It’s said that a week is a long time in politics. In cricket it is an eternity.
After a humiliating loss in Adelaide, India bounced back with a vengeance in Melbourne, displaying admirable resilience. For the second tour in a row, Melbourne has proved to be a happy hunting ground for the tourists.
It appears there is no such thing as momentum in this series. Now it seems that Australia have more issues to contend with. Firstly, in selection Australia must, and will likely, have David Warner at the top of the order. This move will bring experience and dash up front, and should go a long way to addressing Australia’s slow run rate and the stranglehold that the Indian pacemen have.
While Warner’s fitness would be a gamble, it’s a gamble that must be taken now. Defeat for Australia at the SCG would see India retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
Matthew Wade will partner Warner at the top. Wade has showed enough mettle in this series and his second innings knock in Melbourne was a patient, vigilant one. For the rest of the line-up, there is possibly not going to be further change. Travis Head may be given one further chance, although patience must be wearing thin. He has looked quite good thus far, but seems unable to convert promise into reality.
Cameron Green deserves to hold his place and his second innings performance at the MCG was something significant to build on, while his bowling looks serviceable. Although Mitchell Starc had a niggle, there is unlikely to be a change to the bowling line-up. A big haul from Nathan Lyon would be very welcome too.
How many wickets can Nathan Lyon take at the SCG? (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
For the Indians, assuming the players who ventured outside the biosecurity bubble will not be penalised, there is unlikely to be a large number of changes. In the bowling department, the injury to Umesh Yadav is an unfortunate one, and leaves the team somewhat light on for pace bowling. The options to replace him are Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini and Thangarasu Natarajan.
It’s likely the selectors will go for Thakur, although the case for the left arm variety of Natarajan cannot be discounted. Thakur offers swing and more batting prowess down the order. Saini might be a long shot – although he has serious pace, his inclusion would add even more inexperience in first-class cricket to the line-up. Saini did not overly impress in the 50-over series, although Test matches are an entirely different beast.
Although unlikely, could India consider playing three spinners with the inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav?
On the batting side, the inclusion of Rohit Sharma will add flair and experience, although he may well be rusty. Net practice is no substitute for match play. With Sharma’s inclusion, India may omit Mayank Agarwal who has struggled against Starc in particular, and either push Hanuma Vihari up to open with Shubman Gill, or include K Rahul at the top of the order.
If Rahul comes in to open, Vihari and Agarwal may be squeezed out. Cheteshwar Pujara has been his usual obdurate self, but unlike 2018, the runs have not really come this time – he will be looking at a big one in Sydney. For all his flashiness, some more runs from Rishabh Pant would be useful, especially batting at number six.
Cheteshwar Pujara hasn’t quite met his usual high standards in this series (AAP Image/Hamish Blair)
That fact the ball has dominated in the series so far is reflected in a number of ways. Australia has managed to reach 200 only once in the series, while India have struggled with the bat too. Although India made over 300 in the first innings in Melbourne, it was largely on the back of one partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja. In fact, Rahane’s hundred is the only century of the series thus far.
The batsmen have a lot of work to do, including the now vulnerable-looking Steve Smith. While it can be argued that Smith is in a minor trough, India’s plans for him have come to fruition to date, much like Neil Wagner’s short bowling barrage to Smith last year.
This series has been a game of inches. One hour of madness devastated India in Adelaide, after being on top of the Test match. Lapses in the field by Australia in Melbourne cost them dearly, especially during the match-defining partnership between Rahane and Jadeja. Taking chances, wherever and whenever they come, will be key.
On balance, and at the risk of being accused of sitting on the fence, I think this game may well be a draw. Both teams have extra firepower in batting with the likely inclusions of David Warner and Sharma, while particularly in the case of India, the bowling now looks slightly vulnerable with the absence of Shami, Yadav and Ishant Sharma.
Should the wicket turn significantly, however, and if pressed to name a winner, I would slightly lean to India given Ashwin’s impressive form.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I can't see the point of risking him opening. He'd be fine starting at 5 and then swapping with Wade when he finds his feet.
johnb
Guest
Stats can be strange things. While Hauritz had his opportunity and can't complain too much about how the selectors treated him, you'd assume his figures would be considerably inferior to Lyon's - and Lyon's are certainly better (a quarter of a wicket more per test, and the wickets taking 3.5 balls apiece fewer to take, at 3.35 runs fewer per wicket, plus 0.14 runs fewer per over bowled), but not that much better. You must cross a line there isn't any coming back from when your average is nudging 35 and you can't win games in the 4th innings.
