Australia must look to the future when it tours India

Wonderful and sensible answer. It is a good idea to play 4 quicks and O'Keefe (or 3 quicks and O'Keefe plus an all rounder) as O'Keefe has better first class stats than Nathan Lyon by a huge margin. Lyon has had too many chances and he has this knack of producing wickets when just on the verge of being dropped and doing nothing again for many tests in a row.

Just to get it further into perspective, though Shaun Marsh has played well in a couple of innings in Sri Lanka, in his five innings he has played in that country, Herath has nabbed him twice and Perera once. That's three times out to spin. Neither Hereat nor Perera played in his first test innings there when he scored 141. Use that as a comparison to Khawaja's recent effort against Pakistan

Rob, where exactly did you get this belief that Khawaja couldnt handle South Africa's Duminy and Shamsi. He has only played them in three tests and was dismissed by each once in his six innings. But not before he had averaged 53.7 for the series. Sorry mate but that argument does match the figures. Khawaja's problem with spin was a problem against Swan in one series in England and the last series in Sri Lanka. He handles spin quite comfortably in Australia and shown by this last series against pakistan. His problem I suspect is getting used to playing spin in different conditions, which is something that is learned, as most batsmen who go to the sub continent find. He's not the first to have struggled with spin on the sub continent when they first go. Most batsmen find it difficult, especially at first

Marsh is a better player of spin IMO. I would normally always agree that players who have improved and preformed well should be given the benefit of doubt. Proving they can develop their game and master a weakness would be a fair call. The problem is Khawaja still hasn't proven he can play spin because Duminy, Shamsi and Shah have got him almost immediately in the last 10 bats. When Warner, Smith and Handscombe were going at a SR 150 plus against Shah, Khawaja was trying not to get out to Shah. It was the same in the first innings.

Rob, I'm not suggesting that Marsh cant handle spin. My example was to show, what is often being said, that as an example, Marsh can handle the sub continent based on five innings in Sri Lanka. That to me is a poor analysis based on too small a sample and no examples in India and Pakistan. I'm not disputing Marsh's ability against spin, Im challenging the perception based on very small evidence. I also think Marsh will go to India, but the issue about ability against spin is again pigeon holing, like they did to Hodge and Bevan. Sure some players will never adapt to deal with good spin. I dont believe Khawaja is unable to handle spin, and he is adapting more and more in recent times. He just needs the experience. Remember Hayden against spin was dreadful when he first came into tests. But he adapted and teams started to avoid bowling spin to him because he became so proficient at it. You dont keep top line players out of sides because of fear they might not be able to handle it. That way they never learn. Khawaja has to face his demons in India. Its a confidence thing

Bearfax I think Marsh has a good record against spinners because he rarely is dismissed by them. (4 times in 33 bats). Then consider Khawja (14 times in 40). Against India he has been dismissed by Yadav (5), Zaheer Khan (2), Shami (2) Ashwin (2) mostly caught behind on the offside. Marsh has a problem edging a length ball wide of off. Pace bowlers that can usually straighten or move the ball away get him poking. Not a good habit for an opener IMO. Renshaw will have nothing to do with that bowling area. Marsh is better suited against the older ball and has an average of 54 at 5. I think Marsh strikes the ball in a similar way to Renshaw off the pads. He works the ball from in front of his pads with a full face at worst inside edging. They both play with bat and pad close together like Hayden in defence which is also a good technique for playing spin. I'm more worried about Handscombe in India. Playing deep in your crease on lower playing pitches and just because he likes using his feet to charge down the wicket doesn't mean he will get on top of smart spinners like Ashwin and Jadaja. My top 6. in India. Renshaw, Warner, Smith, S.Marsh, Handscombe, Maxwell.

England plays with Bairstow keeper at 5, Stokes at 6 and lately, Ali at 4. You need 5 bowlers in a test team.

I also think we'll lose the series and would be happy enough with a 1-0 or even 2-0 scoreline by the end - especially if we select players who haven't had much experience over there (eg: Renshaw & Cartwright). I think it's a good sign that the selectors are starting to lean towards who has the best ability against the conditions we face, rather than who has done well recently - of course form is important (if you're out of form you probably won't score runs anywhere!), but form is made up of the variable that is the conditions one faces and therefore going from Australian pitches to Indian ones weakens the form argument both for those in and out of it. I'd like to see the selectors choose a squad that handles spin the best, but to also err on the side of youth - if that means Khawaja and O'Keefe miss out, then so be it as Renshaw and Agar have the greater potential to contribute to Australia's success in the long-term...

