***INDIA Vs AUSTRALIA CRICKET SERIES 2017 AUS TOUR OF INDIA***

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10 hours ago, timmy said:

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Australia tour of India - Tour match

India A v Australia

Match drawn

Australians 469 for 7 dec (Smith 107, Shaun Marsh 104, Mitchell Marsh 75, Wade 64) and 110 for 4 drew with India A 176 for 4 (Iyer 202*, Gowtham 74, Lyon 4-162)

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Australia had pretty good practice match...

[timmy]

Kumble plays down talk of unbeaten home season

SIDHARTH MONGA IN PUNE

 

 

Play01:53

'Keeping the team together has brought results' - Kumble

 

When India's current home season was announced - 13 Tests over four series - there was a feeling they might be onto something special. Some of that feeling came from the pitches last season against South Africa. It seemed India had decided to play their home Tests on rank turners, giving their spinners an edge, and winning all 13 was not really a fantasy. There could be the odd Test where they could give the opposition spinners a chance, but it was clear it would take something special to beat India at home.

The pitches slowly changed, though, ranging from typical Indian tracks to ones that began to turn on day two. There were two really flat ones. There was one that brought the New Zealand quicks into the game. India kept losing players to injuries.They kept losing tosses against England. Yet after three series and nine Tests, India are yet to be defeated and have failed to win only one Test.

When speaking publicly, India's leadership and other players have steered clear of putting themselves under possible pressure by setting their sights on an undefeated season. Two days before the series opener against Australia, the feeling cannot be escaped. Especially when India know that if they can repeat what they did against England, a similar series result against Australia is not really a fantasy. It is at this time that coach Anil Kumble said they are reinforcing the need to stay in the moment.

"Of course, those things [feeling of being on the cusp of something special] are there, but we don't want to look too far ahead," Kumble said. "We certainly take it one game at a time. Before the NZ series as well, we looked at the entire series, but it was important to start every Test with the first session of the game. We'd like to keep it that way rather than look at the series. We want to start off on a good note here.

"Yes in all those matches that we have played and all those situations that we were in, each one has come up and found a solution to it. Be it the top order or the lower order, the contributions have been really good. And with the bowling it's not just spinners, but the faster bowlers as well who have stood up in key moments. That's what will hold us in good stead. There will be some tough moments in the series, but I'm sure the squad is capable of coming up with solutions."

 

 

Not looking too far ahead: Anil Kumble has said India are reinforcing the need to stay in the moment rather than getting carried away with the prospect of going undefeated through the home season © AFP

 

 

India are now unbeaten for 19 Tests starting with the second Test in the series in Sri Lanka in 2015. At home, their unbeaten streak goes all the way back to 2012-13 since when they have played 20 Tests, won 17 and drawn three. The only other time India have come close to showing such dominance in Test cricket was when they went unbeaten for 10 straight home Tests at the start of 1990s, Kumble was central to the dominance. He was asked to compare the confidence this team carries as compared to that team, if this team is aware of how good it is.

"Of course [ they are aware]," Kumble said. "They're all fantastic players. The things that they have been able to achieve in their careers, some of them have played 40-45 Tests, Virat [Kohli] has played 50. The kind of achievements people have had, there's not many who we can draw parallels with. So that way they've all achieved quite a bit. Someone like [R] Ashwin has been the fastest to 250 wickets in Test history. That's amazing. Those kind of performers are really good to have in a squad."

How is this domination - more certain and inevitable perhaps - different to the one in the 1990s? "You can't compare my playing days to now," Kumble said. "Things have changed. I'm really privileged that I've had a chance to work with this young lot over the last 10 months, to see them grow, understand and come up with solutions. At the end of the day, you want the team to be self-sufficient, you don't want people to keep looking behind their shoulder for advice. That's what I'm trying to create, an environment where each one learns from the other and then tries to find a solution on the field and off it as well.

