Cricket

[Rams]

This is getting silly now. Australia’s batting, particularly Khawaja, Labuschagne and Smith has been outstanding the past few months, yet now they’re suddenly a struggling test side. So who doesn’t watch test cricket again????
I’m just saying it would be to the benefit for all people who love test cricket if India produced better pitches for a better contest & spectacle.

 

[prateik]

I’ve watched so many greats tests the past 12 months, edge of your seat stuff, then you get the inevitability of this one against on paper the 2 best sides in cricket. Such a shame if you ask me and unnecessary.

You should mail your complaints to Cricket Australia and ask them why they have such a massive weakness in their side and why they dont have batsman who can play spin..
You cant expect to go into a competitive series with a weakness that obvious and expect to be handed a pitch to your strengths, just to have a more even match.

 

[TheGame]

Travis Head is a strange omission as well as he can bowl spin as well.

 

[hasanejaz88]

How can people complain about a pitch where one team made 400+ runs in an innings?

I swear the sense of entitlement these Aussies and English have that pitches should be suited to them.

 

[prateik]

Travis Head is a strange omission as well as he can bowl spin as well.

All that talk about the pitch spooked Aus.. Jadeja and Axar did alright.. Aus weakened their side because their own reporting of the pitch scared them..

That.. or he really cant play spin.. not even as much as the rest of them.. and that's a pretty low bar to begin with.

 

[AshRK]

Smith has to keep the strike more and not expose his tail like this. Taking single of the first ball and letting Cummins, Murphy and now Lyon play most of the deliveries is just a strange tactic.

 

[Darkhorsez]

I think it was Steve Waugh on the commentary was also saying that the pitch has been ok to play on. India just played good cricket and Aussies not so good.

 

[dpansheth]

I think it was Steve Waugh on the commentary was also saying that the pitch has been ok to play on. India just played good cricket and Aussies not so good.

The younger one, Mark was on the comms.

 

[AshRK]

Aussie lost this match in their head even before a ball was bowled with all this talk of pitch. They look to be in a shell. Reminds me of Indian side in late 90s touring Australia. Minus Sachin and some odd display we looked out of sort.

 

[Darkhorsez]

The younger one, Mark was on the comms.

Oh that’s right

 

[Rams]

There’s nothing wrong with pitches that suit the home side, there’s something wrong with pitches that are slow low turners to the extreme with the odd ball spitting off vertically from day 1, and zero help for the seamers. It does not produce a good spectacle.

 

[dpansheth]

did you see that Rams.. I think that was a fast bowler.

 

[hasanejaz88]

There’s nothing wrong with pitches that suit the home side, there’s something wrong with pitches that are slow low turners to the extreme with the odd ball spitting off vertically from day 1, and zero help for the seamers. It does not produce a good spectacle.

Do you complain when Aus has pitches that bounce vertically on the extreme from day 1 and have no help for spinners? Similar for SA where the ball seams but no help for spinners?

Spin is as much a part of cricket as pace is. Learn to deal with it.

 

[dpansheth]

There’s nothing wrong with pitches that suit the home side, there’s something wrong with pitches that are slow low turners to the extreme with the odd ball spitting off vertically from day 1, and zero help for the seamers. It does not produce a good spectacle.

so in a nutshell: a sporting/good pitch if it helps for Aus batsmen. & hide their weaknesses.

 

[Darkhorsez]

did you see that Rams.. I think that was a fast bowler.

He is on a mission - no use trying

 

[prateik]

There’s nothing wrong with pitches that suit the home side, there’s something wrong with pitches that are slow low turners to the extreme with the odd ball spitting off vertically from day 1, and zero help for the seamers. It does not produce a good spectacle.

I know what you mean.. I used to feel the same way about green tops.. then we got a decent pace attack and our batsman learnt to deal with it.. Now I dont need the excuses.

 

[Rams]

did you see that Rams.. I think that was a fast bowler.

