Team-BHP - The Cricket Thread

It's 21 years since the famous Adelaide win and the partnership that turned it around. India were tottering at 85/4 when VVS walked in to join RD.

I'm sure Gills Pants and Jaiswals would carry forward this legacy.

But there's so much romance in India's test cricket of yesteryears. This combo was surely a Very Very Special one, two finest gentlemen of the game who took the Kangaroos to the cleaners more than once. Still get goosebumps reminiscing Kolkata and Adelaide.

Both these fine human beings are giving it back to the game too, in a big way. Salute to this duo and we're blessed to have witnessed these two class acts.

I think we should stop entertaining thoughts of a WTC Final! A rain curtailed Test ending in a draw would help India as far as this Test Series is concerned. The only good thing from India's point of view with the rain around could be the moisture buildup in the pitch which could help the likes of AkashDeep. I don't think we have seen enough of this pitch to predict how it will behave on Day 5!

Looking at our recent batting form, we need about 4 sessions to be bowled out twice!
That leaves Australia with 11 sessions of which 2 were lost today due to rain.
If our batting continues in the current form and we do have play from Day 2 onwards, Australia can still go on to win and make it 2-1.

Most of our recent losses have been one sided wins for the opposition with our batting failing miserably, while our wins have been games where we've come back from the dead (like a bad first inning). I'm scared every time our Test team begins batting! Talk about a fragile batting line up and this is it.

Day 3,4&5 of this test are also NOT looking promising as per the weather forecast. A few sessions may be lost to rain. Wish we had retractable roof stadiums like in Wimbledon or may be in AO. BCCI ain’t poor to do that.

Only Tomorrow will have proper play, and the 5th day - Wednesday where it says only 50% chance.

So overall maybe 7-10 sessions of play possible to force a result, which is still possible given both teams weak batting lineup and with overcast playing conditions.

So let’s see how this test pans out.

From 51/3, Travis Head and Steve Smith have survived a few close calls but have effectively blunted out the Indian bowling and taken Australia to a position of command at 233/3 with Head getting his century and Smith on 65. We aren’t going anywhere near a win in this Test, in fact it’s going to be a miracle if we save this game (without support from lost play due to weather)!

At Tea - 234/3

Another test another “Head”ache for India !!

What a poor display of captaincy, bowling with no plans and erratic field placements. What else can Rohit be exposed to !!

Why on earth Akashdeep was left out for the first 2 tests, I fail to understand. He looks miles ahead of Rana. How long we can keep talent out to create some unwanted balance.

Looks like only weather gods can save India.

If Mr. Useless Sharma isn't sacked after this series I will be highly surprised. It isn't a coincidence since he came back the team lost last test and look utterly clueless this game as well. He even Brought Marnus and Smith back into some form.

With rain playing it's part for next 3 days, if Indian batters show some spine this can be a draw as winning it looks out of picture right now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by harry10 (Post 5894190)

He even dropped a sharp chance of Head!

Well, all of the social media cricket experts, BCCI, Sourav Ganguly and others made such a hue and cry of Kohli’s Test captaincy and batted their hearts out for Rohit as captain and the results are here to see!

Quote:

Originally Posted by harry10 (Post 5894190)

With rain playing it's part for next 3 days, if Indian batters show some spine this can be a draw as winning it looks out of picture right now.

Winning? Lol. Even if three sessions of play is possible over the next 3 days, we will find a way to lose this test. That is how fragile our batting is.

Saving this test from here would be sheer miracle.

Man this match is so similar to the WTC finals. Even in that game, Head & Smith had a 250+ run partnership when Australia were 3 down for not a lot.

Our bowling apart from Bumrah and maybe Akashdeep has looked toothless. Australia seem to be on course to easily get 500. This is a proper pasting, we just don't have any answers to Head. It's a Sad Sunday to be an Indian cricket fan.

Edit: Bumrah's one man show continues as he sends back Smith & Marsh & Head with the second new ball. Come on Akashdeep, it's your birthday, take a hat-trick!!

Edit 2: I also think playing Jaddu over Ash/ Washi was a defensive decision that's proving wrong. Both Ash & Washi are 6ft+ and are more adept using bounce than Jaddu. Washi is also in better batting form.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NPV (Post 5894198)

Well, all of the social media cricket experts, BCCI, Sourav Ganguly and others made such a hue and cry of Kohli’s Test captaincy and batted their hearts out for Rohit as captain and the results are here to see!

It's high time we stop giving the likes of Ganguly any relevance. If you ask him today who is the best spinner in India, his answer would be Harbhajan Singh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shumi_21 (Post 5894219)

I also think playing Jaddu over Ash/ Washi was a defensive decision that's proving wrong. Both Ash & Washi are 6ft+ and are more adept using bounce than Jaddu. Washi is also in better batting form.

The most surprising selection was Jadeja in this Gabba Test! Looks like they want to try out on all the spinners 1 by 1 in every Test. Nobody is really expecting the sole spinner to take wickets but atleast they should bowl tight. Jadeja has leaked runs at 4.8rpo ! On the other hand, Ashwin with the pink ball was economical with 3rpo. Sundar didn't bowl that many long spells at Perth. Hope Jadeja comes good with the bat now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NomadSK (Post 5894186)

Why on earth Akashdeep was left out for the first 2 tests, I fail to understand. He looks miles ahead of Rana.

AkashDeep played those NZ Tests & has far more experience at the domestic level, he ideally should have played ahead of Siraj based on form alone. Siraj has only bowled well in patches this tour, but he has been consistently leaking runs at over 4rpo! In the bowling setup, its all Bumrah or nothing!

Quote:

Originally Posted by PPS (Post 5894314)

The most surprising selection was Jadeja in this Gabba Test!

Jadeja is a defensive pick as the management doesn't have much confidence in the top 7 to get enough runs. If Jadeja is picked for his batting, then he might as well play in place of Rohit or Kohli. Ashwin bowled well to Head in Adelaide and would have had him too if Siraj didn't misjudge a skier. He should've played as the spinner here too.

Rohit was poor with his decision making today, although the wayward bowling from everyone except Bumrah may have forced his hand. It also resulted in Bumrah bowling 25 overs out of the 101 overs Australia have played upto now.

One can overlook the defensive tactics to Head due to bad bowling, but Rohit has to manage Bumrah better, there's no way Jasprit will last all 5 tests he's bowling for a quarter of the innings!

I just hope our batters show some semblance of pride and not let this tremendous effort from Bumrah go to waste.

The problem with Rohit is that once a partnership starts to build up, he becomes clueless and doesn't know what to do. Dhoni was exactly the same type of captain in tests.

These guys just lack the attention span and the ability to win crucial moments in the longer formats. Just compare Bumrah's bowling changes in Perth to Rohit's in Adelaide or Brisbane and you will know the difference.