Did Australia lose to India because of age-related decline?

[hoshiarpurexpress]

You could also see the wayward lengths Starc was bowling on the 5th day of the tests. Match practise doesnt make you better in a day, you need consistency to achieve optimal efficiency. Just like runners who havent run for a while, will not suddenly start performing at their peak on day 2 or 3, only because they ran on day 1. I am not saying that the corona-effect is the only reason for Australian bowlers faltering but to attribute Australia bowlers non-performance only to age & not factor in the lack of match practice in the past year is also not a sound theory.

Starc played decent amount of Shield matches and before that in off season he worked on increasing his upper body and muscles as per his interview on CA website. So they were prepping well for this series as compared to India. Pujara did not play any domestic match this season.
But it’s like a Marathon.
Pujara basically put all their efforts to ground.
That’s why you could see Warne Ponting were frustrated with Pujara and criticising him for slowing down the game. Well guess what it’s Test Cricket and this time Again Pujara just ran a long marathon against well prepared Aussies.

 

[rhony]

And then it goes to break viewership records in Australian TV.

Way too many Indians in AUS I heard

 

[Sir Alex]

Starc played decent amount of Shield matches and before that in off season he worked on increasing his upper body and muscles as per his interview on CA website. So they were prepping well for this series as compared to India. Pujara did not play any domestic match this season.
But it’s like a Marathon.
Pujara basically put all their efforts to ground.
That’s why you could see Warne Ponting were frustrated with Pujara and criticising him for slowing down the game. Well guess what it’s Test Cricket and this time Again Pujara just ran a long marathon against well prepared Aussies.

Oh yes, I forgot Starc pulled out of IPL. It seems Aussies and their supporters have absolutely no excuses whatsoever. And it is not one fluke match, but a whole series.

India has strangulated the minds of these Australians.

 

[Junaids]

I was continuing the trend of trolling Junaids

He's been rambling on for weeks about how Pakistan should play Rizwan as a batsman and have Rohail Nazir (a far inferior gloveman) as the test keeper

Last time I looked, Pant was keeping wicket ahead of Saha even though his keeping is inferior!

On a serious note, a team is more than the sum of its parts.

The best 11 players tend to have less success than when a balanced team is picked, including balanced for age.

With Australia, Hazlewood, Cummins and Starc are three good quicks.

And when their combined age was 80, they could operate alone with a spinner.

But now their combined age is 88. And they probably require a fourth quick to share the load.

I was taught long ago that your pace spearhead will take more wickets bowling 16 overs per day than he will bowling 22 overs per day.

I accept that Warner, Smith, Paine and Hazlewood are worth selecting beyond the age of 30.

But I think the argument for picking a 34 year old Wade as a batsman is terrible. And I wouldn’t pick Starc or Lyon either.

And I think India was better with Siraj instead of Yadav. And with Washington instead of Ashwin.

 

[TNAmarkFromIndia]

It is common sense that B team members are younger, have more energy and more hunger to be successful when compared to main team players who have already played for 5-10 years.

If all it takes to be successful is to be younger and hungrier then Naseem would be taking 10 wicket hauls right now.

Sundar and Natarajan were T20 backup bowlers who found themselves in the Test squad. Many fans (myself included) questioned whether Thakur's bowling was suitable for a Test at The Gabba. They played out of their skins to outplay Australia in their own backyard. That just does not happen.

 

[RajBan]

If all it takes to be successful is to be younger and hungrier then Naseem would be taking 10 wicket hauls right now.

Sundar and Natarajan were T20 backup bowlers who found themselves in the Test squad. Many fans (myself included) questioned whether Thakur's bowling was suitable for a Test at The Gabba. They played out of their skins to outplay Australia in their own backyard. That just does not happen.

You are not getting the point. Indians were damn lucky to win the series , performance and effort put by the new and young players was because experienced Aussie players allowed them in the game. That Pujara, Ashwin, Rahane, Rohit also rallied around while in the same age group of Aussies is just a fluke. They have better bowlers than Cummins , Hazlewood, Starc and Lyon sitting on bench and they chose not to play them. They have better batsmen like Usman Khwaja, Marsh and Head who if played in place of Warner, Green and Wade would have scored 400+ runs in each test. The current Aussie team just underestimated the Indian team and that's why they lost.

Let's nor even compare Naseem with these guys. He was 17 yrs when he broke out, he will need time to adjust. How can you expect the same with Gill, Sundar, Pant. They are already above 21 and 4 years of additional experience to be successful against second string Aussie attack. Granted Cummins and Hazlewood took some wickets but Pattinson and Richardson are much better bowlers and would have got us out below 200 if played.

I hope you appreciate the rationale here.

 

[Executioner]

What Rubbish. Height had nothing to do with India's Dominant bowling performance. Given the masterful off, middle stump line and field placings the Indian bowlers persisted with relentlessly during the series to perfection, height was not an issue at all. They just proved to the world that this myth that you must be 6'5-7 ft, bowling at 140 km/hr plus, banging the ball in for multiple spells ie Chris Tremlett, Steve Harmison, Mohd Irfan etc is rubbish

Dude he was messing around

 

[TNAmarkFromIndia]

They have better bowlers than Cummins , Hazlewood, Starc and Lyon sitting on bench and they chose not to play them. They have better batsmen like Usman Khwaja, Marsh and Head who if played in place of Warner, Green and Wade would have scored 400+ runs in each test. The current Aussie team just underestimated the Indian team and that's why they lost.

