India v Australia | 1st Test | Pune | Feb 23-27, 2017 | Day 2

[Abdul]

Australia 256/9 (94.0 ov) after they won the toss and elected to bat first.

 

[Statsman]

Have a bad feeling Starc will get to a hundred today.

 

[Slog]

Day 9 of Pune test

 

[Ankit007]

I hope we take the last wicket asap. Every run will hurt here

 

[troodon]

India will score in excess of 400 when they bat.

Indian fans are too pessimistic for some reason.

Okeefe and Lyon do not scare anyone.

Starc and Hazlewood are more dangerous.

 

[world cup captain]

Have a bad feeling Starc will get to a hundred today.

Jinxed

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Would've been a good total if Australia had the spinners

 

[rhony]

What are these kids eating? Rahul is feeling sick now

 

[Zeshan547]

This match is heading toward a day 3 finish and inning win for india, India will be bowled out around 420 at lunch tommarow and take lead around 160, then australia will be shoot out for under 150 score before end of day 3, so even despite winning the toss it will be absolute hammering for Australia. Anyone wanna bet?

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

There is no reason to gift Umesh 4 wickets on this pitch. He did bowl well but you would expect a non SC team to play a pacer out better than that!

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Starc hasn't been the same for a while

 

[Arsalan Pro]

Hazelwood strikes in his first over,smith should have started with him and not that useless O Keefe.

 

[JaDed]

Starc hasn't been the same for a while

When was he ever so great in tests?He is good but he is not above Hazlewood in tests.ODI is a different situation don't think anyone is better bowler than him.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Hazelwood strikes in his first over,smith should have started with him and not that useless O Keefe.

He's not useless. Wait for him when the ball gets old.

Josh and spinner should have started the proceedings. Starc will be good when the ball reverses with his pace.

 

[saeed5646]

Hazlewood give nightmare to babar azam in test series in AUS.Now he is testing rahul technique i hope

rahul don,t become his bunny in this series

 

[JaDed]

Its time to remove Rahul from the team and get Karun in.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

When was he ever so great in tests?He is good but he is not above Hazlewood in tests.ODI is a different situation don't think anyone is better bowler than him.

says HI on current form.

 

[JaDed]

He's not useless. Wait for him when the ball gets old.

Josh and spinner should have started the proceedings. Starc will be good when the ball reverses with his pace.

Its going to be very interesting i hope we are not 4 down by then

 

[JaDed]

says HI on current form.

Who Starc?With old ball yeah but defn not a great new ball bowler.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Its going to be very interesting i hope we are not 4 down by then

We are almost 2 down with Rahul's illness

Pujara and Kohli should bat well again to see us through. Even a lead of 80-100 will be huge on this pitch.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Who Starc?With old ball yeah but defn not a great new ball bowler.

In general... LOI bowler credentials on current form.

 

[JaDed]

We are almost 2 down with Rahul's illness

Pujara and Kohli should bat well again to see us through. Even a lead of 80-100 will be huge on this pitch.

80 not huge when we have to bat in 4th innings,100 hopefully plus surely Warner is going to go Bonkerrs and even if one Aussie plays that knock we ll be out

 

[King Kong]

Its time to remove Rahul from the team and get Karun in.

Rahul is better than Karun. Even the innings where Karun scored 300, Rahul's 199 was much better than Karun's. Has already played some fantastic innings in his rather early career. Hundred in his 2nd test in Australia, 100 in Sri Lanka, 175 in West Indies at a quick rate when everyone else was struggling to time the ball. Could have been a memorable Match-winning hundred in T20s if not for the choker. Should give him more time, he will sort out his inconsistency surely.

 

[JaDed]

Rahul is better than Karun. Even the innings where Karun scored 300, Rahul's 199 was much better than Karun's. Has already played some fantastic innings in his rather early career. Hundred in his 2nd test in Australia, 100 in Sri Lanka, 175 in West Indies at a quick rate when everyone else was struggling to time the ball. Could have been a memorable Match-winning hundred in T20s if not for the choker. Should give him more time, he will sort out his inconsistency surely.

ITs not about his inconsistency that worries me more(it does but not as much),its his fitness for an Indian batsman he has the worst fitness I ve seen in a long time.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

80 not huge when we have to bat in 4th innings,100 hopefully plus surely Warner is going to go Bonkerrs and even if one Aussie plays that knock we ll be out

Scoring 350 on this pitch needs a lot of skill and determination, let's see who puts their hand up for us. Any target above 140 will be tricky batting last.

 

[rhony]

Aussies on TOP

 

[Ankit007]

One good thing about the pitch. Everyone will be on toes from spectators to players. Noone can afford a break in concentration. It's not like the boring pitch that was against Bangladesh

 

[Nikhil_cric]

OZ pacers are too good for us !

