Australia hammer India to tie the Series 1-1

[00:00:08] Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the Edges & Sledges Cricket Podcast. I'm your host Ashwin, I'm joined by DJ. As we sit here dealing with India versus Australia in the Borda Gavaskar Trophy being one-all after the highs of Perth, we've had the lows of Adelaide in a, I mean we're calling it two and a half day but it was like 2.1 day test match, two and a little bit day test match. DJ, how are you doing man? That was a tough question to start on but how are you feeling?

[00:00:38] I'm okay man. I feel like normal service has been resumed.

[00:00:42] There it is. That's the crazy thing that we were chatting before we hit the record but like we've just been here so many times now right like you have the highest of highs which I got to relive the highest you know we got to leave it together that I got to talk through it with Varun and the IPL series we just did which if you haven't heard check it out it's the IPL auction reviews but and now you're just sitting here living all right the lowest of lows. My wife was just asking me she's like what you know do we need to plan around you being

[00:01:08] able to watch 10 o'clock start tomorrow and say actually no it's over. I thought it was five days. Nope. Finished in two in a little bit. So I got a full night's sleep last night because the game was done really early for my time.

[00:01:21] But I mean before we get into it overall like what is it what is the what is that kind of gut reaction? We knew this was inevitable right?

[00:01:28] It's still one all still a lot to play for this and that but but we knew this was this was coming right?

[00:01:35] Yeah there's two or three things there right like one I think it's been one all in the last three Bordaga Vazka trophies where India has been playing Australia.

[00:01:43] So yeah this is not new Australia thump India India thump Australia it's one all it's a weird dynamic which is kind of what makes this quite an exciting tournament.

[00:01:53] tournament. Secondly I think we were all cautiously pessimistic and I know the typical that's a good that's a great phrase actually.

[00:02:04] We were all cautiously pessimistic about the Adelaide test. I think Varun was like you know what this could all be it could be on the other foot 295 run win all of this.

[00:02:14] But if the conditions are different and things went a little differently or Australia played a little differently it could all be different.

[00:02:19] And then I mean we will talk through this election and stuff but yeah we just played India just played badly right?

[00:02:30] So someone told them you need to get 350 on the board but they forgot to specify it was across like they did across two innings instead of one.

[00:02:41] They didn't cumulatively get about it.

[00:02:42] Yeah yeah 355 I guess to be.

[00:02:45] Awful awful.

[00:02:47] I mean this is the one where you don't want to don't want to have to relive but let's do it because it'll help it'll help us cope it'll help us manage and hopefully if you're listening to this you're doing so in order to cope through it with us.

[00:02:58] We will go through the whole test match but DJ like you said let's start with selection.

[00:03:02] So three changes versus the first game.

[00:03:04] Two not unexpected right?

[00:03:05] Dhruvjarel and Devdath Padikal missing out to bring back bring back Shubman Gil and Rohit Sharma.

[00:03:12] Let me ask you about I guess not a lot of surprise on the change but the question mark was always where will Rohit bat?

[00:03:17] Does Rahul get pushed down?

[00:03:19] And sort of the in the warm-up game which Varun and I talked to in our last episode it was like Rahul and Jaswal opened and then Rohit came down the order.

[00:03:27] Then he sort of did that press conference right before the game where he said you know Rahul is batting like a dream at the top of the order.

[00:03:35] What is your take right? Rohit is the skipper. It is probably the big move bigger move on the back of a win to let the opening combination stay.

[00:03:43] Gil at three makes a ton of sense but Rohit at six versus playing Rohit in his opening slot.

[00:03:48] I mean he's had a let's face it he's had a bad few years in test cricket mostly as an opener after he had that unbelievable run when he first when he came back into being an opener.

[00:03:58] So what is your thoughts on the selection of Gil and Rohit coming back but mostly Rohit batting at six?

[00:04:05] I don't think that Gil's selection was contentious. I bet I mean he would walk back at three I guess.

[00:04:12] I mean there are a few different ways to play that I would have liked to see Rohit at the top of that order.

[00:04:17] He's the leader of the team. Yes he's not had a great time with the bat of late but no one really scored any runs other than maybe Jaswal in that New Zealand series right.

[00:04:28] So he's done well previously in that England series. That's the last kind of I think he's got one overseas ton which he got in the in the England series.

[00:04:40] But he's a totally different batter now because he's gone through that kind of metaphor metamorphosis into that attacking opening batter that flays the new ball everywhere in T20 as well as one day cricket.

[00:04:55] And he's been very successful that but I wonder whether that's come at the cost of some of the tightness that he brought into his game in that England series.

[00:05:03] And he was coming into his own as in an opener in the 2021 series in England.

[00:05:07] He was batting really well. He got a hundred at the oval.

[00:05:11] It was a tight technique that he'd prepared for that series. Now that seems to have deserted him a bit but it felt like it was a backward step right.

[00:05:23] And that's what I didn't like about it because yes he's come in. He's lost 3-0. He spent time with his newborn all of that stuff.

[00:05:29] You've just come off this high of a win in Perth and it was huge and yes he was there for that but it was led by Boombra all of that stuff.

[00:05:38] But it felt like you know what he was protecting himself a bit. There was maybe a bit of logic to it. The ball moves around.

[00:05:45] If he came in to bat later he could probably do the opener job with the new ball moving around.

[00:05:49] I don't know. I was not a fan of Rohit batting at 6. Why not 5?

[00:05:54] Yeah and I guess I would say before you get to that question I don't think there was that much technical cricketing logic to it.

[00:06:00] I think there was hey we've just won. Both openers had a really good test at birth. Let's not mess with it.

[00:06:07] And I think this is just one of those. This sounds like a cop-out answer but this is just one of those that if we had somehow won in Adelaide it would have been revered as a brilliant move because he'd let the winning combination stick.

[00:06:18] And yeah he replaced Jor-El at 6 but that was fine. Jor-El wasn't the highest impact in Perth and he's selfless.

[00:06:25] And now that we've lost we're sitting here saying is this one of the things or whatnot.

[00:06:28] I don't think we lost by the way because Rohit batting at 6 and Rahul just followed up.

[00:06:34] But we'll come to the specifics of the game.

[00:06:36] I want to ask you about the third selection change which I was a little surprised by and that was Ashwin who is unquestionably a legend of the game.

[00:06:43] So not specific to him but coming in for Sundar who had an excellent first test match at least with the bat he did.

[00:06:50] And this is where it comes down to the difference and I have been very vocal to say you cannot be picking your number 8 off of for the batting.

[00:06:57] That's just continuing to mask the weaknesses of your top 7.

[00:07:03] But I was a little surprised. Sundar looked really good.

[00:07:06] He was another left-handed option with the bat and Ash is incredibly decorative but it didn't feel like there needed to be a change.

[00:07:14] So if Ash was going to play here he could have just as well played at Perth.

[00:07:17] Am I oversimplifying it?

[00:07:21] I don't think so but I'm just trying to see what Washington Sundar did with the bat at Perth.

[00:07:26] Did he get many runs?

[00:07:28] No but he I mean he looked solid right?

[00:07:30] Yeah yeah he's a better bat than both of them put together.

[00:07:32] He doesn't have as many test hundreds as Jadeja or Ashwin.

[00:07:36] I mean he doesn't have as many test matches right?

[00:07:38] Yeah that's true.

[00:07:39] But in the first innings he got out for 4.

[00:07:41] Nobody batted him.

[00:07:43] But in the second he made that 29.

[00:07:44] He batted for 94 balls.

[00:07:46] Put up a partnership with Coley of course for a long time.

[00:07:52] And then with Reddy for a bit.

[00:07:53] Like that was the difference maker right at the end to get over the finish line with Coley.

[00:07:58] After at that one point.

[00:08:00] Just my memory but we were 320 odd or 310 for 2 and then 320 for 5.

