[VWAllstar]

There will be a lot of noise and hardly any action on the behaviour of Australian Players today. Lot many Poms have already started commenting and ridiculing the attitude. Personally lost some respect for Smith. However there can be a second side of the story. He usually shadow bats everywhere and sometimes unaware of things/ actions he does. Though this now looks like the only justification he may have. Best of luck to him, Paine and Langer!

[harry10]

Yes, that Gambhir innings remains the top tier effort to draw a match outside India. I will still rate this higher as this was a collective team effort to make sure this happens.

When you see a Jadeja all padded up to come and bat if the wicket falls inspite of having a fractured thumb and been out for 6 weeks it uplifts the team morale tremendously. I have batted with an injured thumb which wasn't even fractured and let me tell you it's horribly tough to hold the bat in right position let alone play. Even Pant batted with painkiller injection. Ashwin had a bad back. Vihari did his hamstring. Still, the resilience prevailed. Can't ask more from them.

Wade's stupid throwdowns at Vihari, Paine's lame comments on Ashwin and to top of it all Steve Smith's scruffing of Pant's guard took the shine away from this brillant match a little. It also showed nothing has changed in Aussie culture once they realize they are losing. All that 'The Test' miniseries and Paine being held as someone who has brought better behaviour in the team was simply an eye wash. Smith may go down having the best average after Bradman in test cricket but he will never be spoken of in the same league of greats like Richards, Sachin, Bradman, Lara etc..

I think we have done whatever we could with whatever resources we had till now. If we manage to draw or win at Gabba this series will be hailed as the greatest in SENA.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Eddy - well done. You did not jinx the team by watching the match. Without you, it would not have been possible.

Same! I barely watched 10mins of play after the Lunch session while having my breakfast at home. Thereafter just checked the score thrice in the next 4 1/2hrs while immersing myself with work in office.
Just need 1 last huge effort from the team now at the Gabba.

[AtheK]

Ishant Sharma*(whole series).*Mohammed Shami*(three Tests).*Virat Kohli*(three Tests).*Umesh Yadav*(two Tests).*Ravindra Jadeja*(most likely, one-and-a-half Tests).*Hanuma Vihari*(most likely, one Test). Rishabh Pant (at least half a Test).*Rohit Sharma*(two Tests).*KL Rahul*(not close to the playing XI but out of the series).*R Ashwin*has tweaked his back too.*Cheteshwar Pujara*is playing with a hand injury sustained in the nets. This is the known list of injuries suffered by the Indian team on the tour to Australia.

Everybody is sick of the bio-bubbles and Covid-19 restrictions. They have been away from home for close to five months. A man has missed his father's funeral, another the birth of his child. A third made it to the birth of his child only because he got injured. They are asking you not to leave your floor in your hotel. You perhaps know the bigger picture. You perhaps know you are the fortunate ones to still have a lucrative job. Yet it can get to you after this long.

The only thing left to do then is to just go out and play the cricket, the only place where you can be free. There, too, is a random racist bloke in the stands calling you names.

Beautiful Writeup, might make you teary eyed!!

[landcruiser123]

Incredible effort from India, this was unreal. One of the best draws I've seen - especially considering the situation in the series w.r.t injuries.

Paine should shut his gob and focus on catching. Just doesn't stop his nonsense from behind the wicket.

[AtheK]

Bumrah out of 4th test due to abdominal strain, this tour just keeps getting worse. So our bowling will be led by two match old in gabba, one of the fastest pitches. Hopefully batsman stand up in the last game.

[jkrishnakj]

This means, we will have Siraj, Saini and Natarajan as our quicks - wow, a cumulative 3 Test's experience between them, leading the attack in a very fast pitch.

Is Kuldeep Yadav part of the tour?

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

Disappointed with Smith. For all his remorse at the last cheating scandal and he was at his tricks again today? Removing Pant's batting guard mark!

Really really disappointing. He should be permanently stripped from the lists of all time greats. Honour is non-negotiable.

