Originally Posted by Django

One innings down, seven to go for the Indian batsmen - Tait or no "Tate"!! Only a miracle can now stop the Australians from winning the series 4 - Nil.

Originally Posted by gibbs_fan

Have you nothing good to say about India. All I read from you are cheap shots aimed at India.

The pace of Lee, Tait and Johnson, do you not remember when Sehwag scored 195. Yes, Lee was in that attack and I do not believe the Aussie selectors will play all 3 bowlers you have mentioned, Stuart Clarke is a certainty and Tait will be the player to miss out. Johnson IMO is overated and he is not even that quick. The main threat will be Clarke and Lee.

Rahul Dravid is one of the best batsman in the world and has scored heavil against Australia in the past. What makes you so sure that he wont be able to score a ton.

Laxman, his career bes is against Australia.

Jaffer is a solid tall opening batsman with a very good technique. I believe he will be able to cope with the extra pace of Lee.

Tendulkar, need I say more.

I agree that Yuvraj and Ganguly may struggle against pace, especially the short ball, that is why I would play Sehwag and drop Yuvraj for the 1st test. The rest of the batsman all have the potential and technique to cope with the Aussie attack, although it wont be easy.

I still see a comfortable Australia win as their batting is just too strong for any Indian attack. Hopefully I am wrong and we have a competitive series.

Originally Posted by Django

The shot was not "cheap" after all, going by what is happening at the MCG....

Originally Posted by acker

As an Australian I would not go that far.

I would drop Dravid for Shewag and maybe Harbijan for another paceman...And I think the Indian team will be close.

I also think Dhoni needs some experience most probably this series under what I consider is a very astute captain "Anil Kumble" to reach his full potential as Indian captain in future years.

Originally Posted by Navdeep

Drop Dravid for Sehwag? Dont you mean drop him down the order? As for dropping Dravid, fat chance, even if he did play the slowest knock ive ever seen in their 1st innings

Another paceman is needed, cant beat the Aussies with just 2 in your side, get Ishant in there, had a good debut on batting friendly conditions vs Pakistan, give him the chance whilst hes fresh and raw.

As for Dhoni, yeah he will probably be captain in a couple of years, but for now, he isint, simple. He should concentrate solely on his batting to make up for his failure at the MCG and then when fielding, add whatever he wants to as a senior member of the team, if needed.

My team for test 2:

Laxman (1), Jaffer (2), Sachin (3), Dravid (4), Ganguly (5), Yuvraj (6), Dhoni (7), Kumble (8), Ishant (9), Zaheer (10), RP (11).

The batters really need to stand up and be counted now, all of them, only 1 produced a decent knock in that match (Sachin 1st innings), a few got starts, some didnt, its time to get full concentration now.

Bowling department did well, but Harbs has to be sacrificed for a 3rd seamer, with Sourav, Yuvraj and Sachin backing up Kumble in the slower bowling.

Originally Posted by acker

I noted you support New Zealand hence understand your idea of win is a draw..

Originally Posted by Seamer

Well, your original pessimistic predictions proved 75% correct as it turned out Django, so you only need to eat a small slice of that humble pie.

I was not nearly a certain one way or another, that's for sure.

So, what will happen in Sydney may i ask?

Originally Posted by Navdeep

Drop Dravid for Sehwag? Dont you mean drop him down the order? As for dropping Dravid, fat chance, even if he did play the slowest knock ive ever seen in their 1st innings

Another paceman is needed, cant beat the Aussies with just 2 in your side, get Ishant in there, had a good debut on batting friendly conditions vs Pakistan, give him the chance whilst hes fresh and raw.

As for Dhoni, yeah he will probably be captain in a couple of years, but for now, he isint, simple. He should concentrate solely on his batting to make up for his failure at the MCG and then when fielding, add whatever he wants to as a senior member of the team, if needed.

My team for test 2:

Laxman (1), Jaffer (2), Sachin (3), Dravid (4), Ganguly (5), Yuvraj (6), Dhoni (7), Kumble (8), Ishant (9), Zaheer (10), RP (11).

The batters really need to stand up and be counted now, all of them, only 1 produced a decent knock in that match (Sachin 1st innings), a few got starts, some didnt, its time to get full concentration now.

Bowling department did well, but Harbs has to be sacrificed for a 3rd seamer, with Sourav, Yuvraj and Sachin backing up Kumble in the slower bowling.

Originally Posted by Django

The Indians will most probably drop Yuvraj and bring in Sehwag to open the innings. But it is too late for this and does not matter because the psychological advantage is with Australia now.

The defeat would have sown the seeds of self-doubt in the minds of Indian batsmen which will be difficult to overcome within the next 4 weeks.

I reiterate that Sehwag should have opened at the MCG, where a quickfire 50-60 in the first innings would have made a huge, series defining difference.