Exactly my point, India also have brilliant quickies so they can produce a better wicket to bring the seamers in to it without losing strength and producing a much better spectacle.

 

[Rams]

I know what you mean.. I used to feel the same way about green tops.. then we got a decent pace attack and our batsman learnt to deal with it.. Now I dont need the excuses.

Tests in England tend to produce a far better spectacle than the ones India have been producing, it’s all about entertainment.

 

[prateik]

Tests in England tend to produce a fat better spectacle than the ones India have been producing, it’s all about entertainment.

Yeah.. its because the visiting teams make an effort to be good enough to compete in those conditions.

Some teams dont and expect the pitch to be tailored to suit them.. India can do both, so why not make a pitch that suits Aus so its more competitive..
No.. Its on Aus.. or England.. or whoever is visiting.. learn how to play spin.. or take the thrashing and go back home.

 

[Darkhorsez]

On another note the video reviewer has been awesome especially not using the sound when not needed. Very rapid decisions.

 

[zing]

Tests in England tend to produce a far better spectacle than the ones India have been producing, it’s all about entertainment.

Sub continental teams get regularly thumped in England, India being the exception the last tour It's not a "spectacle" nor is it a bad pitch. We were just bad earlier, we're decent away now.

 

[dpansheth]

Exactly my point, India also have brilliant quickies so they can produce a better wicket to bring the seamers in to it without losing strength and producing a much better spectacle.

Your point was " help for the spinners from Day 1 & zero help for the seamers". Shami took two openers out in first 5 overs in the 1st innings & just took two more.

 

[Rams]

Sub continental teams get regularly thumped in England, India being the exception the last tour It's not a "spectacle" nor is it a bad pitch. We were just bad earlier, we're decent away now.

The games in England tend to be a far better spectacle, that’s the reality. Actually, the test pitches tend to be prepared far flatter than their reputation, it’s more the dukes ball and overhead conditions that assist the quicker bowlers. But generally speaking they’re produced to provide a better spectacle, as it should be.

 

[JohnnyKills]

Disappointing that India prepared another home-friendly pitch. If they were as good as they say they are, they wouldn't have to.

(and if England prepare green seamers this summer I'll be the first to complain).

 

[Rams]

Your point was " help for the spinners from Day 1 & zero help for the seamers". Shami took two openers out in first 5 overs in the 1st innings & just took two more.

It was the Indian spinners that did the damage. Did you honestly think this thrashing of Australia within 2 and a half days was an enjoyable spectacle? And it was all to do with a poor Australian batting side? Just when test cricket is losing more & more interest under the general public particularly amongst younger people? Test cricket needs the pitches to create a better spectacle against the 2 best sides in the world in order to generate interest in the game.

 

[dpansheth]

It was the Indian spinners that did the damage. Did you honestly think this thrashing of Australia within 2 and a half days was an enjoyable spectacle? And it was all to do with a poor Australian batting side? Just when test cricket is losing more & more interest under the general public particularly amongst younger people? Test cricket needs the pitches to create a better spectacle against the 2 best sides in the world in order to generate interest in the game.

This comment was not your point though. so.

 

[JohnnyKills]

It was the Indian spinners that did the damage. Did you honestly think this thrashing of Australia within 2 and a half days was an enjoyable spectacle? And it was all to do with a poor Australian batting side? Just when test cricket is losing more & more interest under the general public particularly amongst younger people? Test cricket needs the pitches to create a better spectacle against the 2 best sides in the world in order to generate interest in the game.

If India want to prepare wickets like this, that's up to them. There's no law against it.

But you can't then turn round and call them a brilliant side. If they were that good, they wouldn't need to do it.

 

[Rams]

This comment was not your point though. so.

yes it is, it’s about producing better pitches for test cricket and not one prepared to suit solely the home side. I’ve been watching test cricket in India since the 90’s and the pitches have progressively got worse.

