[jigar]

Originally Posted by shipnil

I think the 3 tests are going to take place in Chennai, which is a typical subcontinental track and not like Mohali which behaves like a SENA track.

Only 2 tests are at Chennai while Ahmedabad's newly renovated Sardar Patel Stadium will host the next 2 including a D/N test match.

[Fx14]

Originally Posted by redCherry

Add 1 more to the list - Selecting the Captain himself
Rahane as capt. - Played 5, Won - 4, Drawn - 1, Lost-0
3 of those wins against Australia, & 2 of those wins in and against Australia (when the team's no. 1 batsman isn't available & with mostly young inexperienced bowling attack).

OK, just kidding, that's not going to happen (although I wish).

Time to have split captaincy across innings.

When India is batting, Virat to captain since his batting average as captain is better.

Ajinkya to be captain when India is bowling, basis his better overall results and marshaling of resources. Hard to overlook his results as stand in captain.

[landcruiser123]

To sum up the series:

Many players flew in as boys, many flew out as men.

What a series victory. Congratulations to Team India and Ajinkya Rahane in particular. I'm not a fan of Shastri, but I'm sure he deserves credit too. (Just as fingers point to Shastri after every major loss). This series win was probably India's greatest, especially considering the challenges they faced.

A few notes:

1. Rishabh Pant is a genius. Deserved to be the MoS IMHO. He is a freak - just like Sehwag or ABd. The captain needs to accept that he can change the course of a game in 30 minutes but he's also going to play a rash shot once in while which may cost you the game. He's definitely learning (he's only 23) and definitely seems to be finding a middle ground (as he showed while batting with Pujara) between attacking every ball and complete defense. He should be an all-format player. He should definitely improve his keeping.

2. Rahane was either unlucky or finds ways to get out. Just one century and not a single 50. He got many crucial 20s, 30s, 40s though.

3. The opening combination needs to be settled. Rohit & Mayank will be found wanting on good surfaces. I believe Gill & Rahul should be given a long rope. If Rahul is serious about red ball cricket, he should skip some limited overs series and play county cricket.

4. India should seriously consider a rotation policy for fast bowlers. Bumrah can't play every single game and remain fit. We have a good group of bowlers now - Bumrah, Shami, Ishant, Umesh, Bhuvi, Siraj, Natarajan, Thakur. Out of these, I think Ishant & Umesh are only going to be test regulars. The others should be given enough rest to prevent injury. (I'd actually love to see Bumrah rested for the 1st test against England)

5. I hope Washington Sundar isn't a one test wonder. I must admit that it raised some eyebrows (including mine) when he was selected ahead of Kuldeep. But his batting has probably saved us this game. He also bowled pretty well.

6. India should pick a leaf of the 2000s. Sachin was the greatest player in the side, but he was happy to play under different captains - Ganguly, Dravid, Kumble, Dhoni.

7. I'm sorry, but I don't think Hardik Pandya has a place in the test team considering the way Pant, Jadeja, & Ashwin seem to be batting

I think England & NZ remain to be conquered by India. I'm pretty positive Indians can thrash RSA during the next tour.

[redCherry]

Fun Fact :

19-Jan-2021 - Australia loses at GABBA after over 3 decades. India is the team to end that streak.

19-Jan-2008 - Australia loses at WACA (Perth) after over a decade. It's India again

[harry10]

Everyone is entitled to an opinion. But, let's be real for a minute.
Kohli is the most successful captain in tests for India and if anyone thinks he can be replaced by Rahane who has Captained only in 5 tests is dreaming. And rightly so. Just because Rahane is cool and calm and Kohli is aggressive and flamboyant people automatically regard Kohli as a bad Captain in tests. Please go through his records before making such assumptions. Not to mention Captain should lead from the front and Kohli is the best batsman the team has.

Rahane except for one good innings in every series has been failing for last 2 years. Do check the stats if you don't believe me. Also, this bowling attack has been developed by Kohli and not Rahane. Bumrah, Shami, Ishant, Bhuvi, Umesh all have grown in stature under Kohli. Even Jaddu and Ash have been exceptional under Kohli. India haven't lost a series at home since Kohli became captain and people still want him to be replaced.

What Rahane as captain and this team has achieved is absolutely incredible and unbelievable but one series doesn't decides Captaincy replacement.

