India have all ready retained the trophy being ahead 2-1 but will want to win the series.

Australia are in disarray and with a group of selectors that seem not to care, or just love the Marsh surname or are being paid off. Smith and Warner are being painted as soon to be returning saviours of the batting line up and Paine is complaining about the pitch.

India have to be strong favourites, they are stronger in all aspects of the game.

If I'm forced to include labu I'd have the strongest possible batting line up and hope whats left can take 20 wickets

Khawaja
Harris
Head
Finch
S Marsh
T Paine
M Marsh
Labu
Cummins
Starc
Lyon

terrible team but what can you do. At least it has a chance of scoring 600

Baggers continuing from the 3rd test thread. Once again you have accused Starc of mopping up the tail and that why he has taken so many wickets. The tail 8 and 9 do generally have some talent, eg Starc and Cummins. They can bat and there is nothing wrong with taking their wickets.
The true bunnies are the 10 and 11. Their wickets are the ultimate improvers of stats. 

eg 2/75 av 37.5 all of a sudden becomes 3/75 average 25 and in most cases end of innings or if both go for minimal runs.

There is no such thing as a tail end bully.

Lets look at Hazlewood and Starc not taking into account say the last test when India declared when Hazlewood took both wickets, prior to both declarations, which improved his stats.

Only looking at 10 and 11's since Hazlewood came into the side
Hazlewood 
Roach, Taylor, Wood, Anderson, Southee, Southee, Boult, Taylor, Taylor, Wagner, Abbott, Rabada, Riaz, Shah, Kahn, Kahn, Yadav, Anderson, Maharaj, Morkel, Shami. (21)

Starc
Bishoo, Gabriel, Anderson, Anderson, Southee, Boult, Southee, Sandakan, Sandakan, Fernado, Lakmal, Steyn, Riaz, Shah, Ball, Broad, Broad, Rabada, Morkel, Rabada, Shah, Abbas (22)

I wonder how those wickets have improved the individuals stats
Hazlewood 162/4347 Average 26.83, remove 10/11's 141/4347 average 30.83 Difference 4 points

Starc 198/5631 Average 28.43, remove 10/11's 176/5631 average 31.99 Difference 3.56

So saying Starc has his results by taking tail end batsmen is true but all bowlers do and some benefit more than others as you can see. So hopefully you now see that calling someone a tail end bully is not actually true.

And as I said earlier, taking the last wicket before  declaration also improves someones stats as Hazlewood did twice in the last test. so Hazlewood went from 1/108 to 3/108 which improved his stats enormously.

Tim Southee appears twice on both lists above but he can actually bat, he averages 18 in test matches, he is not a bunny.
Maharaj is also not really a bunny. 
Broad is another one who is not a bunny, he has a test match century and averages 19.

From what I've read they seem to think the team will be one of 2 ways
Harris
Khawaja
S Marsh
Labuchagne
Head
M Marsh
Paine
Cummins
Starc
Lyon 
Hazlewood

or 
Harris
S Marsh
Khawaja
Head
Paine (at 5?)
Labuchagne
M Marsh
Cummins
Starc
Lyon
Hazlewood.

In other words 4 batsmen, 2 average All rounders (stretching the term loosely shouldn't be in the side for batting, nor bowling) 1 keeper 4 bowlers.
Batting is a problem, but obviously selectors see the bowling is a problem, that they need 6 bowlers.
But with this the last test before CA contracts renewal, Starc, Hazlewood, M Marsh and S Marsh will probably have good matches, they'll get their contracts, and then more of the same for next year.

Our selectors are blind and stupid. They are covering up the cracks by painting two blokes, that hurt all cricket lovers in this country, as returning warriors from the Crusades or something..  A couple of Blues stalwarts SOK and Copeland want the SCG to return its former spinner's paradise days. Hello fellars.. it may s assist Lyon but India have two fairly decent spinners too. And believe me they will pick both if it is a spin deck. In addition, Steve Waugh wants dud SOS Marsh to open.. one of four lefties he wants in the top 4. . Now Steven that is playing into the hands of Ashwin who delites in tormenting lefties..specially those that have little conception of  how to play spin.

True but they come in at 10 or 11 and if they are the last wicket to fall, no more runs for the opposition and the bowler who get that wicket goes from say 2/75 to 3/75 thus improves averages. 
I'm just proving to Baggers who constantly says, Starc is a tail end bully that there is no such thing and in general it is shared amongst all the bowlers, which it generally is.

I asked the question yesterday. Has Labuchagne opened for the Bulls. Mike? If so I want him there to break up the leftie stacked top order. I have dumped Finch as Marsh is a more technically correct batsman. 
Harris
Labu
Khawaja
S Marsh
Paine
Head
M Marsh
Cummins
Starc
Lyon
Hazlewood.

A bowler whose majority wickets are top order over late order ones is the preferred bowler for selectors . Of course you count 8/9.. They are part of the tail.

God no Labuchagne opening, Honestly 5 or 6 is best for him, but he is playing No 3 presently for QLD. The reason I say 5 or 6 is I reckon in Australia he wouldn't be in my top 20 batsmen there are many openers, 3's and 4's around in shield that are better.

Hell then looks like we have no choice but to string at least three lefty in the top 4. Ashwin will be licking his lips at the prospect. Selectors are muppets. Can think of the only reason Labu came in ahead of Burns is they are preparing a spin track. His leggies proved more than useful in the UAE.

Labuchagne is only averaging 28 this year at 3 for Qld ranked No 28 in run scorers (Neser has scored more), don't expect any more than 40 runs for the test if lucky.