For what its worth it is kind of silly because a batsmen would usually take guard again after a break or even for different bowlers. Given how quirky a character Smith is even when is he batting, and he doesnt even know he is being quirky, I tend to agree that he was just shadow batting

https://au.sports.yahoo.com/australi...004444684.html

As for tricks, do remember that Pant claimed a clear dropped catch yet I see no one talking about it or making him a villain.

[KPR]

Going by the current video footages available it is always better to bring in surprises for teams like Australia who go by a lot of homework. Surprise new comers like Natarajan, Siraj can become match winners on early days of their career itself. I always felt that the young lad Bishnoi should've been in the squad across all formats as a surprise spinner.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

.

Is Kuldeep Yadav part of the tour?

I think I saw him in the pavilion during one of the matches.

But this is getting funnier by the day. When did Bumrah get injured?

If it goes this way we may not have a full squad to field.

[jkrishnakj]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

... I tend to agree that he was just shadow batting

https://au.sports.yahoo.com/australi...004444684.html

As for tricks, do remember that Pant claimed a clear dropped catch yet I see no one talking about it or making him a villain.

Shadow batting - I don't think its an issue or anyone has a problem in that. He does it very often. The question back to Paine is - How often has he seen Steve scrap the marks ? Is that something that he does too ? The way he rubs off the marks with his right foot certainly makes it feel that it was deliberate. That's where the real issue is, not about his shadow batting.

[SoumenD]

With Bumrah as well ruled out now, only experienced bowler in the team would be Ashwin and Gabba is known to be a pace friendly track IIRC. Our pace attack would be comprising of absolute freshers in a series decider. Is it good enough to bowl out the Aussies twice?

I don’t remember when was the last time any team had such a injury prone series. And not to forget Aussies will continue to fire those deadly bouncers to tail-enders & might end up injuring a few more during the match. Half the team is ruled out due to injuries which really questions the fitness level isn’t it?

[AtheK]

Another blow, mayank is also Injured. So shaw will get a game too.

[y448]

With Bumrah ruled out and Vihari, Ashwin, Pujara(injured finger but mostly will play) who are nursing injuries also get ruled out then India might hardly have 11 players left and can add add net bowler Tyagi to the squad as 12th man but there will no one who can come in as concussion sub if a batsman gets hit!!

Is there a minimum squad strength needed for playing a test match? If yes, India might not be able to play the 4th test

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

For what its worth it is kind of silly because a batsmen would usually take guard again after a break or even for different bowlers. Given how quirky a character Smith is even when is he batting, and he doesnt even know he is being quirky, I tend to agree that he was just shadow batting

I have immense respect for Smith, the batting talent and powerhouse batsman that he is. No question about that.

However, I have 0 respect for him - the cricketer.

1) Sandpapergate has ensured that an up-and-coming batsman in Bancroft is potentially sidelined for the rest of his career.

2) Brainfadegate was another example of Smith displaying abject unsportsmanlike behaviour.

3) Batsmanguardgate - sorry this is the last straw. While I completely buy his story that he was shadowbatting, and even buy his story that he wanted to strategise with Lyon (when it was rightly pointed out that he attempted to shadowbat during the 4th innings of a test match), I don’t see how removing a batsman’s guard with so much enthusiasm and vigor is essential while shadowbatting.

The guy may have the talent and ability to challenge Sir Bradman’s records, but he will never be spoken of in the same breath as the great Don for his unsportsmanlike attitude.

Also, notice how Paine was quick to address the allegations against Smith but is yet to speak out against the appalling racism meted out to Siraj and the rest of the team at the SCG.

EDIT: When I watched Smith’s press conference in 2018, addressing the controversy surrounding sandpapergate, he visibly choked up and some of us sensed a genuineness in his apology. However, when I watched the same press conference again yesterday, it seemed about as fake as his brain fade cover up. Sorry, Smith. You may be one of the modern greats but you are toxic and you do not deserve the big stage.