[rks]

From cricinfo:

Kumble to Ponting, no run, ripper, the ball pitching on middle and leg and ripping back past the outside edge, beating Ponting who sort-of popped the bat as he squared into it

Looks ominous for Australia. That is also why Bhajji would have been a useful guy to have around in the fourth innings, with the pitch offering some help.

You can expect the Aussies to be aggressive and fight to the last man. It will be tough for India, but I hope they pull off the win.

[ntomer]

Australia 65/2 at the stumps. The bug 5 still standing. Tomorrow's first session gonna be super crucial. If we get 2-3 wickets it'll put immense pressure on aussies. If they are able to score 100 runs without losing any wickets, the game will be theirs.

\N

[diabloo]

Agreed Bhajji might be useful. But who will he replace?

Originally Posted by rks

Looks ominous for Australia. That is also why Bhajji would have been a useful guy to have around in the fourth innings, with the pitch offering some help.

[snaronikar]

Originally Posted by ntomer

Australia 65/2 at the stumps. The bug 5 still standing. Tomorrow's first session gonna be super crucial. If we get 2-3 wickets it'll put immense pressure on aussies. If they are able to score 100 runs without losing any wickets, the game will be theirs.

\N

Aussies have never played well if opposition puts in pressure. Lets hope this will happen this time too.

[suman]

OK guys, I will go out on a limb & make a prediction here - India are going to win this one

[snaronikar]

Originally Posted by suman

OK guys, I will go out on a limb & make a prediction here - India are going to win this one

YEEAAAHHH!!! Well said astrologer (oops suman)cheers:

[maddy42]

Well seems like guys who can swing and spin the ball are critical for us now. They should make every person in the team who can spin to bowl tommorow. Who knows they may get trapped by anyone.

[rks]

Originally Posted by diabloo

Agreed Bhajji might be useful. But who will he replace?

Right now the case is very clear for Bhajji to come into the team in place of Jaffer. I believe that Bhajji will contribute usefully with the bat in the lower order, in fact, more usefully than Jaffer. But unfortunately that change would also mean asking Dravid to open the innings, which Gary Kirsten, the team coach, does not want. I don't think Kumble has the clout to push through the idea of Dravid opening against the coach's wishes.

Plus India would have to take the bold step of playing with one batsman less. Our senior batsmen would oppose this move for various reasons, one of them being protecting their own turf. But think about it. We have played three Tests now with virtually no contribution from Jaffer. It wouldn't hurt our batting to drop him and bring in Bhajji.

I think it is definitely possible for Karthik to be brought back instead of Jaffer. Then I don't know how Bhajji can be accomodated, unless Kumble decides to dump Ishant Sharma. I would like Ishant to be in the team as he has the pace and movement to trouble the Aussies.

Edit: I sincerely hope the seniors do not push Kumble into sending Pathan to the opening slot. Pathan should stick to batting in the lower order, where he can make a valuable contribution.

[Surprise]

Originally Posted by rks

Edit: I sincerely hope the seniors do not push Kumble into sending Pathan to the opening slot. Pathan should stick to batting in the lower order, where he can make a valuable contribution.

I was about to type that. Yes he might be asked to do that

[rks]

Originally Posted by Surprise

I was about to type that. Yes he might be asked to do that

And that sort of treatment is precisely the reason why Pathan's confidence got destroyed previously. Imagine being sent back home from the West Indies, right in the middle of a tour. Ridiculous and disgraceful treatment given to an outstanding and promising young cricketer. His position in the batting order was chopped and changed for no rhyme or reason.

Now that Pathan is showing signs of establishing himself again as an all-rounder, I hope Kumble has the good sense to get the most out of him. I think Kumble's captaincy has been outstanding so far and he should put his foot down and insist that Pathan should be given a stable position as a lower-order batsman.

To be fair to Kumble, I think Pathan might have volunteered to be night-watchman in this Test and the move did work. But I wouldn't want Pathan to be sacrificed in this manner in future.

[diabloo]

Case of Dravid:
Dravid is best suited for No 3 to 6 and ill-suited for opening. Whats important is he doesn't like it. Agreed in few matches he has to come early at the fall of a wicket. But that doesn't mean he likes opening. If 2 wickets fall early, No 4 has to come to the crease and that doesn't mean that No 4 will wants to open the innings.
Note: With Hayden not playing, Ponting could have opened the innings for Australia. That would have added experience at the opening slot. Why didn't he do it?

Case of Bhajji:
Bhajji, apart from claiming Ponting wicket, doesn't have much overseas peformance to show to make him part of playing 11, outside India. Will he be useful tomorrow - we can only speculate endlessly. But if current bowlers can claim all the 10 wickets, then what is the need of Bhajji? How can one be sure including him will be useful? He was in the team in Melbourne & Sydney, and India lost !