 

[rhony]

Kohli gone!!! Aussies are nailing India to the ground!!!

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Starc is killing us )

 

[Aman]

Kohli threw his wicket away there.

What a spud shot.

 

[Buffet]

Yahhhhh, Great going from Aus. Pick 2 more here and Indians will fold. Rahane may go cheaply here as well.

 

[rhony]

Kohli threw his wicket away there.

What a spud shot.

Reminiscent of the shots he played in the horrible series in England.

 

[Buffet]

One good thing about the pitch. Everyone will be on toes from spectators to players. Noone can afford a break in concentration. It's not like the boring pitch that was against Bangladesh

Batsmen have not lost their wickets due to pitch so far.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Gun over from Starc. 44/3

Expect more replies and traffic to this thread now

 

[Arsalan Pro]

Kohli gone for 0!!!

 

[King Kong]

Don't panic guys. Even if we need 400 in the last innings, India will still win this game. Kohli will make up for the 100 he failed in this one by scoring 200* if needed. He will surely not fail twice in a row.

 

[Ankit007]

Don't panic guys. Even if we need 400 in the last innings, India will still win this game. Kohli will make up for the 100 he failed in this one by scoring 200* if needed. He will surely not fail twice in a row.

Ye kuchh zyada nahi ho gaya?

 

[Red Devil]

Australia should have just played another pacer here instead of wasting a spot on Steve O'Jobber.

 

[SunRay]

) ) kohl gone for a duck. We r doomed.

Saurav Ganguly and Harbhajan, thx for the jinx guys.

 

[King Kong]

Ye kuchh zyada nahi ho gaya?

Sorry, don't know Hindi.

 

[Ankit007]

Sorry, don't know Hindi.

I mean don't you think it's gone too far? Chasing 400 that too in 4th innings

 

[Arsalan Pro]

Australia should have just played another pacer here instead of wasting a spot on Steve O'Jobber.

Yeah,there pacers are still leagues above O Keefe even on turners.

 

[King Kong]

ITs not about his inconsistency that worries me more(it does but not as much),its his fitness for an Indian batsman he has the worst fitness I ve seen in a long time.

Still looks fitter than many players currently. As long as he scores runs, don't care about the rest. He might well save India from trouble here. Hope scores 150 and puts all doubts into rest.

 

[Arsalan Pro]

Australia certainly has the best pacers for any visiting team in India in near past.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Its time to remove Rahul from the team and get Karun in.

He generally scores when others don't, hopefully he repeats that today.

 

[rhony]

He generally scores when others don't, hopefully he repeats that today.

He's playing very well.

 

[Ankit007]

KL Rahul when in form looks class above every batsman. Even virat looks inferior to him.

 

[King Kong]

I mean don't you think it's gone too far? Chasing 400 that too in 4th innings

Kohli can and will do if needed. He is basically Sachin+Steve Waugh rolled into one. India will not lose any home test match under him. That I am confident.

 

[rhony]

Kohli can and will do if needed. He is basically Sachin+Steve Waugh rolled into one. India will not lose any home test match under him. That I am confident.

400 in 2nd innings on this pitch

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Shot.

 

[rhony]

What a shot from Rahul!! This guy is pure class when he puts his mind into it

 

[Pollack]

Its time to remove Rahul from the team and get Karun in.

He is the only one who is looking good here.Mind you Australian pacers are quality.What's with Karun brigade nowadays?

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Dumb captaincy by Smith. Should bowl Haze and Starcy in tandem. they should've played Jackson Bird instead of the mystery spinner

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

KL Rahul when in form looks class above every batsman. Even virat looks inferior to him.

Agreed. He is better to Kohli when in form but lacks consistency and goes for a shot too many.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Its time to remove Rahul from the team and get Karun in.

I think Vijay should be replaced instead. Get Che to open with Rahul and slot Karun in the middle order. Vijay hasn't done much for more than a year i guess.

 

[Snow]

Rahane plays like a tailender against spinner.

 

[rhony]

Starc and something else is on fire

 

[MenInG]

People seem to forget that Ashwin is waiting round the corner to score a hundred.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Rahul
che
Kohli
Jinks
Karun
saha
Ash
jaddu
Jayant/Ishant
Shami
Yadav

Probably our best lineup if all are fit.

 

[Snow]

India should get 200 atleast to have any chance.

 

[rhony]

Dumb captaincy by Smith. Should bowl Haze and Starcy in tandem. they should've played Jackson Bird instead of the mystery spinner

What if the batsmen play off those spells? Who's going to bowl next? This is very good captaincy by Smith. Relentless pressure

 

[Arsalan Pro]

Rahane plays like a tailender against spinner.