Khawaja, Marsh and Head are TTFs. Richardson hadn't played a first-class game since 2019. There was maybe a case for Pattinson playing in place of Starc, but this was mostly the best team they could play.

 

[sharmaji]

Why can't you see the sarcasm? This is a troll thread

Khawaja, Marsh and Head are TTFs. Richardson hadn't played a first-class game since 2019. There was maybe a case for Pattinson playing in place of Starc, but this was mostly the best team they could play.

 

[TNAmarkFromIndia]

Why can't you see the sarcasm?

Because there was some truth to what he said lol.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Last time I looked, Pant was keeping wicket ahead of Saha even though his keeping is inferior!

On a serious note, a team is more than the sum of its parts.

The best 11 players tend to have less success than when a balanced team is picked, including balanced for age.

With Australia, Hazlewood, Cummins and Starc are three good quicks.

And when their combined age was 80, they could operate alone with a spinner.

But now their combined age is 88. And they probably require a fourth quick to share the load.

I was taught long ago that your pace spearhead will take more wickets bowling 16 overs per day than he will bowling 22 overs per day.

I accept that Warner, Smith, Paine and Hazlewood are worth selecting beyond the age of 30.

But I think the argument for picking a 34 year old Wade as a batsman is terrible. And I wouldn’t pick Starc or Lyon either.

And I think India was better with Siraj instead of Yadav. And with Washington instead of Ashwin.

Completely agree with this. The combined age of this Aussie pace attack was 9 years less 3 years ago. This aged attack would have been smashed by England had they toured now.

Also, you are right in that we have to take into account the combined age of the bowling attack in question while considering age related decline even if , individually, the bowlers have aged only 3 years each.

 

[RajBan]

Because there was some truth to what he said lol.

You know this comment of yours will probably inspire some who seriously believes in this theory !!!

Lighten up. TGIF

 

[Arajit]

Hilarious

 

[Devadwal]

Bump and now read junaids age related theory

 

[pratiktc]

Combined age of Eng pace attack (Ollie+Wood+Woakes) = 91

Worried for how they will bowl with supporting bowlers Stokes and Leach also being 30 yrs old respectively.

Meanwhile Aus combined age of 89 have done well to avoid arthritis in bowling Eng in 50 ovs

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Combined age of OZ bowling attack = 36 + 33 + 32 + 30 = 131.

Also,

Warner is 37
Khwaja is 37
Smith is 34
Head is 30 in a couple of weeks
Marsh is 32
Carey is 32

Youngest is Marnus at 29, lol and the average age of this side is 33!

This is an Aussie side that should be looking for retirement homes .

No team has had a better chance to beat this weak grandam Australia in Australia than this Pakistan side.

 

[ExpressPacer]

Combined age of OZ bowling attack = 36 + 33 + 32 + 30 = 131.

Also,

Warner is 37
Khwaja is 37
Smith is 34
Head is 30 in a couple of weeks
Marsh is 32
Carey is 32

Youngest is Marnus at 29, lol and the average age of this side is 33!

This is an Aussie side that should be looking for retirement homes .

No team has had a better chance to beat this weak grandam Australia in Australia than this Pakistan side.

This also gives them experience. It was largely this same side the destroyed the “unstoppable” Indian team in the CWC final. Prime example of how experience counts.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

This also gives them experience. It was largely this same side the destroyed the “unstoppable” Indian team in the CWC final. Prime example of how experience counts.

Different formats. Pakistan used to have experienced players like YK, Misbah, Azhar, Shafiq all playing at the same time and still couldn't win anywhere apart from the UAE.

 

[ExpressPacer]

Different formats. Pakistan used to have experienced players like YK, Misbah, Azhar, Shafiq all playing at the same time and still couldn't win anywhere apart from the UAE.

Not that different. If anything, according to your logic, their old age should only be an advantage considering ODIs require more athleticism and explosiveness.

Sorry Nikhil, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

 

[sindhiboy]

Combined age of OZ bowling attack = 36 + 33 + 32 + 30 = 131.

Also,

Warner is 37
Khwaja is 37
Smith is 34
Head is 30 in a couple of weeks
Marsh is 32
Carey is 32

Youngest is Marnus at 29, lol and the average age of this side is 33!

This is an Aussie side that should be looking for retirement homes .

No team has had a better chance to beat this weak grandam Australia in Australia than this Pakistan side.

Australia are lucky that Khawaja decided to peak in his late 30s. Head and Marnus are their best batsmen now.
They will face a crisis in a few years after khawaja retires.

And i wont be surprised if England manage to win the Ashes in Australia 2 years from now.

The main problem is Aus selectors are stubborn and are not debuting any new player

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Not that different. If anything, according to your logic, their old age should only be an advantage considering ODIs require more athleticism and explosiveness.

