[benbsb29]

Kinda befitting that Cummins gets Rohit to edge a catch as his miserable innings continues. Gone for 9 runs.

EDIT: Now Rahul goes for a duck! Cummins leading from the front as a captain should.

[NPV]

Australia have India on the mat, firmly in control of the game after Cummins gets both openers Rohit and Rahul, India reeling at 25/2! Would be a miracle even if we save the game from here on.

Regardless of the result, if it isn’t curtains down for Rohit as a player and captain in Tests after this game, I have absolutely no confidence in the selection committee and BCCI as a whole, they’ve done a huge disservice to Indian cricket.

[AtheK]

Rohit sharma should directly go to airport from here such a shameless, self centered player. Pathetic.

KL Rahul being KL always failing in crunch situations.

[benbsb29]

Now Kohli gone for 5! Score at 3/33.
Predictions from here?

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Now Kohli gone for 5! Score at 3/33.
Predictions from here?

It’s a loss and Australia is heading to the WTC final. Even if India bounce back strongly in the last test, clearly Australia is the much better team to qualify; and they have the Sri Lanka series to improve their points.

Something seems off since second half of this year with the Indian team. They don’t seem to be the powerhouse that they were earlier.


Edit: I’ll probably put my neck out and predict that either Kohli or Rohit are going to follow Ashwin and quit international cricket after this series. My money is on Kohli between the two.

[Col Mehta]

Disappointing first session! Any chance of winning this one is gone now. Even a draw seems to be difficult from here. At least two batsmen would really have to grind and apply themselves to save this game.

Australia were just brilliant with the ball with Cummins deserves a lot of praise, he is ever so relentless and comes good almost everytime with the bat too. Definitely player of the series for me so far (along with Bumrah).

[sharkashwa]

I have never seen such clear writing on the wall for any player and yet them being persisted with. There were always questions on Kohli not being able to resist driving outside the off stump corridor and Sharma not being adept at test cricket captaincy. But the last two test matches (starting from Adelaide) have been so clear in exposing these chinks. It is disheartening (almost irritating at this point) to see someone get out the same freaking way in their last 10 test innings. It's almost as if the bowlers draw straws on who gets to get Kohli outside the off stump rather than making any sort of plans. I mean, a 21 and a 24 year old resisted all urges to not give their wicket away for almost two whole sessions yesterday and here is the "King" who couldn't resist driving an across delivery from Starc knowing full well that the Lunch break is coming up - I can't make up this stuff. Such antics would have gotten me an earful from my coach and a whole lot of bench warming.
The less said about Rohit's captaincy and batting the better, the man has looked clueless since the starting from the New Zealand drubbing in India. Yet he has the audacity to talk about bowlers not stepping up to support Bumrah. Irony much? The amount of dead weight in carrying Sharma in the side is so obvious - can't last a session without getting out, can't field anywhere else except at slip or at covers, an abhorrent attitude towards missed chances (not ideal when the team is in a transition phase and has youngsters looking up to you) and obviously cannot bowl. What is he doing in the side?
Both these cricketers have lost their hunger and their commitment towards the game, they're sold out at this point and the only way to see if the spark still remains is to ask them to go back to domestic cricket.
Talking about predictions, I think it all depends on Pant's approach in the post lunch session. If he is bent to committing Hara-Kiri even in this innings then I predict India folding up in the post tea session with around 200 on the board. I would love to hear differing opinions.

Shark

[Vinod_nair]

Originally Posted by AtheK

Rohit sharma should directly go to airport from here such a shameless, self centered player. Pathetic.

KL Rahul being KL always failing in crunch situations.

Both Rohit and Virat should be sent to Christmas Island for rehab, and doing guard duty Gautam Gambhir.

This innings will fold around tea.

[padmrajravi]

I am still hopeful of a draw. Effectively, we are 33/1 not 33/3 . Nobody expects anything from those two anyway. I think if Jaiswal and Pant can hold out the next session, we can still save this.

[Asish_VK]

Disappointed with the approach from team India. Even a 'keyboard coach' like me know that if we go to a shell and defend too much to draw the match, wickets are definitely going to fall and we will loose the match eventually.

And how time have changed! We used to expect 200/300 (ODI), 100/200 (T20) in every match from Rohit. Now even a 2 digit score seems not an expectation! I feel bad for him.

[SoumenD]

Rohit & Kohli are as excited as us to watch Jaiswal, NKR and gang play, so they didn’t waste time on the pitch and let the actual batters takeover.

If they are shameful enough not to step down themselves, selectors should intervene and do the needful. Kohli for the 1000th time got out the exact same way.

And its even more important for Rohit to go as he almost burned out Bumrah.

For the final match Bumrah should takeover captaincy, RoKo should be rested(to put it mildly) and bring in anybody available in their place.

[Bibendum90949]

Kohli since 2021 leaves 30% of the deliveries from pacers, yet he can be seduced into his favourite cover drive anytime of the day.

At the other end, we've a young Jaiswal who's just started off his test journey showing excellent restraint contrary to his natural attacking style of play. He was just heeding to the team's needs and clear instructions of reaching lunch safely and surely.

Two massive contrasts there.

Now it looks like the young guns have to get their defensive A game out to save this for us. I really love to see Jaiswal shepherding us to safe shores today and that would be a massive fillip to his test bio and keeps the team in great stead in the long term. I remember once Sehwag blocked all day to save a game for us. It's just a matter of applying oneself to the task at hand.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by AtheK

KL Rahul being KL always failing in crunch situations.

Add Kohli to the list, never dependable in a fourth inning chase, and he’s someone who loves the pressure and takes it to the opposition!

[Asish_VK]

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

us. I really love to see Jaiswal shepherding us to safe shores today and that would be a massive fillip to his test bio and keeps the team in great stead in the long term.

After all those dropped catches (which I think made the lead too big to chase down), it's kind of his responsibility to make sure India don't loose the match

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by Asish_VK

And how time have changed! We used to expect 200/300 (ODI), 100/200 (T20) in every match from Rohit. Now even a 2 digit score seems not an expectation! I feel bad for him.

If an ODI is played tomorrow, Rohit would most likely score a century. This is because ODI pitches and rules differ significantly from Test cricket. While Rohit barely manages to perform in Tests at home, he clearly lacks the skill and temperament required to succeed in Tests in SENA countries. The unfortunate reality is that he's the captain this time - there's no hiding from the scene.