Or like M Rizwan?

 

[Nikhil_cric]

India should get 200 atleast to have any chance.

200? We need atleast 350 to have a chance to win. hazlewood will become a nightmare to face in the 4th innings if this pitch breaks up.

 

[rhony]

India should get 200 atleast to have any chance.

If India don't get atleast a 100 lead, they are toast

 

[Snow]

I think Vijay should be replaced instead. Get Che to open with Rahul and slot Karun in the middle order. Vijay hasn't done much for more than a year i guess.

Score 3 Centuries in his last 6 matches. HAs done well overseas as well.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

What if the batsmen play off those spells? Who's going to bowl next? This is very good captaincy by Smith. Relentless pressure

They can always come back after a rest. Anyway i did say that this attack was missing Bird. Underrated bowler.

 

[rhony]

Score 3 Centuries in his last 6 matches. HAs done well overseas as well.

Yep. Don't understand the love for Karun just because of 1 innings. Vijay has proved to be reliable over the years home and away

 

[Pollack]

I think Vijay should be replaced instead. Get Che to open with Rahul and slot Karun in the middle order. Vijay hasn't done much for more than a year i guess.

Che is the weakest in this batting lineup. Rest are all conditions batsman. Che is vulnerable against quality attacks and swing and even bounce to be honest.

 

[rhony]

They can always come back after a rest. Anyway i did say that this attack was missing Bird. Underrated bowler.

One look at the pitch and you need 2 spinners. They can't have 3 pacers in that case. It's all together a different story that Mitch Marsh is a useless bat but they need to have a pace allrounder for balance.

 

[King Kong]

If India don't get atleast a 100 lead, they are toast

Couldn't be more wrong. Just need to get around the Australia score. Our bowlers and Kohli will do the rest. Hope Australia gives at least a target of 200, so that Kohli will score a hundred in 4th innings.

 

[Napa]

People seem to forget that Ashwin is waiting round the corner to score a hundred.

To be followed by Saha's hundred

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Score 3 Centuries in his last 6 matches. Has done well overseas as well.

With one of them being against bangladesh. Not belittling Vijay but he is 33 years old and not in the top 5 bats in the country. He doesn't have the ability to score daddy hundreds. We are already playing a bowler short and he simply does not make it on merit anymore methinks.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Che is the weakest in this batting lineup. Rest are all conditions batsman. Che is vulnerable against quality attacks and swing and even bounce to be honest.

Che slightly ahead of Vijay for me. He was good against NZ and you simply can't drop a 50 averaging batsman in test cricket.

 

[rhony]

Australia's session. Rahul playing well but Starc and Hazy will be right back after lunch. Enthralling 2nd session awaiting us

 

[JibranAnsari]

India will easily get a lead of 150 here.

 

[rhony]

Couldn't be more wrong. Just need to get around the Australia score. Our bowlers and Kohli will do the rest. Hope Australia gives at least a target of 200, so that Kohli will score a hundred in 4th innings.

Imagine playing Starc, Hazy on a pitch like this on 4th day. Lyon will be lethal as well. I believe it will be impossible to chase more than 180

 

[Nikhil_cric]

One look at the pitch and you need 2 spinners. They can't have 3 pacers in that case. It's all together a different story that Mitch Marsh is a useless bat but they need to have a pace allrounder for balance.

Not really. If you have quality spinners then sure. Australia don't have any. It's not like only spinners do well in India. Only quality quicks have done well here. All of their quicks - Starc/Haze/Bird are around 6'5" and if they don't get wickets, they'll atleast keep the bats quiet. Just need someone to roll their arm over for a few overs of offspin.

 

[Pollack]

One look at the pitch and you need 2 spinners. They can't have 3 pacers in that case. It's all together a different story that Mitch Marsh is a useless bat but they need to have a pace allrounder for balance.

Only that he is bad at both batting and bowling.So waste of a spot.

 

[rhony]

Not really. If you have quality spinners then sure. Australia don't have any. It's not like only spinners do well in India. Only quality quicks have done well here. All of their quicks - Starc/Haze/Bird are around 6'5" and if they don't get wickets, they'll atleast keep the bats quiet. Just need someone to roll their arm over for a few overs of offspin.

That's the case when you have 3 lethal pacers. You are giving a lot of undue credit to Bird. Smith wants to have a pacer and a spinner is tandem with Marsh filling in the blanks. Lyon can't bowl 50 overs as a lone spinner. Indians are capable of playing spin and somebody rolling over a few will release all the pressure off India