[00:08:05] And he made the difference.

[00:08:07] So anyway again did they switch him out for his bowling?

[00:08:10] Because he didn't bowl much in the first test match.

[00:08:14] He bowled in the second and he picked up a couple of wickets at the tail.

[00:08:16] But yeah anyway what is your thoughts on this?

[00:08:18] Look Ashwin has played before in Adelaide.

[00:08:21] And I think he has a decent record playing in Adelaide.

[00:08:23] I don't have the stats on me.

[00:08:24] You're the stats guy so you'll tell me whatever his stats are in Adelaide.

[00:08:28] It was a like for light.

[00:08:30] But as you say I don't think Ashwin's got any test hundreds other than maybe in the West Indies.

[00:08:37] Outside of India.

[00:08:41] Yeah.

[00:08:42] So there's a definite downgrade in the batting.

[00:08:45] Again no disrespect to Ravi Chandran Ashwin as an all-rounder.

[00:08:47] I mean he's got 6 test hundreds and both of us sit here with some total of 0.

[00:08:52] But Washington Sundar is a better bat than Ashwin.

[00:08:55] They probably felt that they wanted the better bowling.

[00:09:00] Ashwin is a better bowler than Washington.

[00:09:04] So it's a toss-up.

[00:09:06] They probably felt that their batting had done well in Perth.

[00:09:09] So they had more confidence in it.

[00:09:11] Ash has 17 wickets in 7 bowling innings at the Adelaide before.

[00:09:16] So anyway.

[00:09:17] Yeah it's interesting.

[00:09:19] And Jadeja would have been the other natural kind of person in that selection.

[00:09:23] Makes who's probably second in line in the batting stakes these days.

[00:09:27] Maybe even first because he's played some great knocks for India in the recent past including rescuing us in that fifth test match against England.

[00:09:35] Yeah it felt a little like honestly the spinner didn't do much at all.

[00:09:40] I mean line didn't bowl in this India second innings.

[00:09:45] How insane is that right?

[00:09:47] Nathan Line doesn't get the ball.

[00:09:49] But India batted like 80 over the cross two innings right?

[00:09:52] Yeah no no I get that.

[00:09:53] So alright let's get into it then.

[00:09:54] Let's get into the game.

[00:09:55] Um first ball.

[00:09:58] First ball I was all fired up.

[00:10:01] It was late at night by time on a week that I was ready.

[00:10:04] I was set up.

[00:10:05] And Mitchell Stark comes in with this pink this shiny pink ball.

[00:10:10] And over the wicket to a left-hander.

[00:10:13] And it swings.

[00:10:15] And it looks like it bounces kind of pitches almost outside the legs up.

[00:10:19] But it was the legs up fine.

[00:10:19] And it's shaping back.

[00:10:20] And it just wraps Jess Wall on the pad.

[00:10:24] With the backdrop of a daddy hundred as we've called them before on the show in the previous test match.

[00:10:30] Including all kinds of sledging.

[00:10:33] Including Jess Wall looking at Mitchell saying it's coming too slow.

[00:10:36] And all of this fun stuff.

[00:10:39] First ball set the tone for the match.

[00:10:41] Zero for one.

[00:10:42] Or one for zero as the Aussies call it.

[00:10:44] And Jess Wall sort of walks off with his head hanging.

[00:10:47] That was a tough start right?

[00:10:50] Yeah I mean you lose a wicket on the first ball of the match after winning the toss and batting.

[00:10:54] It was the worst start you could possibly have.

[00:10:57] Yeah but Stark's done this before.

[00:10:59] Remember the Rory Burns.

[00:11:00] First ball of the ashes.

[00:11:01] Bowled him around his legs.

[00:11:03] Yep.

[00:11:03] So this is not unheard of.

[00:11:05] And Stark is the danger man with the pink ball.

[00:11:07] I mean India if they had to prepare for anything.

[00:11:10] Had to prepare for Mitch Stark with that pink ball.

[00:11:13] Swinging it.

[00:11:14] Pitching it up.

[00:11:15] Swinging it.

[00:11:15] Bowling Yorkers.

[00:11:16] Trying to get through their defense.

[00:11:18] Bowl them and get them LBW.

[00:11:20] That's his modus operandi.

[00:11:21] And even I as an amateur fan know this right?

[00:11:23] Like you've seen the Brendan McCollum ball at the MCG.

[00:11:26] You've seen the Travis Head ball.

[00:11:28] Was it last year at the IPL?

[00:11:30] This is what he does.

[00:11:31] New ball.

[00:11:31] Swinging.

[00:11:32] Gets it up there.

[00:11:34] Great lengths actually from the Australian bowlers overall.

[00:11:37] There was a great stat actually that this was not the kind of wicket you needed to aim for the fourth, fifth stumpline.

[00:11:43] Other than for Kohli which I'll talk about in a second.

[00:11:45] But this was just aim at the stumps.

[00:11:48] There was enough happening with the ball both in the air and off of the serve.

[00:11:51] That go for the stumps.

[00:11:52] And a lot of LBW is a couple of bowls.

[00:11:55] I mean it makes.

[00:11:56] And then even those that did get the edge.

[00:11:57] Because they forced you to play by bowling it on stumpline and swinging away.

[00:12:01] Not bowling that fourth stumpline.

[00:12:03] So very, very interesting.

[00:12:05] Not a bad partnership coming out of that though.

[00:12:07] After Jess Wall got out.

[00:12:08] Of course worth mentioning Scott Boland yet again did get Gail Rahul on his first ball.

[00:12:13] But had overstepped a little.

[00:12:14] I do think actually there was bat on that.

[00:12:17] I think on LBW there was bat.

[00:12:18] So it would have been overturned anyway.

[00:12:20] But he was a no ball.

[00:12:22] But Rahul and Gil looked decent for a little bit.

[00:12:24] Gil actually looked very, very good for a while there.

[00:12:26] Just steady leaving the ball as much as he could.

[00:12:29] And then when he got his opportunity he hit some magnificent cover drives.

[00:12:32] Rahul gets out.

[00:12:34] Virat walks in.

[00:12:36] Eight balls is his stay.

[00:12:38] Just the same.

[00:12:39] Right?

[00:12:39] Restless.

[00:12:40] Looking for singles quickly.

[00:12:41] And then plays at a ball outside a fifth, sixth, maybe even seventh stumpline in this inning.

[00:12:46] I mean he got out the same way both innings.

[00:12:48] Just playing at a ball outside.

[00:12:49] What has happened?

[00:12:50] What has happened to that patience?

[00:12:52] I mean there's a guy who made a century in the last innings.

[00:12:55] And I was texting Varun saying he'd just been a century.

[00:12:57] It's still infuriates me so much that he got out twice this match.

[00:13:01] Playing balls that were there to be left.

[00:13:03] And edging in one case to slip and one to the keeper.

[00:13:07] What is going on with Virat?

[00:13:09] At this point 77 for three in the first session before lunch.

[00:13:13] You can tell this is going to be a pretty short match at this point already.

[00:13:18] I mean I think there's probably some technical stuff there.

[00:13:22] Again I'm not qualified enough to talk to the technical stuff.

[00:13:28] Yeah he was late in leaving that.

[00:13:30] I think he was trying to leave it but took the edge while he was trying to get the bat out.

[00:13:35] Yeah he was trying to go for it.

[00:13:36] He was going to play for it and then tried to leave it.

[00:13:38] It was so late.

[00:13:40] But the challenge with it is.

[00:13:42] So where did India do well in that first test match with the bat?

[00:13:49] They did well in the third innings.

[00:13:51] Yeah.

[00:13:52] You had to play at the toughest period.

[00:13:54] When they went to two runs and over for the longest time.

[00:13:59] Yeah.

[00:13:59] Before they opened up right.

[00:14:02] My issue is all with.

