The series went in India’s favour and whether it’s because of being better batting unit or going hard against Cummins depended bowling line up is something we can focus. If it was between unbeaten Rahane and years-long unbeaten Australia at Gabba, as concluded in my last Match Preview, Australia failed to keep it intact. It’ll be unfair not to remind you of that I put Australia a little bit ahead, especially for the Gabba game and now we have to discuss that.
Review
Virat Kohli, a fantastic player of limited over cricket, many a time, had been spotted to say, it’s the test cricket he always cherished most. Since taking over the test captaincy from Dhoni, he was very keen to establish the team as a perfect test playing side. They lost in England and in New Zealand, but two consecutive test series wins in Australia speaks of a lot. I think, it was the visible thing in the team…a message from the invisible captain.
If we have a care of Australia’s batting line up, it was tentative opening without Warner and never got better with his return. Now go to Smith and Labuschagne. Just skip it. And again look at Number 5, Number 6 and Number 7. No doubt, they really battled well. But they lacked, with enough visibility, the quality depth they needed against India. Now back to Smith, I’ll say that he is not in the sublime form and Labuschagne should have been more disciplined. So it lacked the intent of dominating display of the willow. It’s why Australia was forced to offer India a golden chance to chase 328 and it was not 400+.
As Australia set India to chase 328 in 100 overs, not 400 in 80 overs, what could a semi successful tired bowling line up do? They tried their best. The side was over depended on someone who was already overloaded with too much bowling. They have no Sam Curran or Ravi Jadeja to take pressure off the premier four. It’s the thing Australia must concentrate––one who will share pressure of both the bowling and the batting units. It’s time for Australia to sit with better pen and paper to sketch South Africa plan.
I have no word for Team India’s success but at the same time I never expected Australia’s series win. What I had expected just before what India did the last day is India must go for a draw if they lost two or three wickets in a session. What they did best was not to go below the required run rate and stick to the wicket. They kept it going against off-form Starc, fine but tired Cummins and predictable Lyon. Besides, it’s the team which is much more comfortable with chasing the target instead of calculating how many balls they have to see off.
Back in the bowling of India’s second innings, Md Siraj led the attack in the true sense of leading. Whenever Australia built a partnership and one of the two got out, India never let them get set again. In case of India’s attack, if the inexperience replaced the experience, it was also the execution with greater enthusiasm replaced intelligence. These two things clearly separate the two teams’ on-field outcome.
To Conclude
I wish Australia the best for the upcoming South Africa tour and, of course, they must do a homework in selecting playing XI with special care for lower middle order and pace backups. For India, a number of injured players might recover before the first test against England, forcing a change in the probable XI.
