Disappointment in Sydney

1. India cannot beat this Australian team with just one all rounder, besides the keeper. A rematch would probably lead to the same outcome.

Saurav Ganguly articlualted it best without mentioning the importance of all rounders. He said Australians have deep batting.

Here are some stats:

G. Maxwell, in at 4, scored 23 (14b, 3x4, 1x6) Bowled 5-0-18-0
S. Watson, in at 5, scored 28 (30b, 2x4, 1x6) Bowled 4-0-29-0
J. Faulkner, in at 7, scored 21 (12b, 3x4, 1x6) Bowled 9-1-59-3 (1nb, 1 wide)
M. Johnson, in at 9, scored 27 not out, (9b,4x4,1x6) Bowled 10-0-50-2 (2 wides)

These four all rounders added 100 runs! Each one of them bagged a 6! Everyone except Watson scored more runs than the balls they faced. Watson missed only by 2. Compared to the other three, he was a Turtle.

Starc and Hazelwood are the two only bowlers in the team.

Finch 81 of 116b,7x4,1x6, Watson and Clarke 10 of 12b, 1x4, were the only three batsmen that scored less runs than balls faced. Finch was the stabilizer, Smith and the others were the accelerators.

Everyone in the team except Clarke bagged a 6.

Note to selection committee "Think Strategy". It is a game of Brawn AND Brain

2. India pretty much had a cake walk to the Semis. SA was the only real competition India faced. Australia is clearly the better team. Their pace bowling was superior. The pitch is tuned for pace. Australia butchered India's bowling, India did not respond in kind.

3. Batting second changed the nature of the game. Scoring over 300 is a requirement at this stage of the game. Could India have pulled it off if they batted first?

4. Australia has about 25 Million people. If we selected and trained cricketers from our Middle Class pool of 250 Million people, India's B Team should beat any country's A Team! This is an environmental issue that involves facilities, opportunities and culture.

5. Strike should be rotated to the set batsmen. Every dot ball is a run for the other side. Kohli - 13 balls 1 run! Indians lack the killer instinct. When the odds are against you, you go down fighting, take big hit risks not running risks and getting run out.