First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

[Happy Days]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

Does anyone else think that if it was Pakistan capitulating like India did today we would be reading some different headlines and discussions would be heading in another direction?

Well yes, but that's probably because they actually fully match fixed before and you can't get that genie back in the bottle. It's a nice out for India but their batting is just as fragile as ours, and I've definitely seen an approximation of this Australian team get rolled for ~40 before without any raised eyebrows.

[GVGjr]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

Well yes, but that's probably because they actually fully match fixed before and you can't get that genie back in the bottle. It's a nice out for India but their batting is just as fragile as ours, and I've definitely seen an approximation of this Australian team get rolled for ~40 before without any raised eyebrows.

I probably should have added the dropped catches as well as a run out. It was a very inept display in so many facets of the game by India after the first day.

[GVGjr]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

If anyone wants to see the batting highlights of India's 2nd inning apparently you can watch them on TikTok

[Twodogs]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

I do love it. And have missed it......and am a bit disappointed the Aussie quicks ruined my plans for the evening.

Me too. I was working and the plan for the shift was to spend most of the evening watching the cricket. Client and I were out for a walk when I checked my phone to see what the score was and Australia were already halfway home in the second innings.

Does anyone else think that if it was Pakistan capitulating like India did today we would be reading some different headlines and discussions would be heading in another direction?

Interesting point. Yes there would be questions asked.

Well yes, but that's probably because they actually fully match fixed before and you can't get that genie back in the bottle. It's a nice out for India but their batting is just as fragile as ours, and I've definitely seen an approximation of this Australian team get rolled for ~40 before without any raised eyebrows.

My eyebrows, hackles, nervee and the hairs on the back of my neck were all raised that day.

[GVGjr]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

Interesting point. Yes there would be questions asked.

Dropped catches, a run out and the worst batting performance would have come under a higher level of scrutiny if it was the Pakistan team

[Axe Man]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

Great stat. Amazing that right up to this test I was still seeing people calling for him to be dropped.

Updated list of the best batting averages for Australian wicket-keepers who have played 20+ Test innings:
Adam Gilchrist - 47.6
TIM PAINE - 33.4
Brad Haddin - 33.0
Wayne Phillips - 29.1
Matthew Wade - 28.6
Ian Healy - 27.4
Rod Marsh 26.5

[GVGjr]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

Great stat. Amazing that right up to this test I was still seeing people calling for him to be dropped.

Updated list of the best batting averages for Australian wicket-keepers who have played 20+ Test innings:
Adam Gilchrist - 47.6
TIM PAINE - 33.4
Brad Haddin - 33.0
Wayne Phillips - 29.1
Matthew Wade - 28.6
Ian Healy - 27.4
Rod Marsh 26.5

I was a doubter of his selection but he has performed so well as a captain and his batting has been OK.
I really like hearing him talk, he's a tough character

[comrade]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

Great stat. Amazing that right up to this test I was still seeing people calling for him to be dropped.

Updated list of the best batting averages for Australian wicket-keepers who have played 20+ Test innings:
Adam Gilchrist - 47.6
TIM PAINE - 33.4
Brad Haddin - 33.0
Wayne Phillips - 29.1
Matthew Wade - 28.6
Ian Healy - 27.4
Rod Marsh 26.5

Just goes to show how good Gilly was. Head and shoulders above the rest, and did it in a way that none of the other players named were capable of even on their best days.

[Happy Days]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

That was Paine’s best test innings by a fair margin. I really hate how much the public gets brow beaten into respecting him as some phenomenal leader of men, as if no one actually watched the last Ashes series (especially now that 7 have the coverage), but his application was very impressive.

[Axe Man]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

Just goes to show how good Gilly was. Head and shoulders above the rest, and did it in a way that none of the other players named were capable of even on their best days.

It also goes to show how unfair it is to compare keepers to Eric Gilchurch. It's like comparing spinners to Warne or batsmen to Bradman, we are unlikely to see an equivalent again.

If a keeper can be tidy with the gloves and average in the 30s I think that is enough.

[GVGjr]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

Just goes to show how good Gilly was. Head and shoulders above the rest, and did it in a way that none of the other players named were capable of even on their best days.

Phillips went on an Ashes tour and performed well with the gloves and the bat until he broke a finger in the last day or 2 of the fifth test. His keeping and batting were never the same.
I was never a fan of Wades but he should have been a player who averaged 35 with the bat

[comrade]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

It also goes to show how unfair it is to compare keepers to Eric Gilchurch. It's like comparing spinners to Warne or batsmen to Bradman, we are unlikely to see an equivalent again.

If a keeper can be tidy with the gloves and average in the 30s I think that is enough.

How blessed were we to have the likes of Gilly, Warne, McGrath and co all in the same side. Man, took it for granted at the time.

[Twodogs]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

It also goes to show how unfair it is to compare keepers to Eric Gilchurch. It's like comparing spinners to Warne or batsmen to Bradman, we are unlikely to see an equivalent again.

If a keeper can be tidy with the gloves and average in the 30s I think that is enough.

When he first came into the team fans used to downplay just how good a keeper Gilchrist was. They didn't stop to think that he had to keep to Warne at his absolute peak and while it was expected that the batsmen were human and couldn't possibly pick every Warne delivery, Gilchrist didn't have that luxury. I still think that Gilchrist is one of the top 3 cricketers I've seen play.

Nobody else took games away from the opposition with 30-45 minutes of batting the way he could. He'd bat for 3/4s of an hour and all of a sudden the other mob couldn't win.

[Twodogs]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

It also goes to show how unfair it is to compare keepers to Eric Gilchurch. It's like comparing spinners to Warne or batsmen to Bradman, we are unlikely to see an equivalent again.

If a keeper can be tidy with the gloves and average in the 30s I think that is enough.

I had to google who you were talking about. That's pretty funny.

[Happy Days]

Re: First Test Australia v India - December 17-21 2020, Adelaide Oval

When he first came into the team fans used to downplay just how good a keeper Gilchrist was. They didn't stop to think that he had to keep to Warne at his absolute peak and while it was expected that the batsmen were human and couldn't possibly pick every Warne delivery, Gilchrist didn't have that luxury. I still think that Gilchrist is one of the top 3 cricketers I've seen play.

Nobody else took games away from the opposition with 30-45 minutes of batting the way he could. He'd bat for 3/4s of an hour and all of a sudden the other mob couldn't win.

As someone who is frequently guilty at it, potting someone’s wicket keeping is kind of an “I am very smart” criticism.

At any rate, Gilchrist’s stumpings in ODIs off of Glenn McGrath and flawless keeping to Warne throughout several subcontinent tours should’ve made it clear enough he was a talented gloveman.