Swings and Roundabouts
The fifth test between India and Australia hasn’t finished but at the end of day 2 (or near enough), India have piled up 600+ declared leaving the Aussies little chance of securing the win they need to draw the series. This would mean India would at worst have a historic 2-1 series win (3-1 more likely) and would be their first ever test series triumph in that country.
It is a big milestone and sums up where India and Australia are right now as a cricket nation. There is little doubt that India are the best all-round side in world cricket at the moment. Test, ODIs and T20, whatever the tournament or series, India are likely favourites and justifiably so. The conveyer-belt of talent in batting and bowling that seems to be coming out of the country right now is the envy of the world and this win in Australia could yet the be the springboard they need to finally travel well as a test side. The series defeats in SA and England at the start of the year will still annoy fans and the side alike. This win, over a depleted and poor (coming to that shortly) Aussie side, is still significant as India has dominated the home side, in the end running out fairly easy winners.
On the other side, Australian cricket is at a cross-roads. If the late 70′s saw a weakened side due to World Series cricket and then the barren 80′s followed, Australian cricket could be looking at another barren decade right now. The best side in the world for 2 decades saw a wonderful array of legends come and go, but the retirement of Michael Clarke, that connection has been severed and since then, Australia have lost their mojo. They are poor tourists now, regularly getting beaten up on by even some of the smaller nations in away conditions and now India and SA have both won in Australia within 3 seasons. A mirage-like win against England the 2-17-18 Ashes is the only high point since the 2015 World Cup and this is just Tests. In ODI’s, where they are defending champions, they have lost 11 of their last 13 matches in 2018 and are looking at more defeats to come at home vs India. That 2015 crown will certainly be gone come the summer of 2019.
Where has it gone so right for India and so wrong for Australia? T20 cricket. I know it sounds silly as the IPL is a huge tournament and so is the Big Bash. Both have produced some amazing spectacle in the last few years but I think it’s the way young players approach these tournaments that is the difference. In India the IPL is not the Ranji trophy and no one is being picked for the test side due to what they did in the IPL. They have to have a good Ranji record first. In Australia, young guys are being fast tracked into the test side based on IPL performances. What about the Shield? Where are the runs there? Some of the guys playing for Australia have poor First Class records. How much can people be picked on potential? The placement is also the problem. The IPL does not coincide with the Ranji Trophy so players can focus on both competitions. The BBL comes smack in the middle of the Shield, splitting it into two halves almost. How can someone construct a good long season like this? It’s mad. The argument that is happens in England is neither here nor there as they play a-lot more First Class cricket there due to the number of teams. In Australia its basically 6 sides so 10 games home and away. If you find form in the first half of the season, you need to wait another month before you can have another bat and by then, the form could be gone!
As I said, I fear this could be the start of a fairly barren run for Australia as the talent in the batting just isn't there. Young U19 kids are being given breaks in the BBL and sadly, that isn’t going to work for them in the long run. T20 cricket is great fun once you have a solid technique to build from. I can’t see one Australian batsmen with a good technique. They are all mostly deficient some place or another and can’t focus long enough to bat for a long time. That is where India have won the series. They have blunted Australia’s bowling attack and worn them down. Then made merry. Australia can’t replicate it with India’s attack because they can’t be patient for that long. One hundred in a test match in 2018 since the last Ashes test in Sydney. That is a damning statistic. Shows just how poor things are.
Indian fans and England fans will revel in Australia’s struggles. For 20 years they doled out hammering after hammering and now it seems the time is ripe for the treatment to be reversed. Smith and Warner will/may be back by the summer but will it help? Don’t think so, not with this line up. Swings and roundabouts and right now, India are on a huge upswing and Australia are in the middle of the downswing.