[00:14:04] I get the whole intent and all of that stuff.

[00:14:06] The problem with all of this is.

[00:14:08] Who's that guy who's batting an entire day in this whole lineup?

[00:14:14] I'm not saying bring back Bujara.

[00:14:15] I'm not saying.

[00:14:16] Yeah but where is he?

[00:14:17] Who is the guy who can and will right?

[00:14:20] So while Kohli will shoulder the blame.

[00:14:23] While I mean Panth did it.

[00:14:25] Panth got a great ball.

[00:14:26] All of that.

[00:14:27] Yeah.

[00:14:27] But they're all shot makers.

[00:14:29] Yeah.

[00:14:29] All the way up to Rohit.

[00:14:31] Yeah.

[00:14:31] Rahul can deny himself as much as he can.

[00:14:34] But he is eventually going to go for it.

[00:14:37] He's a T20 player too.

[00:14:38] They like feeling bat on ball.

[00:14:41] Right.

[00:14:42] Who's the one getting in line?

[00:14:44] Getting hit on the body?

[00:14:46] Wearing the bowlers down?

[00:14:48] Yeah.

[00:14:48] Who is the Rahul Dravid?

[00:14:50] Rahul Dravid's got those runs at Adelaide 233 and 72.

[00:14:53] Not out.

[00:14:53] Yeah.

[00:14:53] And that famous one in 2003.

[00:14:55] Where's the Chapu?

[00:14:57] Who's...

[00:14:57] And you get those runs because they have three specialist quicks.

[00:15:00] And then they have a Mitchell Marsh who's not good.

[00:15:02] I mean, if you're batting out...

[00:15:03] Four terrible overs.

[00:15:05] But that completely glossed over.

[00:15:06] Yeah.

[00:15:07] If you're batting out 30, 40, 50 overs, these guys have to manage their workload.

[00:15:12] These three same...

[00:15:14] Well, Boland came in for Hazelwood.

[00:15:15] But this is the model, right?

[00:15:18] Like India didn't make them have to make tough decisions.

[00:15:21] In the first test, they threw the ball to Labashin and he did his stupidity.

[00:15:25] Travis hadn't got the ball.

[00:15:27] They forced him out of them.

[00:15:28] They just didn't do that here.

[00:15:30] And so I think your point is right.

[00:15:32] We're getting all kinds of emotional.

[00:15:35] They're all shot makers, right?

[00:15:37] And that's the basic issue.

[00:15:38] Until you've got Jaswal that's going after the ball at a runner ball.

[00:15:43] You've got Rahul.

[00:15:43] Okay, Rahul's probably the only one that's playing that role here.

[00:15:46] Gale isn't holding back.

[00:15:47] Although he missed a straight one by the looks of it.

[00:15:50] Yeah.

[00:15:50] Which he could have driven straight.

[00:15:51] He went across it.

[00:15:52] It was interesting because he...

[00:15:54] Yeah.

[00:15:55] He just...

[00:15:56] And I'm thinking also of the second innings where he got bowled.

[00:15:58] And it's like you should...

[00:16:00] You've got to at least get bad on ball of those.

[00:16:02] It comes straight down.

[00:16:02] You've got to get bad on ball.

[00:16:04] You should...

[00:16:04] As number three, you should not have a middle stump knocked out of the ground.

[00:16:07] It was a great ball.

[00:16:08] It was, man.

[00:16:09] But they're all great balls.

[00:16:10] You're playing Stark, Hazelwood, Cummins, Boland.

[00:16:12] Like, they're all going to be great balls.

[00:16:13] Right?

[00:16:14] If you want to compete against a side of this level, expect the great balls and find a way

[00:16:18] to match it.

[00:16:19] So...

[00:16:19] Yeah.

[00:16:20] But in the first innings, we were just happy it wasn't 36 all out.

[00:16:23] Because that was the last...

[00:16:23] Everybody was reading so many texts when we crossed 36-ing.

[00:16:27] Whew!

[00:16:27] Chalo.

[00:16:28] We got one milestone.

[00:16:30] Thoughts on Rohit?

[00:16:32] I mean, his stay looked very scratchy as well.

[00:16:35] He came out, obviously, after Gil got out.

[00:16:37] Rohit.

[00:16:38] Then Pant.

[00:16:38] And then it just kind of fell from there.

[00:16:40] Crash survived 20-odd balls, reviewed maybe the worst review in the history of time.

[00:16:46] Now, he thought that was bad.

[00:16:47] But it was like low, middle of middle stump.

[00:16:50] But yeah, thoughts on that Rohit stay?

[00:16:54] So Rohit's looking a little bit out of Nick in that he's looking like he's a little bit

[00:16:59] late on the ball.

[00:17:01] I don't know whether you picked that up.

[00:17:03] He's looking like...

[00:17:04] He's always looked like that guy.

[00:17:05] Maybe he's not late versus others, but he's always been that guy who has extra time.

[00:17:08] And that's his edge.

[00:17:10] Yeah.

[00:17:10] And now he doesn't...

[00:17:11] It's just looking like it's not working as perfectly as it would.

[00:17:15] I don't know.

[00:17:15] I sent you a reel as well.

[00:17:18] There's too many.

[00:17:19] Just before the game.

[00:17:20] There's just too many.

[00:17:20] Just before the game about why the net...

[00:17:23] They were having a net where Indian fans were heckling Rohit Sharma.

[00:17:29] Yeah.

[00:17:30] So he shut it down.

[00:17:30] I don't know how real or unreal it was, but he shut that down.

[00:17:35] And I don't think there's any more open nets with Indian fans there now.

[00:17:41] I think that shows you a little bit of the mindset if it's a true story.

[00:17:45] I think it is because they're no longer going to have any nets.

[00:17:49] I don't know why the AI has imposed that voice, which was going at him.

[00:17:54] But if that's why Indian nets are no longer public, that's a bit of a weird place for, I think, an Indian captain to be.

[00:18:07] Getting so defensive and so kind of touchy about, I don't know, like some idiot who's probably gone there to do some degree or something.

[00:18:17] Yeah.

[00:18:18] Yelling, whatever, and getting his kicks.

[00:18:21] So...

[00:18:21] Yeah, it's not a great place to be.

[00:18:23] Yeah.

[00:18:23] Yeah.

[00:18:24] So he just didn't look...

[00:18:26] Yeah.

[00:18:27] Cricket ready, I'd say.

[00:18:30] Yeah.

[00:18:31] I mean, he said he's been in Australia almost two weeks at this point.

[00:18:33] He's been working at it and he's your captain.

[00:18:35] It's a weird one because as I looked down the top seven, he's probably the last name on that sheet right now.

[00:18:41] Which has happened many times in...

[00:18:44] That's only because Kohli got a hundred last game.

[00:18:47] Yeah.

[00:18:47] I mean, that's fair, right?

[00:18:48] Like, otherwise, Kohli and him would both be six and seven probably on the sheet of top seven, which is shocking and crazy.

[00:18:53] But Kohli did make a century not like in this country not long ago.

[00:18:58] How long before we go after KL again?

[00:19:00] I mean, listen, he can't look great in that first match.

[00:19:03] Yeah, he didn't look bad.

[00:19:05] Anyway, the last thing I want to talk about because obviously, Pant is Pant.

[00:19:08] He had some absolutely stunning looking all kinds of shots all around the ground.

[00:19:13] Fell over, almost fell on his stumps one time and did all of these crazy things.

[00:19:17] But our tale is not our strength.

[00:19:20] Spare a thought quickly, by the way, for Nitish Reddy.

[00:19:23] He landed at seven.

[00:19:23] You know what his first four test net scores are?

[00:19:27] 41.

[00:19:27] 41.

[00:19:28] 38, not out.

[00:19:29] 42, 42.

[00:19:31] And the 40s are largely because by the time he's batting, there's nobody sticking around.

