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Desperate Australia contemplating changes for third Test
Last updated on: March 6, 2013 16:18 IST

Desperate to claw their way back in the series, Australia's chief coach Mickey Arthur on Wednesday said they are not averse to the idea of making a few changes in the playing eleven if that can change their fortunes.

Australia have suffered back-to-back defeats in the four-match Test series and they need to win the last two games to retain the Gavaskar-Border Trophy.

"Look, I would be lying if I say that we are not contemplating changes. We do have to reassess the whole situation. We have got two Tests to stay in the series and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy which is big thing for us. We would try to assess and field the best possible team to win and if that means making changes, we surely will," Arthur replied when asked about the composition of the team for the third Test, beginning in Mohali from March 14.

The coach tried to put up a brave face and said that the morale of the team is 'very good' despite the huge defeats in Chennai and Hyderabad.

"As a team, we have to work really hard for a turnaround but morale is very good at the moment. We have done some soul searching yesterday night and guys have come back strongly."

 

[M.J.Sadiq]

Batsmen to blame for India thrashing: Michael Clarke

Australia captain Michael Clarke blamed his batsmen for their -crushing innings and 135-run trouncing inside four days by India in Hyderabad.

Australia became the first side in Test history to lose by an innings -having declared their first innings, and Clarke promised that no stone would be left unturned to stop a repeat. His side were shot out for just 131 on the fourth morning and went 2-0 down in the four-match series.

"I think India deserve a lot of credit, they outplayed us in all facets of the game in this Test match," Clarke said. "I thought the partnership of the two Indian players [Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara] put on in the first innings was fantastic and I think we need to learn from that.

"Our batters have to take responsibility. We haven't scored enough runs in our first innings in both our Test matches and that's unacceptable in the best of batting conditions.

"There will certainly be no break in between, there'll be nothing but hard work. You don't get better sitting on the couch that's for sure.

"There will certainly be no stone left unturned leading up to the third Test match."

Australia have until a week tomorrow, when the third Test starts in Mohali, to regroup and attempt to build some confidence ahead of this summer's Ashes series in England.

One option is for Clarke to move up the order as Phil Hughes, recently recalled to the Test side, has mustered just 25 runs in four innings batting at three in this series.

"I have no choice," Clarke said. "Again, it hasn't been about me, it's about trying to do what's best for the team, and I think now, especially in these conditions, I have to bat higher.

"I've got nine days to work it out. Wherever I can go and put some runs on the board to help the team [I will, but] I don't think picking your batting order can revolve around one person - the team needs the team to play well.

"We need our top six batters to be scoring runs, we need our four, five or six bowlers to be taking wickets. It can't be about one person. I've never played cricket that way and I don't want this team to go to that."

Only Ed Warner, with a patient 44, offered prolonged resistance against India's spin attack as Australia lost their last eight wickets before lunch.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took five for 63, his eighth five-wicket haul in Tests, and slow left-armer Ravindra Jadeja a Test-best three for 33 and six wickets in the match as India built on their eight wickets win in Chennai.

"I think I've got a very good side, I've always said that," said India captain MS Dhoni. "I think it's a collective effort and credit goes to each and every individual.

Batsmen to blame for India thrashing: Michael Clarke - Sport - DNA

 

[M.J.Sadiq]

Retaining the trophy big thing for us, Arthur says

Desperate to claw their way back in the series, Australia coach Mickey Arthur on Wednesday said they were not averse to the idea of making a few changes in the playing eleven if that can bring good result for them.

“Look, I would be lying if I say that we are not contemplating changes. We do have to reassess the whole situation. We have got two Tests to stay in the series and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which is big thing for us.

We would try to assess and field the best possible team to win and if that means making changes, we surely will,” Arthur replied when asked about the composition of the team for the third Test, beginning in Mohali from March 14.

The coach tried to put up a brave face and said that the morale of the team is ‘very good’ despite huge defeats.

“As a team, we have to work really hard for a turnaround but morale is very good at the moment. We have done some soul-searching on Tuesday night and guys have come back strongly.”

“It becomes a case of balance for him (Watson) now. He has decided to put all eggs in one basket. When he was bowling, he was our No.1 all-rounder and now he is among the top six batsmen and he knows his responsibilities.