Case of Pathan:
If Pathan can come No 3, play well, why can't he open the innings? Between Dravid & Pathan, Dravid is more accomplished batsman & capable of scoring more runs. Hence we should protect Dravid. Thats not the case with Pathan. If he clicks, its a bonus. BTW, if Pathan does well with bat, but if his bowling is gone, he will be out of the team.

The current team playing the Perth test is perfect 11 for overseas matches. Only thing I suggest is rotation of bowlers like Zeheer comes in place of RP Singh for some matches.

Note: About 'Clout in the team'
Decisions are taken in the best interest of the team. Team member doesn't 'need a clout' to enforce a suggestion. If the suggestion is good for the team then it will be enforced. I am sorry but I have to tell that the world has moved on from the times that team member 'needed a clout' in the team to be heard & respected.

Originally Posted by rks

• Right now the case is very clear for Bhajji to come into the team in place of Jaffer.
• But unfortunately that change would also mean asking Dravid to open the innings, which Gary Kirsten, the team coach, does not want.
• I don't think Kumble has the clout to push through the idea of Dravid opening against the coach's wishes.
• I sincerely hope the seniors do not push Kumble into sending Pathan to the opening slot. Pathan should stick to batting in the lower order, where he can make a valuable contribution.

[Surprise]

MM: And if Australia are to go onto to win their 17th Test on the trot, who's going to be crucial for them?
Ian Chappel: Oh, no doubt about it - Ponting is going to have to play a big innings. In fact, the partnership that is at the crease at the moment [between Ponting and Michael Hussey], has to be a big one for Australia if they have to go on and win this game. You don't want to be leaving too many runs to the bottom-half of the order despite the fact that [Adam] Gilchrist has shown a bit of form in the first innings.
When you're chasing a big target, you find a lot of times that when the target is achieved, it is achieved with not a lot of wickets down. That's because, to settle things down, you need a big partnership early in the innings. It's preferable if you get it right at top from the openers, but Australia haven't got a good start and so they need this partnership now from Ponting and Hussey.

Its very important that we remove Ponting before he scores his half century and settles down for a big score tomorrow to guide the aussies ship to the shore

MM: Ravi quickly - India or Australia?
Ravi Shastri: India, either side of tea.

@rks, shastri shares your view of Aussies missing Hogg very badly

[rks]

Originally Posted by diabloo

Note: About 'Clout in the team'
Decisions are taken in the best interest of the team. Team member doesn't 'need a clout' to enforce a suggestion. If the suggestion is good for the team then it will be enforced. I am sorry but I have to tell that the world has moved on from the times that team member 'needed a clout' in the team to be heard & respected.

Re: Clout.
Wake up and smell the coffee. This is India. And any captain needs clout to overrule his coach. Ganguly regularly overruled John Wright. But Kumble will find it more difficult, given his nature and standing as a new captain.

1. Dravid looked quite comfortable opening in both Tests and got runs in the Sydney Test. Would have got many more but for Bucknor. Has said himself at the start of the series that he is not at all concerned about opening, which is a very minor adustment for him. Doesn't need any "protection" since he has been virtually opening in most of the matches he played.

Australia is a different case from India, no point in comparing them to us. They consider that they have good enough specialist openers to replace Hayden. We don't have that luxury.

2. Look at Bhajji's performances with bat and ball Sydney Test. 61 runs in first innings, 4 wickets in the match. Extremely important peformance. Compare to Jaffer.

3. Pathan is a genuine all-rounder. His performances with bat and ball are valuable for the team. If he doesn't contribute with ball in one match, but makes up for that with bat, that is just fine and good enough for him to retain his place in the team. He should not be sent to open because he is a lower-order batsman and also needs some rest after bowling.

Pathan needs to be treated like the valuable player that he is. It was disgraceful that under Dravid's captaincy, he was sent back home in the middle of a tour (West Indies). Hope Kumble never permits that kind of nonsense to prevail.

[ntomer]

Ponting looks in ominous touch; and Hussey too is playing well. If we don't dislodge this partnership soon, it'll trouble us.

I was reading the aussie newpapers today morning, no commentator have ruled them out yet.

\N

[khaadu75]

Originally Posted by ntomer

Ponting looks in ominous touch; and Hussey too is playing well. If we don't dislodge this partnership soon, it'll trouble us.

I was reading the aussie newpapers today morning, no commentator have ruled them out yet.

\N

There is NO WAY u can rule them out as of now ..... We need both these guys and that too QUICKLY or else they could chase it down . They ain't in any sort of hurry as plenty of time in hand ,

Why aint Pathan bowling this morning ... or did I miss his spell ???