01-18-2021, 10:32 AM
I am not feeling confident about tomorrow, weather or otherwise.
[1] Bowlers:
Apart from one brilliant performance (1st test), our bowlers have lacked penetration when we have really needed it. And they have not been able to get the ball the move much in the air or off the wicket.
The Indian bowlers have a lot more movement, and not just with the new ball. They have been able to produce it at vital times, while our bowling has looked pedestrian and ineffective.
And then Lyon hasn't been able to spin them out either. He has had a very poor tour and has rarely been able to penetrate, no matter what the pitch was like.
They are good players, but they are not moving the ball of the straight and narrow. Where has the movement gone?
[2] Pitches:
When we go the India, we get provided with some of the worst pitches in the ball. They are often rolled mud with some grass cuttings interspersed. Considering that they can now produce much better pitches (and that they have some decent pace bowlers), I find it very irritating.
Why?
They are doctoring the pitch to best suit their spinners (especially as they know our guys don't play spin that well).
So, why is the boot not on the other foot?
The last two times that India have come here, we have provided some of the most un-Australian pitches ever seen in this country. Where is the bounce? Especially at the 'Gabba! And do they play in Perth, on the other fast pitch? No.
I find that hard to fathom. If our batsmen and bowlers like fast, bouncy pitches, why don't we produce them?
Another point here is the BCCI appear to have too much say (in just about everything). The 1st test should have been in Brisbane, when the weather was more predictable (November or early December). As it was the weather in Brisbane has not been conducive to making good pitches, due to the rain. But this one is something of a joke.
The last point on the pitches is that the modern Australian pitch does not wear like pitches elsewhere. One of the reasons is the drop-in pitches. They hold together so well that teams in the 4th innings often have some of the flattest batting conditions.
[3] Our batsmen:
Very few batsmen can hold their heads high in this tour, but we have the top 2 performers by some margin. Even so, our batting has been lacking. There is no consistency and we haven't been able to produce any match winning partnerships. Are the Indian bowlers do good? or are we so bad?
[4] Mental battle:
At the moment, we do not appear to have the self-belief that Australian sides in the past had. India, on the other hand, do. Where has that mental edge gone? What can we do to get it back?
Until our batsmen, in particular, get their mojo back, our team is not going to perform at its best.
And I don't mean the arrogance and stupidity that got some of our players suspended not long ago, I mean the will to pull out match changing efforts. D. K. Lillee had it in spades. So have others, most noticeably in our period of dominance. But, in recent times, our bowlers and batsmen seem to lack it. Particularly Starc.
[1] Bowlers:
Apart from one brilliant performance (1st test), our bowlers have lacked penetration when we have really needed it. And they have not been able to get the ball the move much in the air or off the wicket.
The Indian bowlers have a lot more movement, and not just with the new ball. They have been able to produce it at vital times, while our bowling has looked pedestrian and ineffective.
And then Lyon hasn't been able to spin them out either. He has had a very poor tour and has rarely been able to penetrate, no matter what the pitch was like.
They are good players, but they are not moving the ball of the straight and narrow. Where has the movement gone?
[2] Pitches:
When we go the India, we get provided with some of the worst pitches in the ball. They are often rolled mud with some grass cuttings interspersed. Considering that they can now produce much better pitches (and that they have some decent pace bowlers), I find it very irritating.
Why?
They are doctoring the pitch to best suit their spinners (especially as they know our guys don't play spin that well).
So, why is the boot not on the other foot?
The last two times that India have come here, we have provided some of the most un-Australian pitches ever seen in this country. Where is the bounce? Especially at the 'Gabba! And do they play in Perth, on the other fast pitch? No.
I find that hard to fathom. If our batsmen and bowlers like fast, bouncy pitches, why don't we produce them?
Another point here is the BCCI appear to have too much say (in just about everything). The 1st test should have been in Brisbane, when the weather was more predictable (November or early December). As it was the weather in Brisbane has not been conducive to making good pitches, due to the rain. But this one is something of a joke.
The last point on the pitches is that the modern Australian pitch does not wear like pitches elsewhere. One of the reasons is the drop-in pitches. They hold together so well that teams in the 4th innings often have some of the flattest batting conditions.
[3] Our batsmen:
Very few batsmen can hold their heads high in this tour, but we have the top 2 performers by some margin. Even so, our batting has been lacking. There is no consistency and we haven't been able to produce any match winning partnerships. Are the Indian bowlers do good? or are we so bad?
[4] Mental battle:
At the moment, we do not appear to have the self-belief that Australian sides in the past had. India, on the other hand, do. Where has that mental edge gone? What can we do to get it back?
Until our batsmen, in particular, get their mojo back, our team is not going to perform at its best.
And I don't mean the arrogance and stupidity that got some of our players suspended not long ago, I mean the will to pull out match changing efforts. D. K. Lillee had it in spades. So have others, most noticeably in our period of dominance. But, in recent times, our bowlers and batsmen seem to lack it. Particularly Starc.
Live Long and Prosper!