"That's what has been really encouraging for me as a coach, and that's what I have seen over the last 10 months with this group of players. I don't think any two Test matches has had the same playing XI. And that's been the beauty of this team. It doesn't matter who is playing, at the end of the day whoever is part of the XI has contributed. And whoever is not and is a part of the squad, he has also contributed."

There are so many things that can go wrong over 13 Tests in one season. It takes a physical toll for starters, especially because Tests in India are almost always back-to-back, which has shown in the injuries. One thing India have done well is to play on good pitches, which rules out ordinary spinners from becoming effective. At times you lose the toss and find yourself chasing 500; India have done well in those situations too. As Kumble said, they have kept finding solutions to all the situations that have come up. Perhaps he will sit and rejoice once the series is over and if it has gone the same way as the earlier ones, but - challenges of playing in England, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia notwithstanding - they really are on the cusp of something truly special.

Source: 

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-australia-2016-17/content/story/1083660.html

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Australia brace for tough road test on Pune's debut

Big Picture

In this era of facts and alternative facts, let's consider one of each regarding the Test series that starts in Pune on Thursday. Australia can regain the No.1 Test ranking by the end of this tour. That is a fact. Australia have a good chance of doing so. That is an alternative fact. In other words, a falsehood. A statement that is backed up by no evidence whatsoever. To do so, Australia would need to win this series either 3-0 or 4-0, and not even Sean Spicer could claim with a straight face that such a scenario is feasible. A different sort of spin will be required to succeed in this series.

Consider some more facts. India have not lost a Test - any Test, anywhere - since August 2015. That is a stretch of 19 consecutive Tests they have either been won or drawn. Admittedly, since they were last defeated, by Sri Lanka in Galle, they have played only one away series, against West Indies last year. At home they are utterly dominant. Of their past 20 home Tests, India have won 17 and drawn three. Last time they lost at home was to England in Kolkata in December 2012. It is so long ago that Yuvraj Singh was still a Test cricketer, but Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja were not.

Australia, meanwhile, have lost their past nine Tests in Asia. If they were a cat, they'd be out of lives, and out of their misery. Until last year, Sri Lanka was the one Asian venue at which Australia always seemed to win. Then they encountered Rangana Herath and were crushed 0-3. Nine men who played in that series are part of the squad in India. What have they learnt from that experience? We are about to find out. What is certain is that R Ashwin, Jadeja and whichever other spinners India choose to play will test Australia's batsmen every bit as sternly as Herath and Dilruwan Perera.

Last time India hosted Australia for a Test series, Ashwin and Jadeja combined for a remarkable tally of 53 wickets. Only one Australian century was scored in the four Tests in 2013 - by Michael Clarke, on the opening day of the series. From then on, Australia's tour was beset by poor techniques against spin, an inability to restrict India's batsmen, internal angst within the squad, and detentions over neglected homework. India only gained momentum, not just winning but annihilating Australia in the process.

Four years later, a very different Australia will try their luck. Peter Handscomb, Matt Renshaw and Shaun Marsh will all play Test cricket in India for the first time - Marsh, the selectors hope, could be Australia's trump card on the spinning pitches, given his success in Sri Lanka - while Josh Hazlewood and Steve O'Keefe will have their first experience of bowling in Tests in India. The hosts, since 2013, have lost legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and MS Dhoni, but appear no weaker for it. They are No.1 in the world, by a distance. Expect that chasm only to grow over the next few weeks.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)

India: WWWWW
Australia: WWWWL

In the spotlight

How will Australia's batsmen combat the dual threats of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja? They are the top two Test bowlers in the world, according to the ICC's rankings, and for Australia to have any hope of respectability in this series they will need to find some way to limit their impact. One turns the ball away from the right-handers, one away from the left-handers, and both will be threatening with every single delivery. Their figures are quite remarkable: no bowler in Test history has reached 250 wickets faster than Ashwin, while of Jadeja's 117 Test wickets, 96 have come in India at the average of 20.22. Expect this pair to once again be at the top of the wicket tally.