[00:19:36] And so he's...

[00:19:36] He's getting it up in the end.

[00:19:37] Yeah.

[00:19:37] I mean, his average is because he's so spot on on each one of the...

[00:19:41] He's just consistent.

[00:19:43] Now, yes, you want him to bat a bit longer, but it's not that fair an expectation to be like,

[00:19:47] listen, you get a few overs with Rana, with Bumrah and Siraj.

[00:19:50] And just farm the strike.

[00:19:52] And it's like, what?

[00:19:53] Yeah.

[00:19:53] Surely the answer is Rohit bat seven and just put Reddy up at six?

[00:19:57] No?

[00:19:59] Yeah.

[00:19:59] Just put Rohit down to seven.

[00:20:01] The Dhoni model.

[00:20:02] Specialist kept...

[00:20:03] Yeah, just keep delaying yourself to come up.

[00:20:05] All right.

[00:20:06] 19 minutes was your counter before Dhoni got mentioned in this episode, if anybody's keeping track.

[00:20:12] Anyway, so full credit where it's due, by the way, six wickets for Stark.

[00:20:17] He just looked absolutely stunning.

[00:20:18] You knew he was going to, and he showed up.

[00:20:20] Pink ball test, getting amazing, amazing purchase from the ball.

[00:20:25] DJ, we're going to take a very quick break.

[00:20:27] We'll come back and talk about the pain of Travis Head torturing India yet again.

[00:20:31] And then we'll talk about where we go from here.

[00:20:32] So don't go anywhere.

[00:20:33] We will be right back.

[00:20:44] Welcome back to the Edges and Sledges Cricket Podcast.

[00:20:47] If you're on YouTube, hit that like button, hit that subscribe button.

[00:20:50] And if you're on any of the socials, we are at OneTipOneHand or email us at OneTipOneHand

[00:20:55] at gmail.com if that's your preferred method of communication.

[00:21:00] Right.

[00:21:00] So DJ, 44.1 overs was how long the first Indian innings lasted.

[00:21:05] And again, at this point, you're thinking yet again, these five-day tests.

[00:21:08] And hopefully Melbourne and Sydney actually get us longer matches, higher scoring, flatter

[00:21:13] decks and all that.

[00:21:14] But you're thinking five-day tests halfway through day one, we're already into the second

[00:21:19] innings.

[00:21:19] And you're thinking if Boomerang can pull off some magic, maybe India has a shot if it's

[00:21:23] a 180 track.

[00:21:24] It was not a 180 track.

[00:21:26] It was maybe a 250 track.

[00:21:29] So India underperformed and Australia overperformed.

[00:21:32] And, you know, Boomerang did pick up the first two.

[00:21:35] I think he picked up the first three wickets, actually.

[00:21:38] And of course, the highlights then, Labushin and Travis Head put up a magnificent partnership.

[00:21:44] Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, everybody just kind of came and went.

[00:21:47] But this was the Travis Head show.

[00:21:49] And so before I ask you about the head Siraj feud that is coming, just a phenomenal knock.

[00:21:55] I mean, he played the role he's played multiple times.

[00:21:58] He has caused all kinds of problems for India.

[00:22:01] Didn't in Perth.

[00:22:02] And we got, I guess, lucky.

[00:22:03] But in Adelaide, he showed up.

[00:22:04] I mean, a runner ball 140.

[00:22:06] Just batted at the...

[00:22:08] And he is that stroke maker in the Aussie side where we try to have six and none of them work.

[00:22:13] They have maybe two.

[00:22:15] And in this case, one worked.

[00:22:17] So talk to me about that knock.

[00:22:19] And then talk to me about the fact that Boomerang had to pick up three again.

[00:22:21] Siraj eventually got wickets.

[00:22:23] So if you just look at the scorecard, you look at four for 98 and say, cool, not a bad spell.

[00:22:28] But he was not for 70-odd in his first 20 overs.

[00:22:31] And he didn't look threatening before he finally managed to get...

[00:22:36] Who was it?

[00:22:36] It was Head.

[00:22:37] Was Head his first?

[00:22:38] No, he got Carey first.

[00:22:40] And then he got Head.

[00:22:41] I mean, yeah.

[00:22:42] So just run me through how you felt about all that.

[00:22:46] There's a few things there.

[00:22:47] One, Rishabh Pant dropped McSweeney earlier.

[00:22:50] So yes, Head got the 140, right?

[00:22:52] Like, and that was a great knock.

[00:22:54] And we'll come to that a little bit later.

[00:22:56] But it was set up by the pink ball being made soft.

[00:23:00] Yep.

[00:23:00] Them playing out that evening session under lights, that night session under lights against Bumrah, Siraj, Harshit Rana, and a little bit of Nitish.

[00:23:13] And just to put that math into perspective, India made 180 all out in 44.

[00:23:18] And Travis Head didn't walk in till 40 overs.

[00:23:20] Yeah.

[00:23:21] Right?

[00:23:22] So that's exactly the point you're making.

[00:23:23] That's the point.

[00:23:24] The ball gets soft, but then it stops swinging around.

[00:23:27] Bumrah's put overs in Siraj, just put overs.

[00:23:29] Bumrah's bowled 23 overs in that first inning.

[00:23:32] Yep.

[00:23:32] You don't want him to bow those many overs.

[00:23:34] No, it's not sustainable.

[00:23:35] That's the point.

[00:23:36] So, and you've got a short turnaround, remember, with the GABA test starting...

[00:23:41] A little bit longer now that they got two unexpected days off.

[00:23:44] Yeah, but it's starting on the 14th, right?

[00:23:47] That's like next week.

[00:23:49] So, I mean, maybe this is all a master plan to like take a break before the GABA test.

[00:23:56] If you're going to lose, lose fast so that you get a couple extra days.

[00:23:59] Maybe that's why they got Ash into the team.

[00:24:01] They're like, they can't wait to see you at the GABA Ash.

[00:24:04] Ouch.

[00:24:04] Ouch.

[00:24:05] Too much.

[00:24:05] But no, no, where was I?

[00:24:07] I was talking...

[00:24:07] Yeah, so McSweeney, who had an awful debut, then had the hardest job in cricket pretty much

[00:24:13] to face Jaspreet Bumrah at twilight with a big ball.

[00:24:16] Yeah.

[00:24:17] He did.

[00:24:18] Nearly got through that unscathed.

[00:24:21] Dropped by Rishabh Pant.

[00:24:23] A ball going straight to Rohit Sharma at first slip.

[00:24:25] You can't blame Pant for going for it.

[00:24:27] Now you want your keeper to go for that.

[00:24:29] Yeah.

[00:24:29] But at 20 odd, it would have had Khwaja and if you're 20 for two, there's a feeling of here we go again.

[00:24:36] Yeah.

[00:24:37] Right.

[00:24:37] There wasn't that feeling this time because they got to 86.

[00:24:41] Manus Labashen batted for hours without doing anything.

[00:24:44] Yeah.

[00:24:44] But those two knocks set this up for Head to come in and do what he does best.

[00:24:52] Like if you have Rishabh Pant coming in 40 overs later, it's a different story, right?

[00:24:56] He can do all that ridiculous stuff.

[00:24:58] So, I mean, Smith again walked when he gloved one down the leg side.

[00:25:04] He's in awful form.

[00:25:05] So, the story continued.

[00:25:06] But the change makers here were McSweeney and Manus.

[00:25:08] And by the way, Ash's only wicket was Mitchell March walking when he didn't…

[00:25:12] Which was not out.

[00:25:13] He got nothing on the ball.

[00:25:14] Yeah.

[00:25:15] Which was just after the whole kerfuffle about the review where Coley got quite upset and animated.

[00:25:21] Yeah.

[00:25:21] The two sounds and this.

[00:25:22] Yeah.

[00:25:22] Yeah.