“He has played well so far without excelling. He knows that and aware of that. I think we are all waiting for a big innings from him and nobody knows that better than Shane (Watson),” he said.

 

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India must take a call on Sehwag's spot - Dravid

India's selectors and management must decide whether they want Virender Sehwag to open in Tests in South Africa at the end of the year, and if not, they must give someone else the opportunity to find his feet in familiar conditions, Rahul Dravid has said. The Indian selectors are due to pick the squad for the last two Tests against Australia on Thursday, but ESPNcricinfo understands no changes are expected.

A chink in India's commanding victories in the first two Tests in Chennai and Hyderabad was their opening partnership, which produced 11, 16 and 17. While M Vijay found form in Hyderabad with 167, Sehwag aggregated 27 in three innings.

He had made only 253 runs in seven innings during the home series against England last year, 117 of those coming in one innings in Ahmedabad. He also failed to score a half-century in two home Tests against New Zealand. On India's last overseas assignment, in Australia, Sehwag made 198 runs in eight innings. After the two remaining matches against Australia, India have no more Tests scheduled before their trip to South Africa at the end of the year.

"I think the selectors and management need to decide whether they are going to open with Viru (Virender) in South Africa," Dravid told ESPNcricinfo. "I mean Viru playing well, Viru at his best, is a great asset to any side, but the reality is that he hasn't been performing particularly well, and he hasn't really done well on overseas trips over the last two or three years. If they feel confident about opening with Sehwag in South Africa, then I think it makes sense to continue with Sehwag and give him the opportunity to get that confidence."

Dravid said there was also the option of moving Sehwag to the middle order, and if that was the case, then India should blood the replacement opener in home conditions before taking him to face the new ball in South Africa. The reserve opener in the squad for the first two Tests against Australia was Delhi batsman Shikhar Dhawan.

"If they are going to look ahead, I think there could be a realistic possibility of Sehwag coming into the middle order," Dravid said. "You know if opportunities open up at some stage, maybe Sachin is going to move on, then I think Viru is the man with the experience to be able to come in and bat in the middle order. He has said in the past that he would like to, and that could be an option.

If that is the route India is going to take then I think it makes sense to try out another youngster, or try out another opener, and give him the opportunity to play at least a couple of Test matches in more familiar conditions, before going to South Africa. I think it will be unfair on any young opener to be asked to go to South Africa straightaway, and play against the likes of Steyn, Philander and Morkel."

 

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'Was it murder or suicide in Hyderabad'Last updated on: March 6, 2013 17:00 IST

"Was it murder or suicide in Hyderabad yesterday?", the Australian media asked in the wake of their team's humiliating defeat at the hands of India.

The team's capitulation to India's spinners in the second Test was described as "the Hyderabad horror show" on a "dark day" for Australian cricket.

"It was, without doubt, a crime scene and one that Australian cricket fans should not have had to witness. The saddest thing about yesterday's capitulation was that the Australians weren't mugged - this was an act of self-harm," the Australian wrote.

The paper said that none of the batsmen except captain Michael Clarke looked to take the fight into the Indian camp.

"Suicide cults have displayed more resolve than the procession of batsmen who walked to the middle and volunteered to drink the cordial yesterday.

"The captain owns the two highest scores of this series by an Australian (130 and 91) and posted both of them in the critical first innings when the running needed to be made.

"Unfortunately his pale warriors don't have the legs to go with their skipper. Some join him for a couple of kilometres here or there, but none can go the distance. Nor do any seem intent on forming a partnership without him."

 

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Should Sehwag be dropped from the Test team?
Last updated on: March 6, 2013 17:37 IST

Virender Sehwag is living on borrowed time. While the rest of the Indian batsmen were plundering runs against the inexperienced Australian bowling, the dashing opener had three straight failures.

His Delhi team mate Gautam Gambhir was given the axe ahead of the series after a poor recent showing and it looks likely that even Sehwag might suffer the same fate.

- Is it the beginning of the end of Zaheer Khan's career?

The national selectors will pick the Indian squad for the last two Tests, in Mohali and Delhi respectively, on Thursday, and, without doubt, Sehwag's poor recent run is going to be debated long and hard.

 

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'Selectors must take call on Sehwag's fate as opener'
Last updated on: March 6, 2013 19:05 IST

Former India captain Rahul Dravid has said that the national selectors must take a call on whether to continue with struggling Virender Sehwag as an opener in the Test series in South Africa later this year or give someone else a chance.