 

The oldest man in Australia's squad, Shaun Marsh gets his first chance to play Test cricket in India at the age of 33. The selectors view Marsh as a good player of spin, and is expected to slot in either at No.3 or No.4, effectively replacing Usman Khawaja, whose previous struggles in turning conditions in Asia appear to have cost him his spot. Marsh was a calm presence in Colombo last August, when he was brought in for the third Test against Sri Lanka and made 130, which was Australia's highest score of the tour. With hundreds in three of his past four first-class matches and two of his past three Tests, he should enter this Test with confidence.

Team news

India appear likely to play three spinners, with Jayant Yadav set to join Ashwin and Jadeja. His inclusion looms as the only probable change from the side that beat Bangladesh in Hyderabad.

India (probable): 1 KL Rahul, 2 M Vijay, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 7 R Ashwin, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Jayant Yadav, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Umesh Yadav.

Unless the selectors see such a raging turner of a pitch that they call for a third spinner - in which case Mitchell Marsh could miss out and either Glenn Maxwell or Ashton Agar would be included - Australia's XI appears fairly settled. Matt Renshaw batted with David Warner for a long period at training on Tuesday, and is expected to retain his place ahead of Usman Khawaja. All up, two changes are likely from the side that beat Pakistan at the SCG last month: the Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitchell, both in at the expense of Khawaja and Hilton Cartwright.

Australia (probable): 1 David Warner, 2 Matt Renshaw, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Shaun Marsh, 5 Peter Handscomb, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Steve O'Keefe, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood.

Pitch and conditions

The pitch for the inaugural Pune Test match is so dry that Australia are believed to be considering a third spinner. India's captain, Virat Kohli, said he was expecting the turn to be slow. Like at the Wankhede Stadium, the practice pitches at the MCA Stadium are on the main square. That means a lot of barren patches on the square. There is a good chance of reverse swing.

Stats and trivia

The MCA Ground in Pune will be the 25th venue in India to host Test cricket; Australia, by comparison, has had only nine Test venues

According to the ICC's Test rankings, the top two batsmen and top three bowlers in the world will all be playing in this Test: Steven Smith, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Josh Hazlewood

Unusual as it is for Australia to play two matches in different countries on consecutive days - a T20 in Adelaide on Wednesday and a Test in Pune on Thursday - England once played two Tests on the same day in 1930, one in New Zealand and one in the Caribbean

Quotes

"You hear comments like Harbhajan who expect us to lose 4-0. That's not how we feel. We want to compete here against India. It's going to be a tough series, they've got some quality players in their line-up from 1 to 11. So yes, it's going to be difficult."
Australia captain Steven Smith on the challenges ahead

"Every match and series for us is challenging, we don't see any series as high or low. All teams we had played were good quality teams. Australia is no different. We are not treating this series different from any others in the past."
India captain Virat Kohli on what he expects from Australia

[Kontekurradu]

inka padaledu eandabba, Cricinfo post ani 

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Australia tour of India, 1st Test: India v Australia at Pune, Feb 23-27, 2017

IndiaSquad:

Playing XI:

Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma

Bench:

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund, Karun Nair, Hardik Pandya

AustraliaSquad:

Playing XI:

David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Shaun Marsh, Steven Smith (c), Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Starc, Steve O'Keefe, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

Bench:

Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Swepson, Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird

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27.2

UT Yadav to Warner, OUT, gets 'im this time. Kohli's bowling change works. A big blow for Australia. Nothing special about the delivery, but the line is good, the length is good. Yadav goes full, a set of stumps outside off. Warner's natural attacking tendency to get bat on ball forces him to play at that, bat away from the pad. His feet get to the pitch late too. Gets a thick inside edge which clatters into middle and leg stump. Will this open an end up?