[00:25:23] So, it was…

[00:25:24] I mean, they've just batted like test match batters.

[00:25:27] They batted like it was a five-day game.

[00:25:30] Yeah.

[00:25:31] And they didn't try and hit themselves out of trouble.

[00:25:34] Manus Labashen got two of 52.

[00:25:36] And I think…

[00:25:37] I don't know how much he got in the second inning.

[00:25:39] It must have been not because he got a first baller maybe.

[00:25:41] I don't know.

[00:25:42] Yeah.

[00:25:42] In the first test.

[00:25:43] Yeah.

[00:25:44] It would have been quite easy for him to flash at one, try and get off the mark.

[00:25:49] He didn't do that.

[00:25:50] I think he was on not for about 15 balls or 16 balls.

[00:25:53] He just sat on it.

[00:25:54] He made three in the second innings if that helps.

[00:25:56] But then also got out to Bumre.

[00:25:57] Yeah.

[00:25:57] He's made five of like 70-odd balls or 60-odd balls in that test match.

[00:26:02] He's under pressure.

[00:26:03] The Aussie press is calling for his head.

[00:26:05] They're calling for Steve Smith's head.

[00:26:07] They're like, these guys can't bat.

[00:26:09] They don't know how to play.

[00:26:10] They…

[00:26:10] Everyone's gone nuts.

[00:26:12] They've lost by 295 runs.

[00:26:13] But they've recognized that this is the moment that they can win this test match.

[00:26:17] This test match was not won by Travis Head.

[00:26:19] That was a nail put into the comment.

[00:26:20] No, you're right.

[00:26:21] Yeah.

[00:26:21] It was won on that first evening where if Bumre and Siraj and these guys had got amongst

[00:26:27] the Aussies again, there would have been a feeling of inevitable deja vu.

[00:26:30] Because remember, there were 67 for 7 on that first day again.

[00:26:35] And here India had more runs, 180 on the board.

[00:26:37] So, I mean, of course, if that catcher being taken, who knows what happens.

[00:26:42] But it wasn't like…

[00:26:47] And then Head comes in, right?

[00:26:48] And Head goes 100 again.

[00:26:51] He scored a WTC 100, a World Cup 100.

[00:26:55] He smashed it around in the IPL.

[00:26:57] He's just had his second child, I think.

[00:27:00] Oh, I didn't even realize that.

[00:27:02] Because when he celebrated, he did the cradling motion and he pointed to his wife in the crowd.

[00:27:07] And I wonder if that's a girl, whether that child is going to be called India.

[00:27:11] Because, I mean, man, he's like bossed Team India for…

[00:27:18] I don't know.

[00:27:20] You know, there were a few cricketers like Sanaj Jasuria, like Andy Flower, Saeed Anwar.

[00:27:25] They would just save their best for India.

[00:27:28] Travis Head seems to do that regularly.

[00:27:30] And it's really starting.

[00:27:32] Because it's quite ugly to watch as well.

[00:27:34] It's not pretty to watch.

[00:27:35] Yeah.

[00:27:36] By the way, his second child was a boy named Harrison George Head.

[00:27:39] So, not India yet.

[00:27:41] But maybe the nickname will be India at some point.

[00:27:43] Well, anyway.

[00:27:44] It was just like, wow.

[00:27:46] Wow.

[00:27:47] Maybe Rohit should have named his second kid Travis in tribute.

[00:27:51] Was it a boy?

[00:27:53] I don't even know.

[00:27:54] Varun knows all this stuff, man.

[00:27:57] No, anyway.

[00:27:58] I mean, it was…

[00:27:59] Yeah, it was quite…

[00:28:00] I think it was a boy, actually.

[00:28:01] Varun was messaging me that his son's name is Ahan and Virat's son is Akai.

[00:28:06] And so, maybe in 2035, Ahan and Akai will be opening together.

[00:28:09] Open an automobile shop called Vahan.

[00:28:12] Chalo, great.

[00:28:14] This is what the ages of players in cricket podcast has become.

[00:28:18] Anyway, so, yeah.

[00:28:19] It was a great knock.

[00:28:20] He took his chances.

[00:28:21] But you can do that when the ball is 40-g of us all, right?

[00:28:24] You can stay leg side of it and smack it around.

[00:28:27] This guy has a method against Bumrah, which is work.

[00:28:31] Yeah.

[00:28:32] And this is not a fluke that he keeps scoring runs against the world's best bowler pretty much.

[00:28:36] Yeah.

[00:28:37] Nobody else has been able to do it.

[00:28:38] Yeah, he has a method.

[00:28:39] He picks it.

[00:28:40] He's quick.

[00:28:40] He's able to play.

[00:28:42] It's his home crowd.

[00:28:43] He's, I mean, and he probably, he got 89 in the first test as well at Perth, right?

[00:28:50] Yep.

[00:28:51] That celebration from Bumrah, I think he's filed that one away.

[00:28:54] So, we should get to the Siraj chat now.

[00:28:56] So, let's get to it.

[00:28:56] And really quickly, what seems like it happened without any, without specifics or fact or bias or something.

[00:29:03] Siraj had been toiling very, very hard.

[00:29:06] Very tough spell.

[00:29:07] Head was batting unbelievably well.

[00:29:08] As Siraj gets head out, bold, stumps, you know, ball hits away.

[00:29:15] Full touch.

[00:29:16] Head starts walking away and he says something with a sort of gesture attached to it.

[00:29:23] I don't know whether it was like he was blowing a kiss or some sort of a gesture.

[00:29:26] And Siraj then gives him the send-off and then Head follows that up with an FU.

[00:29:31] You can see his lips moving on camera.

[00:29:33] And then Head in the post-match conference says, I was actually just saying, well, bold, mate.

[00:29:37] And then Siraj has come out and said, that's not what he said.

[00:29:40] He just lied to this.

[00:29:41] And now it's caused, now it's created all kinds of the drama going into the three remaining test matches, etc.

[00:29:46] I worry that, that our not best bowlers picked the fight with the best batter at the other side.

[00:29:52] Like that makes me a little nervous.

[00:29:54] Let's be also clear.

[00:29:55] I've watched the clip a few times.

[00:29:57] Head didn't say, well, bold, like it was a real compliment.

[00:29:59] Even if those were the exact words he used, he was being sarcastic that Siraj got lucky and got him out on a full toss.

[00:30:06] And I mean, Head was being an ass, which he's entitled to do on the ground.

[00:30:11] And Siraj was being an ass and gave it back.

[00:30:13] And I'm fine with it.

[00:30:14] At the end of the match, by the way, we're saying they had a good handshake.

[00:30:17] They moved on.

[00:30:18] So I don't think it's a big deal.

[00:30:19] But what was your take beyond kind of what I saw?

[00:30:21] I'm okay with this stuff, by the way.

[00:30:23] I just, I worry that our feistiest players, Kohli notwithstanding, obviously, our feistiest players are sometimes not our strongest players.

[00:30:30] So you pick these fights and the Aussies like this stuff.

[00:30:33] It gets under their skin and then they come out swinging.

[00:30:35] And I just worry that it can be a high-risk strategy for Mohamed Siraj.

[00:30:39] Look, Siraj has always done this, right?

[00:30:42] He did this in England.

[00:30:43] I remember him telling the crowd 1-0 when India had been bowled out for 78.

[00:30:47] So the guy actually has very little context.

[00:30:49] I feel when he's going up, he sees a red, like he gets into a red rage and he goes wild.

[00:30:55] Now, this is a particularly interesting scenario.

[00:30:58] Now, Siraj has had issues with crowd trouble on the last kind of, he had racist remarks directed to him and all of that stuff.

[00:31:06] He's also had got into verbals multiple times with others across his career.

[00:31:12] So this is not new for him.

[00:31:14] He's had, he's been annoyed.

[00:31:15] He's chucked the ball at Manas Labashay in here.

