrong.

I also hope that opposition players dont feel its necessary to sledge him about his mental health. If I were Langer Id be having a word with umpires to look out for it, mental health issues can be disabling, its not ok to take the p*ss out of it. Hopefully opposition players show some class and dont get personal with the comments.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I hope so too obviously, but isn't exposing psychological weakness what sledging is for. I remember IJLT copping some, not just on the pitch, but it being justified in interviews.

[yuppie]

He has had on going mental health problems which he is managing. I just hope the stress of playing for Australia does not make it worse.

I can be corrected by the Aussie contigent here, but I got the feeling that when him and Maxwell/Maddinson spoke out recently about their issues with mental health, it was unanimously respected with none of the players being judged in the press negatively and all getting the support they needed away from the spotlight. I think in his case, the proof is in the pudding; not many youngsters get a chance to walk away from selection citing health problems and get a second bite at the cherry very soon after. Got to respect the board for that, they believe in the player and have supported him and backed him, others would so often discriminate against it. Lets just hope if he wobbles a bit early doors the pundits wont drag his health issues up as the reason all the time.

We all love an underdog story, so I got my fingers crossed he does well and proves any doubters wrong.

I also hope that opposition players dont feel its necessary to sledge him about his mental health. If I were Langer Id be having a word with umpires to look out for it, mental health issues can be disabling, its not ok to take the p*ss out of it. Hopefully opposition players show some class and dont get personal with the comments.

I appears the ACB have got all this under control which is great to see. Their support of Maxwell and now Will from the outside looking in seems to have been handled exceptionally well.

I wonder if this has been bought about by such popular initiatives in Australia such as Beyond Blue. As a society it seems to be spoken about much more openly now, not something that was happening when i was growing up. Its great to see, and i for one think the ACB seem to be doing a fantastic job with this. Long may it continue.

[alfie]

Not sure they will actually introduce Pucovski just yet. Not because of his mental health issues ; but the fact that he has had multiple concussions and no actual cricket since his most recent one , only a short time ago. I suspect this is the first step in easing him back , getting him back in the squad , working with the top class bowling in the nets etc.

There is some evidence he has a problem with the short pitched ball and he'd be certain to cop a barrage from the Indian pace men first up. Given the rather well balanced situation of the series and Australia's top order problems I think they are more likely not to risk him straight away : more likely retaining Wade at the top with Warner (or possibly recalling Harris and moving Wade back down the order at the expense of Head)

If they are looking to blood Pucovski in this series I think it more likely to be in Brisbane - depending on how the batting performs in Sydney. He's still very young ; they see him as a long term prospect - there is really no rush.

[sussexpob]

I hope so too obviously, but isn't exposing psychological weakness what sledging is for. I remember IJLT copping some, not just on the pitch, but it being justified in interviews.

The art of sledging is trying to disrupt someone's concentration, there is no need to resort to cheap or insulting language that targets specifically someone's mental health. Australia didnt know Trott was ill, they just seen a guy who appeared to be struggling with the gravity of a fierce sporting contest and went after that to exploit it. I would like to think if they knew the truth at the time, they wouldnt have behaved that way because there would be no need. A player with deep problems doesnt really need a push. I cant speak for Trott, but my guess would be his problems were totally parallel to what was going on around him and maybe didnt contribute to it much. I guess that sort of thing is deeply subjective though. The real issue was Trott played in a culture that put him out on the field when he should not have been there. Id like to think in a short time we have become better at dealing with this issues, and that players now in his situation could stand up and say "I am not well enough to play", even if thats in the middle of a game and is to the detriment of his teams result.

You can draw a clear line. The umpires should be looking very deeply at what is going on and can anyone who drifts into comments of a discriminatory measure. By all means try to get in his head, but not by bringing up personal issues like those discussed.

[Arthur Crabtree]

The word Australian players used a lot about Trott at the time was that he was 'weak'. Maybe there's a grey area between frailty and disability.

I think it's likely things have moved on a bit since then as you say.

That was a particularly hostile series. The Australian team for a long time have talked like they own 'the line' between what is and isn't acceptable. So maybe it's essential they change their attitudes in order for everyone to do it.

[bigfluffylemon]

I appears the ACB have got all this under control which is great to see. Their support of Maxwell and now Will from the outside looking in seems to have been handled exceptionally well.

I wonder if this has been bought about by such popular initiatives in Australia such as Beyond Blue. As a society it seems to be spoken about much more openly now, not something that was happening when i was growing up. Its great to see, and i for one think the ACB seem to be doing a fantastic job with this. Long may it continue.

I agree. It's definitely becoming better handled now, although there is a way to go. If there is a silver lining to 2020, I think mental health issues in general have been given much more prominence than before.

[Durhamfootman]

Getting rid of Lehmann will have helped

[bigfluffylemon]

Looks as though there are new restrictions for Sydney, including crowd limitations and mask requirements. Sensible move, but I'm not sure if this is going to affect the test, and if it is, how they determine which people who bought a ticket can attend, and who has to miss out.