India tour of Australia, Nov 21 - Jan 18

[andy]

Runs for Harris, important runs, he's place is probably cemented for a while, look ok in tests...Labu made 38, decent effort from him, will need more, but its a start for him....Cummins needed with the bat....again!!!

[alfie]

Just to return to the exchange I had with BFL regarding the Australian selectors ; as I see Dean Jones has also tipped a bucket on them in this morning's Age...

I did not mean to imply wholehearted approval of their performance this year : just that I don't believe they are deliberately holding seats open for the return of the Sandpaper Mob (who will hardly be lacking vacancies to fill in any case)
I think they have in fact been trying , first and foremost , to pick a side that can compete with India (as they should) The messing about with the batting has arisen partly from the disappointing - if perhaps foreseeable - returns from Finch as opener following his qualified and misleading success in UAE ; and partly from the very real need for a fifth bowler on the lifeless Melbourne track... M Marsh was actually the logical selection for the MCG Test - from the squad.. And equally a logical omission for Sydney (whether Labuschagne was a better choice than , say , Maxwell , as a replacement , one can debate.) Could Finch have just moved down to five and Handscomb remained playing big Bash ? Certainly ; but I suspect they think Handscomb is a better prospect and are reluctant to discard him - yet.
When S Marsh is an automatic choice as a key batsman you may just have to admit the cupboard is at least thinly stocked

The main thing I'd like to see change is abandonment of the love affair with M Marsh as premier all rounder . I understand he's been specifically endorsed in that position despite scant evidence in favor ; but have to question whether Stoinis , for example , would do any worse ? In fairness the alternatives aren't jumping up everywhere (Hilton Cartwright ? And was it only yesterday lots of people - some on here - were advocating James Faulkner who now doesn't get a game with Tasmania ?) Proper all rounders don't grow on trees.

The Sri Lanka Tests present an opportunity for team building . Would be disrespectful and probably inaccurate to say they could put out NSW seconds and prosper ; but you'd think some experimentation could be allowed. Perhaps a Marsh-free squad allowing Head and Handscomb to go ; ahem : head to head for a middle order spot ? With Harris opening along with Renshaw , Burns , Bancroft - whoever you think might be the best bet as a future opener ( even if Warner is welcomed back - with perhaps less than open arms - he probably isn't going to be around that much longer)
Just don't expect miracles overnight. Truth is Australian batting is going through a dry patch right now and the next Steve Smith might be a little way off...

[yuppie]

The Australian batting stocks are at their lowest for as long as i can remember. And i remember the mid 80's....just.

It might be time to just pick a group of players and stick with them. Handscomb does have some flaws, but there is no alternative, so he needs to stay. Harris has done nothing wrong. But he needs an opener next to him. Im not sure Renshaw is the answer yet, he has had a poor shield season and perhaps for the good of his game he needs more time. More has been needed from Khawaja and many had hoped his innings in the UAE would be the making of him. But it seems he is not the batsman to lead this team. Indeed in any other summer his place would be in question. Head has done ok but done nothing to suggest he belongs. With better bats around him he might flourish, but at present he is the same as the rest. Australia were harsh on Finch, and by not batting him down the order they were never going to see the best from him. And what of S Marsh, its just depressing that he is considered good enough for his place not to be in question.

Some sad stats of Australias top 7 from this test.

Only 3 have test match hundreds to their name. Khawaja has the most with 7, Marsh with 6 and Handscomb with 2. That is an Australian top 7 with a total of 15 100's between them.
Only 1 player has a test average over 40. Khawaja.
Another 2 have an average over 35. Handscomb and Harris.
It is likely that no Australian player will make a 100 in this series. When was the last time an Australian team playing at home did not make an 100 in a test series?
It is so depressing seeing a top 7 like this.

No idea what the answer is. It had been mentioned many times on here that Australia would be doomed if Smith and Warner got injured at the same time. It is even worse than expected.

And to even put that in perspective, Warner is not that great away from home. In my time i can think of 4 Aus openers i would have before him.

[Arthur Crabtree]

SL gave NZ a game and NZ may well be a stronger side than Australia at the moment. But it's hard to imagine the BGs won't prevail.

I was trying to remember when James Faulkner got his Test debut- it was the strange Oval Test of 2013. He took six wickets! His only Test.

[yuppie]

SL gave NZ a game and NZ may well be a stronger side than Australia at the moment. But it's hard to imagine the BGs won't prevail.

I was trying to remember when James Faulkner got his Test debut- it was the strange Oval Test of 2013. He took six wickets! His only Test.

The James Faulkner of 2013 would walk into this team

[Arthur Crabtree]

Top seven bat? They don't really need a pace bowler.

[yuppie]

Top seven bat? They don't really need a pace bowler.

Come in at 7. Though Paine at 6 would not be great. But thats how bad this batting line up is

[mikesiva]

What was going through Travis's head when he played that shot?

[Durhamfootman]

India have one foot on the Aussie throat

[bigfluffylemon]

Clouds and showers for the next few days. I wonder if we will see the follow on after all? It's already impossible for Australia to win in the time remaining in the game, even if they have a miracle with the bat in the second innings.

[GarlicJam]

India have one foot on the Aussie throat

and have given them a couple of (legal) whacks around the nethers with the bat.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Once again, India being detained more by the weather than by their hosts.

[meninblue]

30 overs lost. Shami strikes back in second over of the day with the handy wicket of Pat Cummins.

237/7.

[meninblue]

Handscomb 100 balls faced

[Arthur Crabtree]

100 balls.