[00:31:17] You remember when Manas had, perfectly entitled to pull out when there's someone, there was a guy with a beard snake.

[00:31:23] By the way, this beard snake was my favorite part of this.

[00:31:25] The beard snake guy running behind the side screen.

[00:31:27] Manas is like, bro, you need to pull out here.

[00:31:29] Siraj just comes and flings the ball at him.

[00:31:32] And he's got an anger issue, no question.

[00:31:35] But I think Siraj is one of those guys, maybe like a Stuart Broad or even like a Kohli or a David Warner who needs to get into a fight to feel G'd up.

[00:31:44] And it worked for him in a way.

[00:31:46] He got four wickets by the end of it.

[00:31:49] But this particular scenario, I think what happened was Siraj looked at him aggressively.

[00:31:55] Also, Bumrah gave him a very aggressive celebration when he got out in Perth.

[00:32:01] Which Bumrah is entitled to.

[00:32:02] It wasn't directed at him.

[00:32:04] It was not in his space.

[00:32:06] Bumrah was very fired up.

[00:32:09] It wasn't kind of the Rabada, Joe Root like issue right in front of him in his personal space.

[00:32:16] But head was 89.

[00:32:18] Australia was losing.

[00:32:19] This is all filed away by these cricketers.

[00:32:21] They're highly competitive characters.

[00:32:23] And he mentions this celebration in the post-match conference as well.

[00:32:29] He didn't mention Bumrah by name, but he said I was pretty disappointed by some of the past stuff.

[00:32:34] What's happened here, I think, is that Siraj has given him a stare and he's like, what are you looking at?

[00:32:42] And then Siraj, I mean, his first language is not English.

[00:32:45] You only need to like hear him talk after the world T20 win.

[00:32:50] And he's like, I trust on Jassi Bhai and all of that.

[00:32:53] Like it comes out.

[00:32:54] And this is kind of like Monkeygate, but in reverse.

[00:32:59] Yeah.

[00:33:00] Right?

[00:33:01] Yeah.

[00:33:01] So he said something.

[00:33:04] He thinks he's said something pretty terrible to him.

[00:33:08] Because I think the F word comes after Siraj gives him the send-off.

[00:33:12] Yeah, that's the response.

[00:33:13] That is absolutely the response to this.

[00:33:14] So I don't think he was saying well-bold mate.

[00:33:17] Because I don't think anybody is calm enough to say well-bold mate after they've just been cleaned up by a full toss.

[00:33:24] Even if he was, it was a sarcastic like great ball to get out on.

[00:33:29] So like something in that tone.

[00:33:30] Anyway.

[00:33:31] I think it was more like, what are you looking at, dude?

[00:33:33] Like carry on type.

[00:33:34] Like I've just smashed you for 140 runs.

[00:33:37] And Ed made a point, by the way, when he walked off to pause and take in the applause.

[00:33:42] He's like, listen, I've won this match for us.

[00:33:45] And he had, yeah.

[00:33:47] He had.

[00:33:47] And it was a match-winning knock.

[00:33:49] They've seen a lot of him, remember?

[00:33:50] They've seen him in the T20 World Cup.

[00:33:52] Too much.

[00:33:52] So they are pissed with this guy.

[00:33:55] Yeah.

[00:33:55] You don't expect after you've got through the Manasas and the Steve Smiths.

[00:33:58] Because we picked up two quick wickets on day two.

[00:34:02] India would have legitimately hoped to limit that lead.

[00:34:05] And then to see this guy walk in and just smack it around all over four sixes.

[00:34:10] And do it at a rate which is like, okay, I've got something to do on Sunday evening.

[00:34:14] So I don't want to be around on Sunday evening.

[00:34:16] Let's wrap this up.

[00:34:17] Yeah.

[00:34:19] All right.

[00:34:19] So midday, day two, Australia goes off with 157 run lead.

[00:34:24] You're thinking if you're India, yeah, we only made 180.

[00:34:27] But they just made 337.

[00:34:28] This pitch has some demons.

[00:34:30] The ball is hard to bat on.

[00:34:31] But if you can bat out the first 30, 40 overs, there's a shot potentially, right?

[00:34:36] And basically the same thing happens, right?

[00:34:38] A couple of guys in the top order get 20s.

[00:34:41] Nobody really delivers.

[00:34:42] Nobody really stays there.

[00:34:44] Nobody tries to bat out the ball, the shine off the ball.

[00:34:48] Kohli gets out fishing outside of the fourth stump.

[00:34:50] Rohit gets out cheaply, bowled.

[00:34:52] I mean, just an absolutely awful scenario.

[00:34:55] I'm still the stupid fan who's sitting there saying, yeah, but if Panth bats well, baby, we can do this.

[00:35:00] Or as long as...

[00:35:00] Get 150 lead and then win.

[00:35:02] Just as long as...

[00:35:04] At one point, I was like, as long as Panth and Kohli make it to stumps, then they start fresh tomorrow.

[00:35:08] And then, of course, Kohli got out there.

[00:35:09] I was like, okay, but if Panth and Rohit make it to stumps?

[00:35:13] It's just that stupid playbook, right?

[00:35:15] It's junkie thinking, right?

[00:35:16] That's the best part.

[00:35:18] Indian fans have this junkie thinking.

[00:35:19] And we're spoiled also with all these crazy wins that we've had.

[00:35:23] Because this stuff has happened.

[00:35:24] But you sit there and watch it.

[00:35:26] By the way, Cummins got Rahul early with a good bounce.

[00:35:29] And you saw Cummins celebrating hard.

[00:35:32] Not disrespectfully, Rahul didn't get into his face and stuff.

[00:35:34] But you saw him do that boomerang celebration.

[00:35:36] Because now these guys are fired up and...

[00:35:38] Yeah, because they've been under pressure.

[00:35:40] They've been told that they're not good enough.

[00:35:43] They're not a good Australian side.

[00:35:44] They're not committed.

[00:35:45] They're not fit.

[00:35:46] They're not able to bat.

[00:35:47] They're not able to bowl.

[00:35:48] And he's the leader, right?

[00:35:49] Yeah, he's the leader.

[00:35:51] And they've gone after his climate change beliefs as well, which is pretty funny.

[00:35:54] Oh my gosh, I missed that one.

[00:35:55] He actually believes in climate change.

[00:35:57] That's what they've gone after, which is the funniest thing.

[00:36:00] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:36:00] But anyway, we'll keep that off the show.

[00:36:03] Yeah.

[00:36:03] Anyway, listen.

[00:36:05] Rishabh did look good for a little bit.

[00:36:06] Rishabh, by the way, came out first ball and danced down the track to Boland and smacked

[00:36:11] him from Audrey.

[00:36:12] Like the same stuff.

[00:36:12] No, but you don't need this.

[00:36:15] This is not our best player is played.

[00:36:17] Why do you need this?

[00:36:17] But don't make Rishabh change his game, right?

[00:36:19] He's one of our best.

[00:36:20] He's maybe one of our first names on the sheet.

[00:36:22] Let him play his role.

[00:36:24] Make the others...

[00:36:25] You can learn how to play their role.

[00:36:26] Like, why would you try to make Rishabh become Pujar?

[00:36:29] Yeah, but everybody can play.

[00:36:31] Like, he can't just go through his whole life saying, I can play in one gear, right?

[00:36:34] That doesn't...

[00:36:35] I don't think he gets selected if he's a...

[00:36:37] If you make him play in one gear.

[00:36:38] Correct.

[00:36:38] That's not what he does.

[00:36:39] I get it.

[00:36:40] But like...

[00:36:41] The problem that you articulated earlier is you can't have five guys who have that selection

[00:36:45] reason.

[00:36:46] You can have one, maybe two, maybe three in this world.

[00:36:49] And then you need the three guys who counterbalance in the top six that can do what Marnas did.