He's pretty much taken them recently - only injury has caused him to miss Tests.

Jameswm - that's the XI I've been hoping for and would be going with for the first Test. Without question - a balanced side. Six batsmen means we can bat time - which we will need to do! SOK and Lyon can bowl plenty of overs. There's no need to be too aggressive too early on in this series. I'd be happy if it was nil-nil after two Tests. There's no shame in a a draw of course. Key players outside of that XI to tour/next in line ought to be: Patterson Cartwright Agar Bird Cummins Sayers I definitely wouldn't be giving Handscomb the gloves in India. And not thereafter - unless he wants to be the wk.

I reckon our blokes will surprise a few people. They will fight it out.

I might also add that I have never ever in many years of following test cricket ever known an Australian team going into a series with any intention other than winning. What kind of mental set up are we talking about when there is talk of going to lose , but building for the future. The odds are heavily in India's favour , but any test cricketer worth something must believe they have the ability to upset the odds.Self belief can be a very powerful weapon.

Gosh, Andrew, have you been following the Indian side of late? Not sure Australia's suddenly-vaunted top five matches up well to a top 8 combination of Vijay, Rahul/Patel/Gambhir/Dhawan, Pujara, Kohli, Rahane, Nair/Sharma, Ashwin and Jadeja. Let alone analysing the Indian conditions capabilities of Shami, Yadav/Sharma, Ashwin, Jadav and Jadeja.

Onside - you have really touched a raw nerve with me on the imbecilic spectacle of Australia all summer appearing in BLUE tracksuits in training and BLUE caps at press conferences. Of course this is the level of those mentally impaired clowns known as "marketing experts" at Cricket Australia who believe that because BLUE is the colour of the BEER SPONSORS, then naturally fans will rush out to buy huge amounts of the sacred liquid. Honestly, James Sutherland, Pat Howard and the ENTIRE board of Cricket Australia should be given the shove. They remind me of pimps endlessly touting for "business" for their prostitutes. Remember a few seasons back when these same "marketing experts" suddenly decided Australia should play one day matches in Australia in GREEN uniforms while whenever we played away, we were back in the traditional GOLD one day outfit. Of course this action too was all about getting fans (particularly kids) to fork out for two uniform tops instead of just the one. Grass roots cricket desperately needs real funding but Sutherland and his cohorts are obsessed with corporate crap and "high performance" funding that just endlessly wastes bucket loads of money over and over again.

Exactly and the pitches in the recent SA series there were green. Not every Indian pitch is a raging turner One of the tests is in Bangalore where Australia have scored runs. Marsh and Clarke scored their début hundreds there. Clarke also picked up 6/9 with his left arm darts

The way forward I believe is to go with your pace strengths and play your own game. When SA won a series and drew one in India , they did it with pace . You also then need to win the toss (helps neutralize the advantage of doctored pitches a bit) and finally in at least every game at least one batsman needs to play a blinder . If Australia are to have a sniff , luck will be a factor. Otherwise I'm afraid I just cant see the team pulling it off either.

I've noticed that with many comments about players Rob. If they havent played at a location or have fallen short in two or three innings, they are suddenly not suited to the conditions. It seems many forget that the different conditions often takes a player time to adapt. But that's not the same as they are not suited playing there. Take the case of Shaun Marsh. He has actually never played a test in India or Pakistan or Dubai. He's played five innings in Sri Lanka, and did an excellent job. But that's a far cry from India. And in fact he has played twelve innings against India, all in Australia and averages 22.6. Yet he is the great hope against India in India,all because of a couple of Sri Lanka tests Now I am not disputing Marsh's claim to be selected. He's played brilliantly the last two season. But it just goes to show how impressions, usually based on few examples, become more accepted than pure fact. Renshaw may struggle. But if he is to be our future opener, he has to experience the conditions elsewhere in the World. Its that pussyfooting attitude by selectors in recent years in ignoring the claims of young inexperienced players, that got us into trouble. I say send him.

yes, I do. I did mean Wade. Sorry 'bout that.

'The bowling line ups are even' that is the funniest and most ludicrous thing I've read in a long time. Lyon and SOK aren't fit to tie swann and panesars shoe laces (that's before we get to jadeja and Ashwin), and underestimate India's improved pacers at your peril. I can assure you Starc won't be ripping through India like he did in Sri Lanka.

Andrew, the 4-0 talk is fully justified. You'll be lucky to not lose every game by an innings.