 

[Rams]

If India want to prepare wickets like this, that's up to them. There's no law against it.

But you can't then turn round and call them a brilliant side. If they were that good, they wouldn't need to do it.

Sure, India are entitled to produce any pitch they want. But surely it’s in all our interests that a test match between the 2 best sides in cricket produces a better spectacle in order to combat the declining interest in test cricket.

 

[JohnnyKills]

Sure, India are entitled to produce any pitch they want. But surely it’s in all our interests that a test match between the 2 best sides in cricket produces a better spectacle in order to combat the declining interest in test cricket.

Are they the best two sides in cricket? Last time India played Eng they got hammered and they lost in SA too. Australia are probably stronger on a neutral pitch but they're not flawless either.

Tbf it's all very even right now isn't it, no one outstanding side.

 

[JohnnyKills]

Aussie lost this match in their head even before a ball was bowled with all this talk of pitch. They look to be in a shell. Reminds me of Indian side in late 90s touring Australia. Minus Sachin and some odd display we looked out of sort.

There's definitely an element of this Ash. For all the pitch was poor, they could have played it better.

Would England have done any better trying to belt every ball for six? Might have scraped a few more through pure streakiness.

 

[Rams]

Are they the best two sides in cricket? Last time India played Eng they got hammered and they lost in SA too. Australia are probably stronger on a neutral pitch but they're not flawless either.

Tbf it's all very even right now isn't it, no one outstanding side.

Well Baz ball has put the cat amongst the pigeons, but generally speaking both India & Australia still have the best players, on paper at least, imo.

 

[JohnnyKills]

Well Baz ball has put the cat amongst the pigeons, but generally speaking both India & Australia still have the best players, on paper at least, imo.

Possibly. I genuinely fancy us in the Ashes though.

Would love to see us try Bazball in India too, just for the bants.

 

[Rams]

There's definitely an element of this Ash. For all the pitch was poor, they could have played it better.

Would England have done any better trying to belt every ball for six? Might have scraped a few more through pure streakiness.

England would get thrashed on that pitch against Ashwin & Jadeja, no matter how they played. Ironically of all the tests I’ve seen the past couple of years in India, England were the only side to put up anything which remotely resembled something of a fight. Even the other sides from the sub continent from what I’ve seen have be obliterated into a pathetic mess in India.

 

[Rams]

Possibly. I genuinely fancy us in the Ashes though.

Would love to see us try Bazball in India too, just for the bants.

I think the fact the Ashes are played early in the summer will suit England’s bowlers for sure. Anderson, Broad and Robinson will be a handful in an early English summer environment unless we get a freakishly hot June.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Honestly, I think cricket should be played on concrete. Fair to all and no one can complain.

 

[ArmchairCritic]

I reckon Australia got into their own head as much as anything with respect to the pitch.

I actually think Indian batsmen have slowly gotten worse at playing spin over time, the big difference for India at home is that there spinners are always better than the opposition and they all chip in with vital contributions with the bat too.

 

[TheGame]

India have a strong record at home and are tough to beat. Aussies needed a proper programme of warm up games which they didn’t do so they were prepared as much as possible.

 

[harshad]

Are they the best two sides in cricket? Last time India played Eng they got hammered and they lost in SA too. Australia are probably stronger on a neutral pitch but they're not flawless either.

Tbf it's all very even right now isn't it, no one outstanding side.

Eh? The series ended 2-2. Hardly a hammering.

 

[zing]

I reckon Australia got into their own head as much as anything with respect to the pitch.

I actually think Indian batsmen have slowly gotten worse at playing spin over time, the big difference for India at home is that there spinners are always better than the opposition and they all chip in with vital contributions with the bat too.

I don't think this is any longer as true as it was a couple of years ago where you'd have been 100% right.

Rohit, Shreyas Iyer are very good at playing spin. Pujara has always been great at spin, and for my money, the best batter of spin of the last 10 years.