[00:36:54] Get the two off 52, even if it doesn't matter.

[00:36:58] Or like, just bat it out.

[00:36:59] Bat the bowlers out of the game.

[00:37:00] Who?

[00:37:01] We need to bat time.

[00:37:03] That's the problem.

[00:37:04] And I'm not relying on Rishabh to do that, is my point.

[00:37:06] So anyway...

[00:37:07] I agree.

[00:37:07] But it was ridiculous watching him like reverse lap the bowler.

[00:37:10] It was just like...

[00:37:11] It's so surreal watching that when you're seeing this scoreline is like 81 for five.

[00:37:16] No, I totally get it.

[00:37:17] Yeah.

[00:37:18] Anyway.

[00:37:19] So, Nisti Sretti, exactly the same.

[00:37:21] We said it before.

[00:37:22] Managed to just get over that 157.

[00:37:25] Gave the Aussies a reason to...

[00:37:27] This was the next day by this time.

[00:37:28] Gave the Aussies a reason to come back out one more time.

[00:37:31] The worst part, I think, of it was the huddle that happened.

[00:37:33] Like a long-ish team huddle from India.

[00:37:37] The fielders as the batters were walking out.

[00:37:38] Like, what are you doing?

[00:37:39] It's 19.

[00:37:40] You really think you have a shot to get them 18 all out with the way we've been bowling?

[00:37:44] But anyway, that's just me being bitter as a fan.

[00:37:47] They're like, last time we made 36.

[00:37:50] That's a great.

[00:37:50] 18.

[00:37:51] 18.

[00:37:52] I mean, listen, you obviously have to believe and go out and bowl hard.

[00:37:54] But they finished it off in no time.

[00:37:56] I mean, three overs.

[00:37:58] Right?

[00:37:59] So, it's a disappointing loss.

[00:38:01] Not hugely surprising.

[00:38:02] To your point, it's been 1-1.

[00:38:04] We didn't expect to go and win 5-0 or 4-0.

[00:38:07] But we were excited by the Perth win and then let down.

[00:38:11] No, I don't want to get...

[00:38:12] I don't want to belabor what we've talked a lot about.

[00:38:14] This is a batting loss yet again.

[00:38:17] Right?

[00:38:17] Yes, Travis had batted well.

[00:38:19] Yes, the openers or the top order batted off the pink ball.

[00:38:22] But our bowlers didn't have too bad an outing.

[00:38:24] I think the couple of things that keep me up are the top six continue to have the same issues.

[00:38:30] Plagued by some of the same guys.

[00:38:32] But then, yes, Bumrah bowled well.

[00:38:36] I still continue to struggle with that second and third seamer spot.

[00:38:39] And I texted you guys in the group or varron separately or something.

[00:38:41] And I was like, I miss Ishanth right now.

[00:38:44] Of course, I miss Shami.

[00:38:45] And that's the question I'm going to ask.

[00:38:46] But I miss Ishanth.

[00:38:47] I miss that guy who can just generate something out of nowhere.

[00:38:52] Just a workhorse.

[00:38:53] Workhorse.

[00:38:54] Just come in.

[00:38:55] Ball after ball.

[00:38:56] Deliver consistently.

[00:38:57] Get a crazy amount of swing from a ball that's doing that.

[00:39:00] And I just felt like Siraj and Rana fell a little short to me.

[00:39:04] So my main question for you, DJ, is do you pick a Shami at 80-85% fitness?

[00:39:09] He's got his visa approved, by the way.

[00:39:12] So do you pick him for the GABA test as your second seam?

[00:39:15] Risking, by the way, the knee could go wrong on day two of what could end up being a long test.

[00:39:18] And then you're in trouble.

[00:39:20] Or do you stick with this lineup and back them to succeed?

[00:39:25] It's tempting, right, to parachute a guy of the class of Muhammad Shami.

[00:39:31] I mean, he's unbelievable.

[00:39:33] Doesn't that question leave you, is an 80% fit Shami better than a 100% fit Harshit?

[00:39:39] Isn't that the basic question?

[00:39:41] Yeah.

[00:39:42] I'd say the answer to that is yes.

[00:39:44] Yeah.

[00:39:45] And so that's the thing.

[00:39:46] Because I also think an 80% fit Shami as your opening roller allows Siraj to be first change.

[00:39:53] The workhorse.

[00:39:54] Yeah, but first change.

[00:39:55] And that's the role he plays.

[00:39:56] It's a very specific role.

[00:39:58] And so I think that's a difference.

[00:40:00] So I don't know.

[00:40:01] Yeah, has Shami played much four-day cricket?

[00:40:05] I think he's been playing SMAT and one day.

[00:40:07] Yeah, he's been playing SMAT.

[00:40:08] Maybe he's played some Bengal stuff.

[00:40:10] Still a little unreliable on the knee, I think.

[00:40:13] So even, I don't know, even though he's been playing the shorter format, there's some concerns.

[00:40:18] Obviously, you want the fitness team to assess him.

[00:40:21] But I don't know.

[00:40:23] It makes me nervous.

[00:40:23] I would love for a full fit or 90% fit Shami to be back.

[00:40:28] I don't know if I would take a 75-80% fit.

[00:40:31] Only because you could be bowling three days at the Gabba without one bowler.

[00:40:34] Yeah, but you have four bowlers still.

[00:40:36] And India played a lot of test cricket with four bowlers.

[00:40:38] You'd still have Nishit.

[00:40:41] Nishit?

[00:40:41] No, Nitesh.

[00:40:43] Nitesh.

[00:40:44] Yeah.

[00:40:45] Nitesh would be able to do the job.

[00:40:47] He's an okay bowler.

[00:40:49] I mean, he played one, Shami played one first class match in early November.

[00:40:53] Yeah, which took seven wickets or something.

[00:40:54] Took seven wickets.

[00:40:54] Before that, yeah, he just played ODI.

[00:40:57] So, anyway, very, very interesting.

[00:41:00] So, I would actually parachute him in for the Gabba and I'll tell you why.

[00:41:05] That surface is most likely to suit his style of bowling than Melbourne, which is likely to be pretty flat.

[00:41:11] And Sydney, which is going to be flat and probably take a bit of turn.

[00:41:15] He might even play two spinners there.

[00:41:18] Interesting.

[00:41:18] There ever was a time to bring Mohamed Shami back in.

[00:41:21] The Gabba is it.

[00:41:22] Because if he gets one match and then he's injured again, at least you used him for his best.

[00:41:26] What do you do?

[00:41:26] What do you do at the top seven?

[00:41:28] Do you change anything?

[00:41:29] Remember, we have Ishwaran in the squad still.

[00:41:31] We have Sarfraz, Padikal, Jirel.

[00:41:33] Has all potentials.

[00:41:34] And then you have this Ash Jareja Sundar situation.

[00:41:37] Just for the Gabba specifically.

[00:41:38] What do you change?

[00:41:41] I don't think you can change anything right now.

[00:41:43] Even though Sundar's dog is named Gabba?

[00:41:46] Oh, the Sundar Ashwin question.

[00:41:48] I could actually...

[00:41:49] Well, I'm just going through all.

[00:41:50] Both of them.

[00:41:50] No, I can see a Sundar or a Jadeja replacing.

[00:41:55] I can see...

[00:41:56] No, I can't see a Jadeja replacing because of head.

[00:42:00] The left hand.

[00:42:01] There are too many lefties, right?

[00:42:02] Yeah, I think Sundar maybe.

[00:42:03] Kvaja.

[00:42:04] I think Sundar...

[00:42:05] And then you maybe play Ash and either Sundar or Ash and Jadeja in Sydney and Melbourne,

[00:42:09] to your point.

[00:42:10] But...

[00:42:10] Yeah.

[00:42:11] Yeah.