If selectors are serious about the batting then you have Khawaja
Add Wade, Harris, Cooper, Larkin and Burns the top 5 run scorers this year, and sort out the batting
Harris
Larkin
Khawaja
Cooper
Burns
Wade
That's the best chance of scoring runs in Australia at present

I cannot stress this enough Labuchagne's performance in Pakistan was a fluke. FC 15 wickets at over 60.

If they prepare a spinners wicket then you drop Hazlewood and play a spinner, sure may have to leave M Marsh in the side, but bringing in an inferior batsman to others, because he can spin. If they play Marsh and Labuchagne and leave all 4 bowlers in the side, they are a joke.

That is the most sensible thing you have written all week Mike. I also said this at the start of the series.
The dumb selectors dont see it. Of course they should be rewarding domestic form. Ricky Ponting is adamant that this ridiculous BBL break is hurting domestic red ball which in turn is hurting our Test cricket. He says our fringe players should be playing now so they are in fine fettle to step into the test side if called.  But unless those fringies are playing some sort of cricket then they are going to be stale.  CA stinks.

And not a single one of the 5 batsmen have a CA contract. That's just confirming how much influence CA have on selections. Have to play those on contract.

But it is not even that simple, Nathan Lyon batting 10 is a more important wicket than Umesh Yadav who batted 8 for the Indians in Perth.

However if Ashwin or Jadeja or Pandya or Pant were to bat 8 they would be arguably stronger batsmen than any of the Australian tail, although Cummins is pushing to be in that group as well.

The position in the tail can be quite misleading. Mark Boucher batted between 6 and 9 in his career, but that does not mean his ability changed. When he batted 9 he was behind 6 batsmen and Klusener and Pollock. When he batted 6 he was ahead of Pollock and Hall. In reality a group of similar quality batsmen.

It probably would be better look at wickets according to the average of the batsmen. Like how many below 15, how many 15+-30, how many 30+ -40 etc but even then there might need to be a correction for the number of players in each band who were available. 

Rohit Sharma will not play in the 4th test as he has returned to India to join his wife and their new baby. This should improve the Indian team because Sharma is not good enough and was very lucky to make 63 in the third test after being dropped by Siddle.

Finch is set to open again with Langer suggesting he is going through a lean patch because he is struggling to cope with playing all three formats for the national team and will be much better when he works out how to do it. If Finch was 23 instead of 32 and the team was doing well then perhaps he could be given time, but it is a disgraceful decision to continue to open him in test matches. 

It seems those in charge of cricket in Australia have taken the drug of fake cricket and are intoxicated by it. It has moulded their thinking to such an extent they cannot see the obvious. It seems success in fake cricket matters more than real cricket, test cricket. Years ago their was criticism because test players were selected for one day teams because they were test players. Now it seems almost that players are selected for test cricket because they are good fake cricketers.

STOP SMOKING THE T20 PIPE, YOU ARE SMOKING SHIT. RECONNECT YOUR BRAINS AND DO WHAT IS NEEDED OR FUCK OFF.

No Langer. Finch should be hidden well down the order. Use his ability as hitter to give us some late runs. 

If I was a contracted batsmen and was told a  non contracted player could replace me.. I would be pretty p***ed off. CA tho has to be practical as a most of those they gave contracts to have been useless, while some, such as Finch, are  limited overs specialists. HE IS NOT A TEST CLASS batsmen and SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PICKED.

I keep throwing up Agar as the spinner all rounder, contracted and his test record is better than
Marsh or Maxwell. why would they bring in a non contracted player in lieu o Agar?
If Agar is not good enough, then why is he contracted & being paid $900k a year.
Wonder why CA got into financial trouble - it is farcical

I don't get it. Why have M Marsh and Labu in the same side with 4 regular bowlers?

Please explain it to me...

I still think opening with Khawaja and batting Paine at 3 is best way to go. Keep the likes of Finch and Head away from the new ball. 

Test Fan

Paine is a former opener in the Shield.

Hazelwood for Labu might balance the team. 2 spinners and 3 pace men with 3 all rounders

The local media are upset Labu has been selected in front of Wade.

According to them, Wade has made most Shield runs this season.

understandable
we need to strengthen the batting

If we took our catches even on the batters paradise in melbourne we would only have conceded 350 odd runs

the only way I can see the batting being strengthed by labu is if he replaces on of our pace bowlers

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/rishabh-pant-tim-paine-babysitter-sledging-australia-india-test-series/2019-01-01

Got to respect Paine and Pant. At least this series is showing good humour. Lucky Paine, great family. Respect to Pant, he is obviously a top bloke.

Seven members of the 14-man squad – Tim Paine, Nathan Lyon, Usman Khawaja, Aaron Finch, Marcus Harris, Peter Handscomb and Marnus Labuschagne – went to an optional training session. You can see here which ones take playing for their country seriously. If your losing you train, at least show up even if it means performing light duties. Show some sign of unity. Appears to be a definite gap between the haves and have nots. I've always believed good leaders, lead by example. I see Paine went, but where are the two Vice Captains?

Starc would make way if I had a say. Consistency over inconsistency.

 Langer has been getting a few players hot under the collar this week with his comment that those on the fringe of Test selection only average in the mid @30s. Check your eyesite Alfie. Kurtis Patterson (@41), Joe Burns (@40.5, Dan Hughes (@39.7), Matt Wade (@39.6), Jake Lehmann (@39.6). Then there are Tom Cooper averaging @ 45.5, Nick Larkin @49.4. this season. Even Jordan Silk @38, Alex Doolan @38 are averaging more than most of the incumbents. Surely all of these batsmen have strong claims to play in the SCG game but should definitely be in consideration for the Sri Lankan series.