Sorry Nikhil, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Weakest, oldest Aussie team in recent times thumpred Pakistan 3-0 but lost to Windies of all people. imma have my cake and eat it as well

 

[ExpressPacer]

Weakest, oldest Aussie team in recent times thumpred Pakistan 3-0 but lost to Windies of all people. imma have my cake and eat it as well

Anyone and their grandma could've seen Australia whitewashing Pakistan. The Windies fluted a win - big deal?

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Anyone and their grandma could've seen Australia whitewashing Pakistan. The Windies fluted a win - big deal?

You can't fluke a win in Test matches. Maybe in T20's .

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Another Test where geriatric Aussies who should be in care homes lost a young , vibrant Indian side despite deliberately making Perth the venue of the first Test.

One wonders if there are any youngsters left in Australia at all.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Another Test where geriatric Aussies who should be in care homes lost a young , vibrant Indian side despite deliberately making Perth the venue of the first Test.

One wonders if there are any youngsters left in Australia at all.

This is a question worth asking. The cracks have been visible from the Pakistan and West Indies series. Unfortunately, PAK were too incompetent to punish the Australians but West Indies did. And those are not great test sides in any sense of the word.

I'm sure they have youngsters but they have been too reliant on the same faces for the past 8 years or so. Think the end of line may be near for Khawaja, Smith, Starc, Hazelwood and Lyon.

Right now, the only players that Australia can bank on for the future somewhat are Cummins, Head and Cam Green. When you think about it, it is kinda amazing how consistently they have played the same team. On one hand, it has brought them success and kept the side settled. On the other hand, it has led to them having barely any bench strength to speak of. Even someone like Scott Boland is 35.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

This is a question worth asking. The cracks have been visible from the Pakistan and West Indies series. Unfortunately, PAK were too incompetent to punish the Australians but West Indies did. And those are not great test sides in any sense of the word.

I'm sure they have youngsters but they have been too reliant on the same faces for the past 8 years or so. Think the end of line may be near for Khawaja, Smith, Starc, Hazelwood and Lyon.

Right now, the only players that Australia can bank on for the future somewhat are Cummins, Head and Cam Green. When you think about it, it is kinda amazing how consistently they have played the same team. On one hand, it has brought them success and kept the side settled. On the other hand, it has led to them having barely any bench strength to speak of. Even someone like Scott Boland is 35.

Death of Test cricket is inevitable. Even the Aussies are not producing players like they used to

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Death of Test cricket is inevitable. Even the Aussies are not producing players like they used to

I have faith in the Australian system. But the cupboard sure looks bare right now...Sam Konstas, Cam Bancroft, Marcus Harris, Nathan McSweeney, Josh Inglis, gimme a break mayte!!

 

[RexRex]

Another Test where geriatric Aussies who should be in care homes lost a young , vibrant Indian side despite deliberately making Perth the venue of the first Test.

One wonders if there are any youngsters left in Australia at all.

Hmmm .. does that mean you've changed your mind after the post kiwi-whitewash despair ? Fickle Nikhil is at it again. @Bhaag Viru Bhaag

 

[Savak]

There is nothing age related. Whether Starc, Hazelwood, Cummins, Lyon are in their teens, twenties or thirties, they will always fall short against India. It was ordained that way. They were born to fail and lack confidence, self belief against India.

Lol at the delusion of the Australian selectors who felt that the same players who had been habitually failing against India in Australia for three series in a row would magically change things. They don't have the balls or guts to try something drastically different. I thought Pakistan Cricket was bad but atleast we were bold enough to drop Babar, Shaheen, Naseem when the series was on the line against England.

 

[RexRex]

Lol at the delusion of the Australian selectors who felt that the same players who had been habitually failing against India in Australia for three series in a row would magically change things. They don't have the balls or guts to try something drastically different. I thought Pakistan Cricket was bad but atleast we were bold enough to drop Babar, Shaheen, Naseem when the series was on the line against England.

That's nonsense, atleast w.r.t the bowling quartet.

The last four IndvsAus series were closely fought and ended 2-1, had the aussies won one or two extra sessions .. those results would've flipped.

 

[followed]

It is a big issue now. Australian team which played the test has average age of 33 with only one player under 30 and he was on debut.

Bowlers haven't been good for quite some time now and all the batsmen apart from one have average under 30 in 2024.It is shocking stat.
I don't see australia winning more than a test in this series. India will be victorious once again

 

[aboveandbeyond]

Aussies were totally undercooked.

 

[Buffet]

Aus will make a come back.

Despite all hoopla, last 4 tests series of Aus-Ind have been competetive. Having said that, I would like to see rotation of pacers in long test series from Aus. Having a settled team for such a long time have left very few young players in team.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Aus will make a come back.

Despite all hoopla, last 4 tests series of Aus-Ind have been competetive. Having said that, I would like to see rotation of pacers in long test series from Aus. Havving a settled team for long time have left very few young players in team.

They should try Neser. Sometimes under exposed bowlers might work. I remember Jhy Richardson surprising us in the ODi series as nobody had seen him before. He got rid of Kohli and fwe other wickets.