[00:42:12] Jadeja will probably play with one of Ash or Sundar.

[00:42:15] But I mean, for the Gabba test, I mean, if...

[00:42:18] Because Sundar's got a dog called the Gabba, I would bring him back just for that.

[00:42:21] Plus, he just gives you that extra batting.

[00:42:24] Your batting is weak, right?

[00:42:25] Yeah, it's significant.

[00:42:25] Yeah.

[00:42:26] And it's different.

[00:42:27] Yes, Ashwin has a lot of...

[00:42:28] But he just never gets runs outside India.

[00:42:32] Like England, Australia, New Zealand, he's not...

[00:42:35] I can guarantee you his test average is like below 20 in these countries.

[00:42:39] I mean, now you know I'm going to...

[00:42:40] Sena.

[00:42:41] Sena.

[00:42:42] So, it has to be because he just nicks off.

[00:42:46] He doesn't score enough runs outside of India.

[00:42:50] All right.

[00:42:51] Batting average, 25.76.

[00:42:53] Total, yeah.

[00:42:54] So, I mean...

[00:42:55] Total.

[00:42:55] India, 26.

[00:42:57] Bangladesh, 57.

[00:42:58] West Indies, 58.

[00:42:59] So, he scores his runs there.

[00:43:01] Yeah, but then...

[00:43:01] Four centuries in India, two in the West Indies.

[00:43:04] Yeah.

[00:43:04] Australia, he averages 23.

[00:43:05] Better than I thought.

[00:43:07] England, 23.7.

[00:43:09] New Zealand, two.

[00:43:10] But he's only played one match there.

[00:43:12] South Africa, 15.

[00:43:14] So, it's not...

[00:43:14] I don't think it's...

[00:43:15] But nobody averages more than that.

[00:43:16] Yeah, it's likely around 20 or whatever.

[00:43:18] But anyway, point taken.

[00:43:19] And quickly, DJ, before we run out of time.

[00:43:21] What about the top six?

[00:43:22] Do you make a change?

[00:43:23] Does a Jarrell get a look back in?

[00:43:24] If so, for who?

[00:43:25] I don't think you change Jaswal and Gil.

[00:43:28] I don't think you're changing Kohli and Rohit.

[00:43:30] At this point, you're not changing Pat.

[00:43:31] So, maybe Rahul misses out, which would be harsh, arguably.

[00:43:35] But what do you see changing, if anything?

[00:43:37] You can't drop Rahul, man.

[00:43:39] After you've literally moved your captain down to number six.

[00:43:43] But does Rahul play six then?

[00:43:45] Or does Rohit move back up?

[00:43:47] I would have liked Rohit to go back up then.

[00:43:49] And I would have thought Rohit would do that.

[00:43:51] If Rohit isn't going to bat six, he should bat five.

[00:43:54] He should not be batting six.

[00:43:56] Yeah, I agree with that.

[00:43:57] He's like, come on.

[00:43:59] You're captain and you're...

[00:44:00] Like, you should be leading from the front.

[00:44:04] You can't be batting at six.

[00:44:06] I mean, even Steve Waugh used to bat like five.

[00:44:08] Yeah.

[00:44:09] I mean, I think the question is, if you look at like Rishabh Pant,

[00:44:13] based on as much as he's batted,

[00:44:15] he's been batting much more at five recently.

[00:44:17] And he has a much stronger batting average.

[00:44:20] 58 when he bats at five and 38 when he bats at six.

[00:44:23] Right?

[00:44:23] So, it's a pretty significant...

[00:44:24] Rohit is a better batter than Pant.

[00:44:27] And Pant, he's keeping wickets for 80 overs.

[00:44:29] That's a big statement.

[00:44:31] I mean, Rohit is a better...

[00:44:33] Objectively, a better player.

[00:44:35] Better batter than Pant.

[00:44:36] Pant is also a wicket keeper.

[00:44:38] Give him a bit of rest.

[00:44:39] Yeah.

[00:44:39] No, I don't disagree.

[00:44:40] Then go down to six.

[00:44:41] And the thing is, at five, if you're batting,

[00:44:43] when your top four guys last 50 overs, it's different.

[00:44:47] Right?

[00:44:47] He's coming in early in all these situations.

[00:44:50] Anyway, EJ, final thoughts.

[00:44:52] One-all predictions for the Gabba.

[00:44:53] I'm not going to ask you for the rest of the series

[00:44:55] because we're all going to be wrong.

[00:44:56] But do you think India has a shot at the Gabba?

[00:44:58] My mind straight up is that we will lose,

[00:45:00] but then we give ourselves a shot in Sydney and Melbourne

[00:45:03] to try to even up the series.

[00:45:04] Maybe even go for a win.

[00:45:05] But that's my take.

[00:45:08] What is your assessment?

[00:45:08] See, this is the wild pendulum which we're seeing.

[00:45:12] Like, win in Perth, loss in Adelaide.

[00:45:15] Adelaide, which was one of our favorite places to play.

[00:45:17] Two-day loss, 10-wicket loss.

[00:45:19] Two and a half.

[00:45:20] Almost.

[00:45:21] I mean, we just saved the blushes.

[00:45:23] Reddy just saved us the blushes off.

[00:45:25] Anything's loss.

[00:45:26] Yeah.

[00:45:28] I think we're going to lose, man.

[00:45:29] I hate to say this, but like, it's the Gabba ka gamant.

[00:45:34] It's going to come back to haunt us.

[00:45:36] I mean, my thing is, man, we're going to go do the same thing, right?

[00:45:38] We're going to be sitting here in a week saying,

[00:45:41] the openers looked good for a bit and then just played at one loose one.

[00:45:45] And then probably Gil's going to have a decent knock.

[00:45:48] Kohli's going to fish at one outside.

[00:45:49] He'll probably have a decent second innings.

[00:45:51] But the stuff that I think pissed me over about Kohli this time is he fished at it both

[00:45:54] times.

[00:45:54] And then he looked at the pitch like there was a demon.

[00:45:57] There was not a demon, my friend.

[00:45:58] You just fished at the ball.

[00:46:00] You've done it over and over.

[00:46:01] So anyway.

[00:46:02] But also if we don't bat time, we're not going to win in Australia.

[00:46:08] So we need to find someone who can bat time.

[00:46:12] Maybe there's a jet flying in with Shami and Pujara just on it, ready to come in.

[00:46:17] All right.

[00:46:19] DJ, I don't know.

[00:46:20] I thought reliving it would make me feel better just to get it up.

[00:46:23] But I think I feel a little worse now.

[00:46:24] I don't know.

[00:46:25] Thanks, bro.

[00:46:26] No, I enjoyed chatting with you, but I feel worse about our team.

[00:46:31] Yeah.

[00:46:31] Like you said, match is coming thick and fast.

[00:46:34] By the time we're next back, we should, we will probably have a GABA result actually,

[00:46:37] which is crazy to think about how we're just assuming it'll be a three-day match at this

[00:46:41] point, either direction.

[00:46:43] Thank you everybody for joining.

[00:46:45] Leave us your comments on YouTube.

[00:46:46] We read them all.

[00:46:47] We always love to hear from you.

[00:46:48] Let us know what we missed about, and let us know what you would do differently with

[00:46:51] your 11 going into the GABA and the rest of the series as we try to give ourselves

[00:46:55] a shot.

[00:46:56] Interesting World Test Championship dynamics too, which we'll talk more next week because now we're

[00:47:00] sort of relying on Sri Lanka to do more.

[00:47:03] More than we initially thought we needed them to, and all kinds of scenarios.

[00:47:07] DJ, thank you for joining me.

[00:47:09] For everybody else, add One Tip One Hand on all the social medias.

[00:47:12] Like I said, leave a comment on YouTube.

[00:47:13] We'll be back next week.

[00:47:14] This is the Edges Insulated's Cricket Podcast signing off.