India vs Australia | 1st Test | Mohali | Oct 1-5 2010

[Aditya Khanna]

The match thread for the first test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Team India will be determined to continue its ascendancy (points-wise) on the ICC rankings table. Our bowling unit has a lot of questions surrounding them and they would have to put in a strong performance worthy of the No. 1 side. The Australians wouldn't be short of incentive and motivation - regaining the top slot, building a winning momentum going into the Ashes etc. Australia will be hoping their fast men get a grip on the art of reverse swing straightaway. It could be a long day in the field for them if they don't. Spin is an obvious weakness and Ponting will hope Hauritz lifts his game a notch or two.

VENUE

The match will be played at the beautiful PCA stadium in Mohali, part of the Chandigarh TriCity region. The Mohali pitch has historically assisted pace bowlers but the region has experienced unusually heavy downpour till the last week. This has hampered the pitch preparations and the curator has predicted an uncharacteristic slow and low turf.

A few colourful images of the stadium and the city:

 

[IT_Khumbee]

Why are you posting city pictures in match thread??I have absolutely no interest in which ever city match is being played.....please delete them before the mods do it...thanx

 

[1137moiz]

LOVELY PICTURES. Mohali is one of the two Indian grounds I actually like. The other is Jaipur. And Bangalore is ok

 

[pinger]

Our bowling attacks is pants- I expect we will lose both tests.

 

[kingusama92]

Should be an interesting series.

One thing is for sure - the Aussies won't leave without a fight.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Our bowling attacks is pants- I expect we will lose both tests.

Well Mitchell Johnson seems to enjoy India and if you guys bat first I feel you have a great chance of winning.

Come on Aussies!

 

[Down2Earth]

c'mon ya aussies. expect boring draws anyway

 

[RexRex]

I gather the PPers are supporting their neighbours as one should ?

 

[Sledger]

Nice pics, but you missed...

PITCH

 

[RexRex]

Mohali will be a good pitch to bowl if the last test was anything to go by.

 

[Aditya Khanna]

As mentioned in the OP, Mohali has had a lot of rain till the last week which has impeded pitch preparations. The curator has predicted a SLOW and LOW turf.

 

[Fawad2010]

I gather the PPers are supporting their neighbours as one should ?

well technically, I m supporting Aus because of the English Tour fiasco. Enemy of my enemy is my friend kinda deal here.
Plus I already know Aus is superior team then Pak and I would like to have Aus to win most matches..

 

[KingKhanWC]

lol Sledger.

Turn from day one then.

 

[Down2Earth]

As mentioned in the OP, Mohali has had a lot of rain till the last week which has impeded pitch preparations. The curator has predicted a SLOW and LOW turf.

slow and low? couldn't have guessed

 

[TruSachFan]

Should be an interesting series.

One thing is for sure - the Aussies won't leave without a fight.

They never do

 

[ahsan88]

I hope India bats first and Sehwag hits another century. Go Blue shirts..!!!

 

[OZGOD]

What time does this start?

 

[Random Aussie]

The match will be played at the beautiful PCA stadium in Mohali, part of the Chandigarh TriCity region. The Mohali pitch has historically assisted pace bowlers but the region has experienced unusually heavy downpour till the last week. This has hampered the pitch preparations and the curator has predicted an uncharacteristic slow and low turf.

)

 

[Random Aussie]

What time does this start?

Beating begins in about 10 hours I think

 

[over]

It's in 2 and half hrs or 2 pm EST I think.

 

[Sir john]

2 day fast bowler have something to do.

 

[shahrukh619]

I hope pujara is playing, marvelous stats he has

 

[Sir john]

I hope pujara is playing, marvelous stats he has

he have no place in playing eleven.

 

[UsmanhailsAfridi]

aus bat win toss

 

[iHammad]

Aus batting

 

[iHammad]

Sreesanth, Vijay, Pujara and Mishra miss out

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Indian Team

V Sehwag
G Gambhir
R Dravid
SR Tendulkar
VVS Laxman
SK Raina
MS Dhoni*†,
Harbhajan Singh
Z Khan
PP Ojha
I Sharma

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Australia going with 3 quicks (Hilfenhaus, Bollinger, Johnson) and Hauritz

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Hopefully Australia can grab a massive 1st innings total

 

[IT_Khumbee]

Pakistan wins toss and bats...Hopefully bat enemy out of the the match in 1st innings.

 

[pinger]

Pakistan wins toss and bats...Hopefully bat enemy out of the the match in 1st innings.

Are we watching the same game : AUS v INDIA??

 

[ajithrocks]

Pakistan wins toss and bats...Hopefully bat enemy out of the the match in 1st innings.

I don't think pak cricket has gone to such a low level, that people start to hallucinate and dream of Australia team as Pak.

Hope is the best medicine for many.. I wish your hope comes true..

 

[Random Aussie]

Good toss to win first up.

There have been rumours the Indian players preparation is not the greatest, let's see how many fatties are on the field.

Happy that Raina is playing, that's one free wicket for us to replace the YUVI. Pujara would worry me more.

Now we need to make decent runs or we will get blown off the park.

 

[iHammad]

MS Dhoni is yet to lose a Test series as captain of India.

 

[ajithrocks]

Good toss to win first up.

There have been rumours the Indian players preparation is not the greatest, let's see how many fatties are on the field.

Happy that Raina is playing, that's one free wicket for us to replace the YUVI. Pujara would worry me more.

Now we need to make decent runs or we will get blown off the park.

