[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Regardless of our slow batting rate, we should race quickly to ~450 target and get the Aussie team to bat for atleast 10 overs; given their state, there is a strong potential to get in a few wickets for sure!

You were 70% there. Aus got 7 overs to bat.
From my armchair, it seems as if the declaration came as an afterthought. If they had planned it better, the tonking could have started a few overs earlier. That could have given us perhaps 20 more runs and a few overs more to bowl today.

We need someone to do a Boult in each innings. Except for Kane Williamson not getting a hundred, that match is going well in the 3rd innings. They lead by 300+ with 8 wickets in hand and 3 days play left!
For the second half today, I am waiting for SA to build a decent lead with their lower order and then get Pak out.

What a nice couple of days for test cricket, except for that pitch in the MCG. Which I hope starts getting some life tomorrow.

[NPV]

Awesome bowling by Bumrah helped dismiss Australia for 151.
If Kohli had enforced the follow on it would have been a great moral and mental victory but I guess he wanted to rest the bowlers a bit especially Bumrah.
Hope that our batting is decent and solid in the second innings.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by NPV

Awesome bowling by Bumrah helped dismiss Australia for 151.
If Kohli had enforced the follow on it would have been a great moral and mental victory but I guess he wanted to rest the bowlers a bit especially Bumrah.
Hope that our batting is decent and solid in the second innings.

Yes.

And i guess he did not want to entertain any prospect of batting again on the fifth day!! Although, the way India picked up wickets, I guess we would have got an innings victory had we enforced follow on.
But this has been the case. Of late very few captains enforce follow on.

[Oxy]

Should have enfirced the follow on. There is 60% chances of rain tomorrow and 80% on day 5 as per the weather forecast.

[swissknife]

I suspect that this match may end up being a draw rather than a victory for India. The forecast for rain may help the Aussies escape.

On the other hand, if Aus gets to bat before lunch tomorrow, there could be a chance for a win for India.

[NPV]

India struggling at 30-3, hope this doesn't end in an unexpected Aussie magical victory

Now 4 down!!!

[Oxy]

India 30/3 in the second innings as I type. Vihari, Pujara and Kohli back in the hut.

This could get interesting if the rain stays away.

Edit: 32/4 now. Rahane gone as well.

[Chetan_Rao]

Australia don't look like they can chase down 400. Time is the crucial bit, India have wasted a session scoring 50-5 when they could've easily had Australia in a similar position and a near-certain innings defeat at close of play.

Getting external factors in play when they could've kept this in their own hands, questionable tactics.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Getting external factors in play when they could've kept this in their own hands, questionable tactics.

This would be a very bad miss (decision to not enforce the follow on) if Australia go on to win or even eke out a draw with some help from the rain gods! , fingers crossed for a positive ending for us in this test (which should be a win).

[Eddy]

The follow on decision had equal merits for and against. I guess it boiled down to the tiredness of the bowlers.

I think Pant & Sir Jadeja will bat like they normally do and we will declare at 130-140 before lunch tomorrow.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by Eddy

The follow on decision had equal merits for and against. I guess it boiled down to the tiredness of the bowlers.

I think Pant & Sir Jadeja will bat like they normally do and we will declare at 130-140 before lunch tomorrow.

Well its hard to fathom that bowlers got tired in 2 sessions!

I think we wont reach 140 before lunch tomorrow. It may take little after lunch for that score, unless we end up getting All Out

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by vibbs

Well its hard to fathom that bowlers got tired in 2 sessions!

Workload management. Plus I heard Gavaskar say on air that Bumrah is not a 100%. That is worrying.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by Eddy

The follow on decision had equal merits for and against. I guess it boiled down to the tiredness of the bowlers.

+1 to this.
Plus to add there could be other factors; the willingness of the bowlers to do another session of 80-100 overs, and yet be effective enough is a call that only the team can take; none of us arm-chair experts can.

Overall it's a call that was taken, and the result is unfortunately not the one that everyone hoped for. Still, a 350+ score is an extremely fighting score on this ground, and even better with regards to the current state of the pitch.

As Clarke was mentioning, the Aussies will be praying for rain - the only savior to get the match to a draw. All other scenarios (as per him); even one where the rest 5 wickets fold up fast are against the Australian team.

I think Pant & Sir Jadeja will bat like they normally do and we will declare at 130-140 before lunch tomorrow.

I seriously doubt it. My guess - we'll fold for 90-100 with some drag from one or two of the tailenders. Still it'll be a fighting score.


Irrespective of the current situation, I'm happy with one key outcome of this game - we seem to have figured out one sensible opener; even if only for the time being. If Shaw makes the cut during the next series, I hope we have a good working pair ready for next year.

Edit: I hope others are paying attention to the other matches going on; both the SA vs Pak and NZ vs SL matches have been quite eventful with the visiting teams giving a good fight to the hosts!

[strawhat]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

I hope others are paying attention to the other matches going on; both the SA vs Pak and NZ vs SL matches have been quite eventful with the visiting teams giving a good fight to the hosts!

SA vs PAK yes. The Centurion test largely looks even stevens. But SL are absolutely getting rolled by NZ. NZ is our next destination.

Our own situation in Melbourne looks a lot more positive. I don't think rain, although a factor, will last long going by the weather forecast. We will at least get a couple of sessions at Australia. All the Aussies can hope for is a draw. A win can be ruled out even if we somehow fold at this score. ~350 seems like an almost impossible target to chase especially on such a slow scoring surface and with the odd ball keeping low. If Bumrah can extract venom like he did, no chance for the Aus.

[Chetan_Rao]

Are there fitness concerns for the bowlers? Bumrah was reportedly off the field for a while before his final spell, and he'll need some managing not just for the remainder of this test but the next one too. He's by far the best of the strike bowler bunch.

Mayank Agarwal certainly looks the part in the opener slot, hopefully gets an extended run.