Team-BHP - The Cricket Thread

So India all out for 150 in first innings, they could only play 2 sessions after choosing to bat, wow really, when historically it’s the best wicket to bat on first day. Anyway not many runs on board unless bowlers do some magic.

Jaiswal - poor shot expansive selection at the start, thanks T-20

KL - super unlucky, for a change he looked compact and good leaving the balls outside his zone

Paddikal - looked clueless for the balls he faced, would have been bowled or LBW to Starc way before his miseries ended.

Kholi - got a snotter, but he’s to blame to poke at all the balls and not let them go.

Jurel - although the ball was angled in and he had to play but the habit of playing with angle bat won’t help down under, basic flaw playing too much on Indian pitches. Will learn with time.

Sundar - simply an atrocious shot selection, such a clear nick/edge. Keep poking !!

Pant - can’t say anything, that’s Pant’s Cricket but no way close to test cricket, but run on the board matters, love his grit to fight and take it to the opposition.

Reddy - looked compact, should have come above sundar, he was playing well behind the line, feet looked nimble, but with tailenders had to give up eventually.

Rest of the batsmen - can’t expect wonders from them.

All in all another poor test batting performance, except KL no one looked to dig in and grind out out.

On the other hand well oiled Aussie unit, they were right on their money, 50 overs and I could hardly see any 50 loose balls or even lesser and add to it the highest fielding standard.

It’s a catch up game from here on, the result is almost set, at the end India trailing 1-0.

Oh first over by Bumrah and already 3 loose deliveries to start with and please add miss fielding & Kohli’s catch drop to the miseries !!

Man, that dropped chance of Marnus stings. Could have had the Australians at 14/2, exposing Smith to the new ball which he hasn't played that well off late. Virat is having a howler of a day. Now would be a great time for Siraj to have one of his wicket clump spells.

Edit: Kohli holds on to a Khwaja edge off Bumrah & after that Jasprit gets Smith with a beautiful nip backer first ball. I screamed while sitting in office which most likely lead to a reprimand, but I really don't mind

If we get Head early, it's game on!

Edit 2: Harshit's first over was everything you'd expect from a fast bowler. Pace, bounce, movement making the batter uncomfortable and some words too. Exciting stuff!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shumi_21 (Post 5881232)

And on que, most news articles are calling Hazlewood's wicket ball to Kohli "unplayable".

Deja vu! Sachin used to face unplayable deliveries and got out—it’s the same story with Kohli now. That said, any other ordinary batsman might have left that delivery alone or positioned themselves better to send it racing to the boundary.

Meanwhile, the Indian captain is leading from the front, playing a true captain’s innings! If he gets decent support from the other end, a total of 150 should be more than enough :cool:.

Lot of discussion as to who will play the role of Pujara in the team on this tour! Based on the little that I saw today, KL seems most suited to play that role. There wasn't exaggerated seam movement but your first aim has to be to play out the first 20 overs & not be overtly defensive thereafter. But the question arises once Rohit & Gill are back where will you fit KL or even Jurel if he's in your scheme of things. Bumrah after a long time has bowled 6 overs on the trot. Our other bowlers need to show discipline & not get carried away. Perth as expected was going to be the most difficult pitch on this entire tour.

Quote:

Originally Posted by msdivy (Post 5881327)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shumi_21 (Post 5881337)

Kohli has been ordinary for the last few years, no?

Meanwhile Harshit bowls Head with a beauty! Game on now. Siraj needs to step up.

I wish to see a follow-on, now that AUS is at 38/5

Great bowling and fielding by India so far, Aus struggling at 38/5, hope we bundle them out for < 150, easier said than done.

Steve smith out Lbw to Bumrah, what a beauty of a ball first up! Almost unplayable.

I’ve always felt Smith could be out Lbw every ball he faces because of his high back lift and trigger movement across the stumps, but he somehow manages to get the bat down in time, not this time though :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunilch (Post 5881351)

I wish to see a follow-on, now that AUS is at 38/5

How ?
Unless India has at least 200 runs lead, Australia can’t be made to follow on! Impossible since we scored just 150.

Bumrah you beauty. He is showing what leading from the front with both intent & performance looks like clap:

SENA matches are usually tailor made for fast bowlers. And with Bumrah we have one of the best fast bowlers in world. Hope it rubs off to others as well. Harshit is having a dream debut for a fast bowler. And Siraj too won't get a better opportunity to get back some form.

Hope we are able to make a match out of this. :thumbs up

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtheK (Post 5881006)

I am more interested to see how our pace battery operates, we losing seems to be the most favorable opinion, and seems that is how it will end, but can our bowlers rattle Aussie batsman!!

Absolutely loving it till now, just hope we can keep on it and clean the tail, one of our nemesis of recent times.

Once again bowlers keeping us in the game while batsmen just come out for a stroll in the park.

17 wickets on day one and no one talking about pitch? It would have been a major talking point for a subcontinent pitch.