"I think the selectors and management need to decide whether they are going to open with Viru (Virender) in South Africa," Dravid said.

"I mean Viru playing well, Viru at his best, is a great asset to any side, but the reality is that he hasn't been performing particularly well, and he hasn't really done well on overseas trips over the last two or three years.

"If they feel confident about opening with Sehwag in South Africa, then I think it makes sense to continue with Sehwag and give him the opportunity to get that confidence," he added.

 

[M.J.Sadiq]

Injury forces England's Graeme Swann out of New Zealand Test series



Graeme Swann is to undergo a second operation on his right elbow that he hopes will have him fully fit for the back-to-back Ashes series that start next summer, and before that the Champions Trophy.

The offspinner has been managing an uncomfortable condition in the joint for some years now but it flared up badly during the warm-up match against New Zealand A in Queenstown last week. Subsequent scans show that an operation is necessary if he wishes to prolong his career and next week he will return to the same Minnesota hospital in which his first operation took place and which recently saw Tim Bresnan also undergo elbow surgery.

The US leads in treatment of sporting injuries to shoulders and elbows, of a kind sustained principally by baseball pitchers. Swann was immediately withdrawn from the England team for the first Test with Monty Panesar replacing him on what was a dismal and disappointing day of rain, with play abandoned for the day at 4.15 with not a ball bowled. Some time will be made up with early starts to all remaining days. James Tredwell will join the squad as cover.

Swann has always insisted that he wanted to avoid a second operation. In the first, in 2009, 29 bone fragments were removed from the joint, although some, in close proximity to nerves had to be left in place. "We were waiting on results from scans we had the other day which had to be seen by the specialist in America," Swann explained, "so when the news came back that I did need surgery it's obviously very disappointing. I've looked forward to this tour for a long time as I love New Zealand but it's not to be. I was trying to go through my whole career without needing surgery again, but the specialist came back and said something needed to be done. So be it. It's a huge year for English cricket and a huge year for me so if this means taking a more active part in it then it's something I have to do."

However, he is confident that far from signalling the beginning of the end of his career, and a last throw of the dice, the operation will enable him to continue playing which might not be the case had it been left. "I know if I don't have the surgery it's more or less curtains," he admitted. "I'm assured the surgery is relatively simple so touch wood it will be and I'll wake up on the other end and everything will be great. I'm buoyed by the success last time I had it done and my elbow was in a lot worse shape then than it is now. I'm very confident I'll bounce back in a short space of time. In layman's terms in needs a bit of a clean-out. It doesn't seem anywhere near as dire as last time around when it was like a bomb had gone off in there. I knew something wasn't right in Queenstown. I couldn't put an extra snap on the ball when I was bowling. I like to turn the ball a lot and I was only 70-80 percent fit. The whole point of the operation is that it will extend my career. If it gives me a chance to keep playing for England for longer than I would have had then it's great news."

Swann's workload was already being carefully managed, and following the successful Test tour of India before Christmas, he missed the ODI tour of India in January and the T20 leg of the New Zealand trip, before playing in all three ODIs. In Queenstown he sent down 42 overs in the match, but required treatment throughout and detected a deterioration beyond the discomfort he would normally feel.

"It all came about quite suddenly. I've struggled on and off for the last four years but it never really manifested itself into a dire predicament for me. But just before the game, I started to feel an unusual pain that I hadn't felt since before the last operation and it got worse during that game. I raised my fears with the doctor and Andy Flower and the scans showed there had been deterioration. But I've got every faith in the surgeon Shawn O'Driscoll at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester because he's the world leader." Following the operation, Swann will undergo a course of rehabilitation which will include the first fortnight on a CRM machine, a device which will keep the joint in continual motion for twenty three hours a day.

Away from Swann, it was a day of appalling weather that spoilt the opening of the series, an irony given the five weeks of virtually unbroken sun experienced by the team since their arrival, and the drought which pertains in the north of the country. A bright morning was followed by clouds rolling in and gloom descending even as Alastair Cook lost the toss. By the official starting time, the light was already sepulchral and shortly after, the rain started, with no let-up until mid afternoon. As expected England included Nick Compton as Cook's opening partner, and Stuart Broad as third seamer. New Zealand have given debuts to Neil Wagner, the left arm pace bowler who gave the hurry-up to a few England batsmen in Queenstown; and Bruce Martin a 32 year old left arm spinner.