Cricket is not just about technique.. Raina is far more assured with short balls in test matches than in ODIs.. In tests there is no need to play a short ball, and unless someone bowls snorter (which I doubt highly) i don't think Australian attack is going to trouble him..

Raina is more needed in this lineup than pujara, as left hander in a lineup completely dominated by right handers will help indians by not allowing the aussie bowler to settle down..

 

[Random Aussie]

MS Dhoni is yet to lose a Test series as captain of India.

Yaar cos he skipped the one they were favoured to lose in favour of IPL.

Excellent, one ball, no wickets.

 

[iHammad]

dropped by sehwag!

 

[kingusama92]

Drop right away.

Yikes.

 

[ajithrocks]

catch dropped.. thats india for you..

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Nice - Aus are off the mark

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

was it an easy catch?

 

[OZGOD]

Willow not showing this? What a bummer

 

[Random Aussie]

Cricket is not just about technique.. Raina is far more assured with short balls in test matches than in ODIs.. In tests there is no need to play a short ball, and unless someone bowls snorter (which I doubt highly) i don't think Australian attack is going to trouble him..

Raina is more needed in this lineup than pujara, as left hander in a lineup completely dominated by right handers will help indians by not allowing the aussie bowler to settle down..

OK then I look forward to seeing his 4 unbeaten centuries.

Thank you Sehwag!

 

[kingusama92]

was it an easy catch?

He got both hands on it - was above his head.

Should have caught it.

 

[WithLoveFromCanada]

Catch dropped, 25'000 for sehwag

 

[IT_Khumbee]

World # 1 team playing in front of a full house...test cricket in India is so exciting to watch

 

[jeetu]

Shane Watson is probably biggest indian threat , the guy batting briliiantly in tour game.

 

[Wised up]

Sehwag should have caught it. At this level catches like these should not be put down.

 

[WithLoveFromCanada]

pitch controversy again....no bounce...


commentators so far

Brad hodge
Ravi Shastri

 

[Wised up]

Tony Collins: "Up at 5am in London to watch this. It appears my dedication to test cricket is more than the local fans." True that, the ground looks really unoccupied. Zaheer is off after that over. Vijay substitutes for him. Ishant to bowl the second over. Big drop that from Sehwag in the first over, Watson will look to make it count.

Lol...

 

[akafen]

Embarrassing pitch. Nice little crowd in though

 

[ajithrocks]

World # 1 team playing in front of a full house...test cricket in India is so exciting to watch

Yes.. In fact, more Pak people following it online than Indians..

 

[Random Aussie]

Shane Watson is probably biggest indian threat , the guy batting briliiantly in tour game.

He is probably our best player these days...

 

[IT_Khumbee]

2 runs by Farhat.

 

[Random Aussie]

pitch controversy again....no bounce...


commentators so far

Brad hodge
Ravi Shastri

) Why is he commentating?

0/3

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

So is it a flat pitch? not that I would be surprised BUT just that some Indians were saying Mohali has something in it

 

[rajachoudhary50]

Catch dropped, 25'000 for sehwag

25k rupees or pounds or $$ ...please specify:iamlegend:aamir

 

[Afridirocks]

no crowd, thats just pathetic

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Yes.. In fact, more Pak people following it online than Indians..

Doubt it - still nowt wrong with us keeping an eye on proceedings and hopefully see the rockstars turn into popstars

 

[saeed-sohail]

Where is cricket crazy Indian public?

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Where is cricket crazy Indian public?

Ironically despite being Number 1 in tests they love the shorter formats just like us

 

[WithLoveFromCanada]

) Why is he commentating?

0/3

neo sports

i think arun lal is to follow ....epic

 

[IT_Khumbee]

Where is cricket crazy Indian public?

they are building the stadiums for CWG 2010

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Where is cricket crazy Indian public?

or maybe they are all busy cleaning the turdd in the commonwealth games accommodation????????

 

[IT_Khumbee]

No ball...Majeed khush hua

 

[WithLoveFromCanada]

25k rupees or pounds or $$ ...please specify:iamlegend:aamir

cuz the bookies are indians and the match being played in india, the currency probably will be pakistani rupees ..so that if anyone gets caught they can label it on ISI

 

[Random Aussie]

So is it a flat pitch? not that I would be surprised BUT just that some Indians were saying Mohali has something in it

Yes if you hit the right spot the ball doesn't bounce at all.

Seamer's wicket lol.

Ishant ripping it up at 137kph and Australia batting very cautiously.

As always Test cricket is mostly played in the mind and India have it over us at home.

 

[ajithrocks]

He is probably our best player these days...

Come on mate... Katich has been the real back bone over the last two years.. followed by watson.. Watson gives a good start, but fails to bat through..

 

[Random Aussie]

neo sports

i think arun lal is to follow ....epic

Who is with Arun Lal, Clint McKay?

 

[Random Aussie]

Come on mate... Katich has been the real back bone over the last two years.. followed by watson.. Watson gives a good start, but fails to bat through..

Yes but he also bowls and takes wickets.

 

[Random Aussie]

LMAO CricIndia typo..."Ishat"

)

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Is the review system being used?

 

[IT_Khumbee]

Great straight drive for 4 by Azhar Ali

 

[saeed-sohail]

4 to Katich.

 

[Random Aussie]

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Aus 13/0

 

[saeed-sohail]

Gould likes curry.

 

[saeed-sohail]

Middle of middle for ZAK.

 

[sehwag fan]

zaheer...u beauty

 

[IT_Khumbee]

World best batsman & world cup winner comes into bat.