Rohan
Roar Rookie
Willow wiz, my wife, a very good psychologist, calls sport, ‘combat without casualty’. I love that I get to see sport with her through that lens.
Rohan
Roar Rookie
Wow, that's a lot, I wonder is he's had a neuropsych assessment?
Rohan
Roar Rookie
I agree PP, he is an adult and a professional sportsman, there is no suggestion he has limited judgement, so he has to take responsibility and work out a strategy to play that kind of bowling at that level. He must be a problem solver, or he is not up to it. Of course, medical advice does have a role and he should listen. I wish him well. Though inexperienced at international level, he seems to have the talent, and there should be good support, and if he has the goods, together he and the coaching staff should be able to find an answer so the possibility of another injury in that way is reduced to absolute minimum. Though I never played cricket at a high level, and a bowler, I was only ever hit by a short ball once, in my first seniors game at age 13 . I have played for 4 decades since, I still play a short ball below armpit height or wide of off. There are many examples of great players who use the avoid strategy.
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
I would target Will with 2 high balls ever over, not to hurt, but to get him nervous and off his game. This is test cricket, not grade cricket.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Kopa we all know it would suit Ashwin. And jedeja and lyon has a poor average at scg
Pierro
Roar Rookie
It matters what side we choose we have plenty of options but selectors are stubborn like they were at mcg where Australia paid the price and poor selection didn't help . You are right about batting first it's pretty crucial if this is a pace wicket for most part and india are two pacemen down . Preparing a turning wicket would be suicide for australia
Pierro
Roar Rookie
In jest lyon probably knows gabba is the ground Australia plays best at including himself . Aussies are having a go at india because they know india don't want to play at gabba for cricketing reasons. Of course covid is a seperate issue and quarantining isn't long given the gap between tests being so short
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Precisely my point aus should prepare a non spin wicket
jeznez
Roar Guru
I'm not defending the failures of the other bats. Just saying I get why the selectors sent him away for a time after that second innings dismissal. He had managed 6 runs off 59 balls faced. He was relatively comfortable defending but didn't look able to score at all. Then in comes McDermott, blasts 29 off 38 and is picking off boundaries with relative ease. We only had 5 runs to get and only McGrath in the sheds when Martyn decided he needed to get in on the scoring, tried to drive and put it straight to Hudson off Allan Donald. All Martyn had to do was stay in, McDermott would have got the runs.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Gee Sean Abbot must have been nervous when WP went down ...
Chanon
Guest
Reckon the selectors have to bring in Pucovski & Warner to open. The next two tests are extremely important for this team going forward. Wade will bat at 5 , Head will most likely get dropped & maybe one of the fast bowlers may be rested for A second spinner
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Chasing 117 after the early loss of Slater, Boon and Taylor plodded along at a run an over for about 20 overs and by doing so they kept the saffies thinking they were just a couple of quick wickets away from getting back into the game and that’s exactly what happened: right before stumps whoosh down went both boon and taylor and night watchman tim may with them to leave us 4 for 64 overnight. Even a stodgy 2 runs per over for those aforementioned 20 overs would have had us at 84, 3 runs an over 104. Martyn was never in the next test anyway as he was only filling in for the injured steve Waugh. Also Martyn’s 59 in the first innings was what got us the 123 lead and one of only 3 half tons for the match across both teams. I rate it one of the best innings of his whole career.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
People remember pitches according to how they weren't
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I agree that Boon n Taylor were the bigger culprits.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Plenty of failures in that batting performance but Martyn was the brain fade I always remember. McDermott was seeing them beautifully. All Martyn had to do was hang in there and let Billy get the runs. Always struck me that Martyn didn’t have the maturity to let a bowler hit the runs and instead just hold his wicket. He arguably should not have spent as long out of the team as he wound up doing but I had no problem with him being dropped after that performance.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
High school - slung in a tackle during footy practice High school - struck by a ball from a batsman in an adjoining net High School - banged his head on a door at home 2016/17 - Hit while fielding at mid-off v QLD 2017/18 - Failed to connect a pull shot off Ben Cutting 2017/18 - Hit while batting against Tasmania in Futures League match 2018/19 - Failed to duck under a Sean Abbot delivery 2019/20 - Tripped after turning for a second run v England Lions 2020/21 - Failed to connect a pull shot off Kartik Tyagi
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
He could easily get injured at start of first innings and leave us a batsman short in both innings. Or even while fielding first.
Jim Prideaux
Roar Rookie
Nah, bowlers will always target a young gun batsman this way, won’t matter where he bats. He bats where he bats best, and exposed form would suggest this is toward the top of the order. Also, are all these concussions cricket related? I thought some were from playing footy.