Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Ishant ensures tail does not wag much. Just 34 runs from the tail this innings.

Now the worry starts. Out of form openers facing new ball. They have been very rubbish in 2018 with highest opening partnership being 63.

Out. Not surprising. Duck for Vijay. At least the other out of form opener is still there after 3 overs. That's the only positive for next 45 minutes while they finish lunch.

Pretty quick wrap up of the Aus lower order - once it started.

By golly, by gosh, both Starc's and Hazelwood's wicket balls were doozies, weren't they?

Another expected wicket gone cheaply. Shame we have to play these two openers given their horrible year in test.

Rahul dismissed by Josh for an innings of 2 runs.

Aussies well on top. India 39/2 in 15 overs looking to recover.

Virat has played some wonderful shots through mid wicket. Chet has played 35 balls so far.

Kohli gets his half century!

Cheeku fighting with well played 50.

Rahane gets his half century!

Some lovely shots played by both batsmen.

50 for Ajinkya as well.

India are 173/3 at Stumps. Nice recovery in spite of losing openers early. Trailing by 154 runs. Scorecard is relatively much better now.

Yes, very good recovery by Kholi and Rahane, but looked to start positively as a deliberate ploy. Kholi was immense at the start, how he imposed himself, and stoic in the middle stages when the going was hard, and he was being peppered bu the fast bowlers. Great innings from him so far.

mikesiva wrote:Rahane gets his half century!

Some lovely shots played by both batsmen.

Said it in the first test, when he gets it right, those strokes are so nice to watch

I can't decide if that Hazelwood Yorker to Rahul is unplayable, or the batsman has done so terribly, hes made it look so.

I guess I'll give the bowler his credit.

Chet played around 100 balls. Not many runs scored but he ensured the collapse did not happen by Aussie pacera early in innings after we had lost 2 for nothing. Also after he tires the bowlers and ball becomes older it helps batsmen like Ajinkya when they come to bat. Finally we now have three in form batsmen. Prithvi will be back if the reports in media are correct regarding his recovery. So 4 inform batsmen next test.

Somehow we need to draw this. New ball is due and we are far behind. Also batting last.

Who should be the two openers?

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Who should be the two openers?

In squad Parthiv Patel is there who has opened for India at international level in test and also opens for domestic team. He also has opening experience on short format. Prithvi was Man of series in debut test series and he comes in by default. So next test I would play Prithvi and Parthiv . Parthiv being stop gap to solve the opening crisis for time being.

Prithvi at 19 is long term and termed as next Sachin right from his domestic tenure at Mumbai. He is in Sehwag mould with a attacking off side game. There is a weakness as he plays away from the body but so far he has managed to score runs at all levels with that. Hopefully he will not have issue at international level in bowler friendly conditions due to that. Otherwise he is very fine.


Mayank Agarwal has been in exemplary form in Ranji since last 2 seasons and also has done well on A tours this year. He deserves a chance even though he has weakness against a full paced delivery at stumps, something which was exposed by Lockie Ferguson as well on the A tour to NZ this month. But he has a good game on off side. He deserves one series at least.

Shubman Gill is a long term option. 19 years RHB who had a spectacular WC. He has shown he has lot of time . Also he showed a good game today in Ranji match against short pitched bowling scoring loads of runs square of the wicket. His highest score was 65 in NZ but with 199 not out today in Ranji he has played this innings at right time today. His name will hopefully be considered. I would like to see Prithvi and Shulman as long term openers.


Priyank Panchal of Gujarat is also a good opening batsman and a better fielder. He is someone who has a decent technique as well as shots all around the ground. But as Gujarat captain he showed he is not a captaincy material. I am surprised his name isn't doing rounds.

A Easwaran and R Samarth are A tour openers. But they are average batsmen imo. Considering they are in A squads they will make the squad in an year if they score. R Samarth from Karnataka, and he opened when Rahul or Uthappa were not available for Ranji trophy matches. Since last two years they are regular openers for their teams more often than not. At times he and Eswaran have batted at 3 early in their career somewhere in 2013.