Will the real India please stand up? My mistake – they already are.
Two Tests in, 2-0 down and staring a right good thumping squarely in the face, a result which would only add fuel to the barely debatable point that the Indians – when it comes to the five-day game – are appalling travellers.
My prediction prior to the series, made in an overly optimistic tweet to fellow contributor Ryan O’Connell, was for Australia to triumph by a 3-0 margin – but this may have been a touch too generous.
They’ve had their moments, as they always will do, but the second half collapses have been all-too familiar and there is little that suggests a form reversal is on its way.
Batting that can’t ram home an advantage and a bowling attack that is fodder for the hosts’ line-up bodes poorly for the tourists, but nothing there should have come as a surprise.
In England last summer, after an excellent victory at Lord’s, the capitulation was staggering and hinted at a side who, when all the necessary factors don’t fall into place, just don’t turn up.
The Indians have decent players and should have the ingredients to at least be competitive abroad, but time and time again they fall flat on their face.
Do they not give a monkey’s about Test match cricket? I would be loathe to push that as an argument because too many believe poor performance equals a lack of desire, which is not necessarily the case.
Are they simply out of their depth when the surfaces served up aren’t slow, low turners?
Batting-wise they’ve shown enough in both Adelaide and Brisbane to suggest this isn’t the case but on the flip side their bowling looks far from incisive.
Is the World Cup, a tournament they will rightly fancy as having a chance of winning, too big a distraction? Perhaps but the schedule doesn’t simply stop.
It would be nice, and quite enlightening, to be provided with an answer to this conundrum but I wouldn’t hold your breath because if those in the firing line don’t know how to stop the malaise they can’t expect those on the outer to do so.
What can’t be doubted is that the hosts should scent a battered side ready for the taking.
The Aussies’ cricket has been effective and driven and they have jumped on the opportunity to close out both Tests which didn’t look like being the case at certain points in each encounter.
That, really, is all you can ask for and if they aren’t celebrating a series win come the conclusion of the Melbourne contest, I’ll have to examine the strength of what I’ll be drinking over the festive period.
On that note, to all those who have read and commented on my offerings, Merry Christmas.
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