DA Warner b UT Yadav 38 (77b 6x4 0x6) SR: 49.35

 

46.4

J Yadav to SE Marsh, OUT, that's lucky. A fortuitous dismissal. A flat delivery down leg from Jayant, Marsh is slightly late on his sweep and misses it. The ball hits the pad and then bobbles up onto his gloves and then the back of his bat before settling in Kohli's hands at leg slip. Not a bad option from Marsh, just flawed execution. Will this induce confidence in Jayant?

SE Marsh c Kohli b J Yadav 16 (55b 3x4 0x6) SR: 29.09

 

59.2

Jadeja to Handscomb, OUT, that was always coming. A flat delivery from Jadeja, Handscomb is undone by the lack of turn and the fact that he is is too far back in his crease. This is the natural variation, the non-turning delivery. Handscomb stays back and the ball skids on to beat Handscomb on the inside edge: the previous delivery should have been a signal. Struck right in front of middle and leg. Out says umpire Llong. Handscomb chats with Smith but walks off.

PSP Handscomb lbw b Jadeja 22 (45b 3x4 0x6) SR: 48.88

 

60.1

Ashwin to Smith, OUT, straight to midwicket! After all the hardwork, Smith chips his wicket away. A flat delivery outside off from Ashwin, Smith runs down to the pitch and flicks nicely but can't keep it down or find the gap. Hits it at a comfortable height to Kohli at a square midwicket, who is typically delighted. That's a big wicket. Australia lose two in succession.

SPD Smith c Kohli b Ashwin 27 (95b 2x4 0x6) SR: 28.42

 

67.4

Jadeja to MR Marsh, OUT, absolutely dead! Flat on off, the ball that doesn't turn. Jadeja brings this one back in with a round-arm action, Marsh stays back and misses a drive and is struck plumb in front of off. The finger went up almost before the appeal.

MR Marsh lbw b Jadeja 4 (18b 0x4 0x6) SR: 22.22

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Australia 184/5 (73.0 ov)

 

Australia won the toss and elected to bat

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Indian wasted both reviews in first 80 overs....

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Renshaw Playing very well using his height to good effect and very certain about foot movement...

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75.4

UT Yadav to Wade, OUT, appeal for lbw and umpire Llong has given him. Wade seems to have moved across onto off stump and gets pinned by a skidder in front of the stumps. But this is around the wicket, so could the angle have been taking it down leg? Wade thinks so and he goes for a review. Third umpire Illingworth says no bat involved. Says umpire's call on hitting the stumps, with ball tracking only just shaving leg stump. Tough call on Wade, but he has to go.

MS Wade lbw b UT Yadav 8 (20b 1x4 0x6) SR: 40.00

FOW 190/6

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78.3

Ashwin to Renshaw, OUT, edged and taken. Beautifully bowled that. Went over the wicket, chose a round-arm action. The ball pitches straight and so Renshaw thinks he has to play. But he doesn't really. He chases after the ball and edges the ball to second slip, where Vijay gets forward and takes a good catch. Undone by some superb bowling. But that was a really good knock.

MT Renshaw c Vijay b Ashwin 68 (156b 10x4 1x6) SR: 43.58

FOW 196/7

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81.4

UT Yadav to O'Keefe, OUT, what a catch that is. Not seen anything better this home summer. That wasn't even really a reflex catch. Short and wide from Umesh, O'Keefe looks to hammer a cut away but the ball takes the outside edge and flies through the slip region. Until, that is, Saha dives to his right, both feet parallel to the ground, and takes a one-handed screamer. Had to leap

SNJ O'Keefe c †Saha b UT Yadav 0 (13b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

FOW 205/8

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81.5

UT Yadav to Lyon, OUT, and he's plumb first ball. Australia have two wickets in hand, two reviews left. The math adds up and so Lyon reviews. Umpire's call on impact says HawkEye. No bat. Umpire Llong's decision is upheld. Full and straight from Umesh, the ball seaming back in to strike Lyon right in front of leg. Looked even more out after he fell over

NM Lyon lbw b UT Yadav 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

FOW 205/9