 

[M.J.Sadiq]

After defeat, Aussies practice on fifth day track

Australian batsmen haven't been able to survive enough overs in the last two Tests to know what it is like batting on a typical Indian track on the fifth day of a match and that prompted them to practice on the Test-match strip here today.

Having batted only nine overs on the fifth day of the first Test and the second Test getting over in less than three and half days, the Aussies got a "virtual test" of batting on a "fifth day Indian track".

It was inevitable that playing spinners would be their focus of attention during the final practice session in Hyderabad but what was interesting was some of their top batsmen opted to bat on the Test-match wicket. With enough rough created on both sides and the cracks widening, Australian captain Michael Clarke spent the maximum time facing the likes of Nathan Lyon, Xavier Doherty and leggie Steve Smith.

The two other batsmen who spent quality time facing the spinners on the match-strip were David Warner and Shane Watson. While watching the Aussies practice, it became evident that apart from Clarke, Watson and Warner are the two batsmen,who are at least expected to take on India's spin trio.

"Any day, we would like to practice on a Day 5 wicket. Practice a huge amount on that. As I have said earlier that Watson and Clarke are among top-eight batsmen, who have experience of playing here. So more the boys get a chance to practise on a fifth day track, better it will be for their careers," chief coach Mickey Arthur reasoned when asked about the specific reasons for training on fifth day pitch.

"We want our batsmen improving against spin bowling. Just like whenever India comes to Australia, we take them to WACA(Perth). Our batsmen are still young and learning to bat on Day 5 wickets. You learn that with experience," he added.

Skipper Clarke seemed to be walking the talk about taking more responsibilities. Although he got a "bruise" being hit on the knuckles by a Mitchell Johnson snorter, he carried on manfully ignoring the pain. The captain was seen standing at the umpire's position and keenly watching likes of Warner and Watson bat. He was seen individually speaking to each and every player.

"He (Clarke) had a chat with our batsmen. He spoke about forming partnerships. And when Michael talks, others listen.Our goal is to ultimately ensure that when these guys comeback later to play a series, they do so as better players,"said Arthur.

Asked about how different it is playing spin in Australia compared to that in India, the coach explained, "It's like North Pole and South Pole. In Australia, the start of a Test

match, it's all quick, quick and quick and then it become slow. It's completely opposite in India, where it is slow to begin with but suddenly things start getting quicker on the fourth and fifth day. Therefore, we want to make them aware about the conditions and may be find a way to cope it."

 

[M.J.Sadiq]

Make Your Mind Up Sunny Gavaskar

Former India cricket captain and now pundit Sunil Gavaskar has said national skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni should lead the team until the 2019 World Cup.

Hang on. A little over two months ago, at the tail end of December, Gavaskar was leading the calls for Dhoni to take a break from the captaincy. He must be dizzy after making such a rapid u-turn.

“I don’t think he should be disturbed now until the 2019 World Cup. Honestly, he’s changed positively as a captain since the England series. That one month before the Australia series started has given him time to reflect. He is now more proactive rather than reactive,” Gavaskar, who played his last Test for India in 1987, said Tuesday on television channel NDTV.

“Because of his form, because of his fitness, I seriously think that now we should not even discuss this. Let’s talk about it 2019,” Gavaskar added.

So did he feel the need to apologize for his widely reported comments in December that Dhoni needed a break from the captaincy to reflect on his game?

No he didn’t. In fact, he even managed to get another dig into the Indian captain.

“Now having seen him, he’s recharged, he’s refreshed, he’s batting brilliantly. OK the keeping I think he probably just needs to tighten up a little bit.”

Gavaskar might do well to remember that, as a highly respected former player, he has a large audience that generally values what he has to say. When he criticizes a cricketer, his words can have a great impact on the opinions of viewers and the players themselves.

Everybody’s entitled to change their opinion, of course. But on this occasion Gavaskar, who wasn’t reachable for comment, has proved to be even more fickle than the average sports fan. He is paid handsomely for his views as a pundit, but a tendency for flip-floppery devalues what any analyst has to say.

Maybe he will keep to his word and stay silent on Dhoni’s captaincy for the next six years, but really, do you think that’s likely?