Anyways, coming back to England selection.

Gill
Rohit
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Pant
Ashwin
Sundar
Kuldeep/Axar
Ishant
Bumrah

This should be the starting line up for first test. 3 spinners are a must at Chennai. We shouldn't take England lightly as they have shown their worth in first test against Sri Lanka. Root and stokes can be game changer.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by redCherry

Fun Fact :

19-Jan-2021 - Australia loses at GABBA after over 3 decades. India is the team to end that streak.

19-Jan-2008 - Australia loses at WACA (Perth) after over a decade. It's India again

Couple more:
1. Australia now has 3 losses in the last 33 tests played at home (in Australia), all 3 times beaten by India!

2. Australia have lost to India both times they previously took a 33-run 1st innings lead in Tests!

[msdivy]

A more restrained response from Shastri with Rahane than Shastri with Kohli.

2021 - 'This will go down in history as one of the greatest series ever played'

2019 - This series triumph is bigger than 1983 WC victory

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by NPV

1. Australia now has 3 losses in the last 33 tests played at home (in Australia), all 3 times beaten by India!

This cannot be true, right? India won 2 tests in 2018 and 2 now. So, that's 4 already?
I went to cricinfo statsguru and checked that AUS have lost 6 tests in last 33 tests played in AUS.

Edit: They have lost 4 in last 24 and all 4 are against us.

[KPR]

Pant and Sundar seem to be natural selection into the playing 11 for matches against England series. They are the 2 potent left handed batsmen this Indian squad has. Also Pant should bat freely at no. 5 position following him should be Ajinkya. I cannot wait to see two state opener/top order batsman batting at no. 7 & 8 position. (If Pandya bowls and if he can bat after Ajinkya at 7th position we've a team that can bat until 9th position too)
Edit: Oh! keep Shardul at 10th position. At 11th position Bumrah will be our only player in the team who cannot bat much.
My Team

Gill
Rohit
Pujara
Virat
Pant
Rahane
Pandya (if he can bowl)/Axar
Washy
Ashwin
Shardul
Bumrah

In recent test match win results the runs scored by wagging tail mattered most. And English men are experts in that.

[Mi10]

Honestly looking at the talent available, and considering our population we should go in with two teams for all international tournaments
Really hard to pick the playing XI now ! Especially the bowlers - when Ishant , Shami, Bhuvi and bumrah come back the current bowling hero’s’ will go back to just warming the bench ? Especially Siraj and Thakur both showed great promise !

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by Mi10

Honestly looking at the talent available, and considering our population we should go in with two teams for all international tournaments
Really hard to pick the playing XI now ! Especially the bowlers - when Ishant , Shami, Bhuvi and bumrah come back the current bowling hero’s’ will go back to just warming the bench ? Especially Siraj and Thakur both showed great promise !

I still remember the days when we struggled to get a second pace bowler into the test team. And in most of the home games, we played with one pace bowler and 3 spinners. Gangluly used to bowl those initial 5 overs to take the shine out of the ball.
And compare those days with what we have now.

[hamster]

Originally Posted by AtheK

Picture Perfect. yes you can Dream and Achieve!!

Attachment 2110552

Who is the player standing in the first row between Cheteshwar Pujara and Ashwin.
Shubman Gill is the one sitting.

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by hamster

Who is the player standing in the first row between Cheteshwar Pujara and Ashwin.
Shubman Gill is the one sitting.

He is Kartik Tyagi, net bowler along with Natrajan and sundar, if it was a 5 match series he would have played too.

[akhil_007]

I wouldn't prefer Shardul for home series. On our dead tracks, he is as good as Vinay Kumar. Neither pace nor swing. Would prefer either Siraj Or Ishant. We would also need a player who can bowl medium pace like Pandya. I still remember Sachin/Ganguly used to bowl as 3rd pacer when ball was new and our existing pacers were tired/belted around.

Btw, very happy to see Starc decimated this time around. It's as if his presence did not matter :-)

[Nalin1]

This is worth watching for ever-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNG0W45iCHI

A team that once considered avoiding a whitewash as a series win, now with back to back series wins in Australia!. Legendary stuff! .

The last time we won, they were a depleted side without Smith and Warner.

Australia's excuse this time? "We were a depleted side. We were without Don Bradman" .