Australia v India, 2nd Test, Melbourne, 26-30 December, 2020

So, Aus unchanged then?

Who comes in for Kohli and maybe Shami for India?

In other news, the rags are talking up the prospects of the Sydney Test being moved due to the covid outbreak on the Northern Beaches. Doh!!

Bring in GCS for Bogey

unchanged XI. Warner won't play

So Shami's out

"Indian seamer Mohammed Shami could miss the remainder of the Australia tour after reports in India suggested that scans revealed that he fractured his arm.

Shami copped a nasty hit on his right forearm after attempting to dodge a short delivery from Pat Cummins in India's calamitous second innings in the first Test.

He attempted to bat on but struggled to grip the bat and retired hurt before failing to take the field during Australia's second innings.

According to the Press Trust of India (PTI), scans have revealed that Shami has a fracture in his right arm.
...
Uncapped paceman Mohammed Siraj is said to be the leading candidate to replace Shami for the Boxing Day Test, while Navdeep Saini is the other pace option in the Test squad."

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So Shami out, Siraj in.

Aust will be unchanged I reckon.

Harry Conway may have had cause for a satisfied smile. The ball that hit Shami was a rare poor one from Cummins that was heading way down leg side.

It would have been 4 byes had Shami not been backing away to square leg.

The Bannie tail seem to ignore batting as a discipline. maybe it is management dictating they hit out or get out to ensure their self preservation.

One the things I like about our tail is they dig in when batting. Pretty sure Bumrah et al will try and give Lyon and Haze the Conway treatment.

2nd was on the wireless this arvo saying GCS is right to go for this Test.

So I guess Cam Green drops out and Weed goes back to 6.

skully wrote:2nd was on the wireless this arvo saying GCS is right to go for this Test.

So I guess Cam Green drops out and Weed goes back to 6.

Head should be the one to go.

Which is getting some traction via the support of the likes of Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin.

But he (Head) averages 41 in Tests, which I think justifies his continued inclusion.

Cam Green seems to be the next best thing, so let him bide his time.

This is gon' be one of those series that scars you for life.

But I'll take ii if at the bloody end they (a) sack Shastri (b) remove Kohli as captain.

This place 'Melbourne', does it have an airport? With lots of jet airplanes with jet engines?

Asking for a friend.

Perhaps Warner should bide his time.

I thought Green had a good debut with bat, ball, and hands ... give him another shot. Wade, though I'm not a fan, did a gutsy job opening up and set the tone for our second innings chase, so I don't think he should be given the arse after one Test played (well) out of his usual position. Head did nothing but he's got the runs on the board in recent games so deserves another chance. For me, the position is between Green and Warner and I'd like to give Green another chance.

furriner wrote:This place 'Melbourne', does it have an airport?  With lots of jet airplanes with jet engines?

Asking for a friend.

hehe. It does. International flights have just resumed. The quarantine conditions are tough.

... no Jumbos though.

furriner wrote:This place 'Melbourne', does it have an airport?  With lots of jet airplanes with jet engines?

Asking for a friend.

If it’s Melbourne in Derbyshire, East Midlands Airport is pretty close...

4-5 changes, possible. Only 2 of them forced. The Rohit Sharma farce in the ipl and prior to the tour. Zero plan.

And I'd trust the stumps to defend better than Prithvi Shaw.

tricycle wrote:4-5 changes, possible. Only 2 of them forced. The Rohit Sharma farce in the ipl and prior to the tour. Zero plan.

And I'd trust the stumps to defend better than Prithvi Shaw.

GOLD comment about Shaw.

The BCCI comments about Nohit Sharma needing to abide by exercise requirements while in isolation were rather insulting.

Surprised you didn't mention this, h, as a listener of SEN.

"Australia star Steve Smith firmly disagrees with Ian Chappell over the notion umpires need to do more to protect tailend batsmen when it comes to short pitched bowling, labelling it an “outlandish statement”.
...
Former Australia captain Chappell does not support banning the bouncer, but does believe there needs to be greater protection for lower-order batters.

“If a guy looks like he’s pretty hopeless against them you’ve got to give him some protection,” Chappell told the Sydney Morning Herald .

“It’s not hard to see who’s in trouble when you’re facing the short stuff. Now the bowlers have got to be able to give them one – let them know, “Mate, if you’re going to hang around here you’ll cop it”.

“After that the umpires have got to say, ‘Just bowl the guy out, don’t try to kill him’.”

It’s a stance Smith strongly disagrees with.

“It seems like Ian Chappell has an outlandish statement after every match at the moment,” he said on SEN."

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About time an Aussie player put Crappelli in his place.

skully wrote:2nd was on the wireless this arvo saying GCS is right to go for this Test..

didn't realise we were playing this Test on TikTok

skully wrote:Surprised you didn't mention this, h, as a listener of SEN.

"Australia star Steve Smith firmly disagrees with Ian Chappell over the notion umpires need to do more to protect tailend batsmen when it comes to short pitched bowling, labelling it an “outlandish statement”.
...
Former Australia captain Chappell does not support banning the bouncer, but does believe there needs to be greater protection for lower-order batters.

“If a guy looks like he’s pretty hopeless against them you’ve got to give him some protection,” Chappell told the Sydney Morning Herald .

“It’s not hard to see who’s in trouble when you’re facing the short stuff. Now the bowlers have got to be able to give them one – let them know, “Mate, if you’re going to hang around here you’ll cop it”.

“After that the umpires have got to say, ‘Just bowl the guy out, don’t try to kill him’.”

It’s a stance Smith strongly disagrees with.

“It seems like Ian Chappell has an outlandish statement after every match at the moment,” he said on SEN."

---------------------------------

About time an Aussie player put Crappelli in his place.

lol. No I did not hear it. FWIW the Shami incident was a result of a bad ball and incompetence. The bowling to Conway was a concerted assault. A bat for Conway may as well be a stick of celery. at least 9 of the 12 balls he received were bouncers and he was hit several times, inc on the noggin. The dill kept batting, was disoriented and got run-out. It was not good. Smith as he often is can shove his dumbass opinions up his his arse.

In the long run I expect the bouncer will be consigned to history, along with heading in football, and perhaps “full contact” football codes as a whole, with all the stuff coming out recently.

That's a bit depressing, beams.

I suppose we’ve known about the risks of boxing for many years and people still do it, it’s still legal in most countries and has kept its media profile.

Contact sports may have to take a few more precautions and there might be a bit less encouragement of children participating in them. They’ll probably still be around as long as any of us are, but might look somewhat different.

Warner is officially ruled out of the Boxing Day test.

Red wrote:Warner is officially ruled out of the Boxing Day test.

Wi the blight be considered?