India entered the third Test against England in July in a rare position. Owning a 1-0 lead they were well on top in an away Test series.
Doubtless, they were contemplating the possibility of a breakthrough series victory on foreign soil, having gone to England on the back of a run of 14 Tests without a win away from home.
In earning the series lead against England, India had displayed a level of aggression, assuredness and swagger which they historically leave behind them when boarding an international flight.
As swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar loped in to deliver the first ball of the third Test at Southampton, he had the luxury of an ultra-attacking field set by notoriously defensive skipper MS Dhoni.
His late outswinger clipped the edge of Alastair Cook’s bat and fell just short of the second of four slips Dhoni had positioned.
Kumar shot Cook a glare, Dhoni urged his bowler on with a wide grin, and India’s fielders chirped away. The tourists embodied confidence.
Fast forward to the next day and left arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja coaxes a loose cut shot from English keeper Jos Buttler. The ball deflects off the inside edge on to the stumps.
Jadeja, a famously fiery character who typically greets wickets with a ferocious roar, makes not a sound. Rather, he meekly looks down at his shoes and shuffles from the ground along with his dispirited team mates.
Cook has just declared. The scoreboard reads 7-569. The Englishmen have not just flayed the Indians but also stolen the bullish attitude and positive body language they had displayed over the first two Tests.
India are still leading 1-0. Yet from that moment forward they looked deflated, conquered and, at times, uninterested.
India promptly gave up a 239-run lead, watched England storm towards a declaration at five runs per over, and then folded for 178 in the fourth innings to lose that third Test by 266 runs.
The five-Test series became locked at 1-1. India, however, already looked like they wanted to retreat to home shores. Their efforts in the fourth and fifth Tests were two of their worst in history. They lost at Manchester by an innings and 54 runs and then at The Oval by an astonishing innings and 244 runs.
In those last two Tests their batsmen first collapsed to 4-8, then in the next innings slumped to 6-66, then 9-90 in the first dig of the last Test, before completing this shambolic sequence by being bowled out for 94.
It was the most astounding capitulation I have witnessed from a side who were in the ascendancy well into a series.
India began the current tour of Australia with these disturbing events as their most recent memories of Test cricket. Their minds also must have been clouded by the 4-0 pounding they endured on their last Test tour Down Under. Together, those series represented giant mental hurdles the Indians would have to clear to compete in this series.
Under the feisty, pro-active leadership of Virat Kohli they seemed to swiftly shed this baggage at Adelaide. While a late collapse deprived them of victory, when it had appeared very possible, that performance represented a significant stride forward.
The slumped shoulders and half-hearted batting efforts that had marred their previous tour of Australia and the last three Tests in England were absent. India believed they could trump Australia in their own playground. They went for the win and fell short, but their very attempt was indicative of a crucial change in mindset.
Come this Test at Brisbane and the Indian batsman again played with positivity and daring. The once-marauding Mitchell Johnson was tamed. Their first innings total of 408 was above par on a pitch which was pleasant for batting but offered generous assistance to the quicks.
Boasting an attacking bowling line-up with two young quicks capable of passing 150 km/h, the Indians laid into their hosts. The pace and hostility of Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron unsettled some of the Australian batsmen, not least Brad Haddin.
The Australian keeper tried desperately to fend away a rising Aaron delivery but succeeded only in lobbing it to short leg. Australia were 6-247. India were in raptures. They were perfectly placed to roll Australia cheaply, build a big lead and then level the series.
Yet, just a few hours later, the Indian side looked like they were back in England: bowlers wincing, the captain stony-faced, and fielders staring blankly off into the ether.
Australia’s tail-end batsmen were running amok. Even Josh Hazlewood, a man on debut, batting at 11 and with a first-class batting average of 11, was climbing in to their quicks.
By the time Hazlewood sauntered off the ground on 32 not out, having creamed seven boundaries, Australia had a potential match-winning lead of 97. The home side’s four bowlers had combined to make 195 runs from 225 balls.
India, once again, had allowed a felled opponent to rise back to their feet and rain blows upon them. How they respond now will determine whether this series flows into another bloodbath or whether it becomes a turning point for their young side.
Bearfax
Guest
I wouldnt dismiss this India side too quickly Bobbo. You had good cause I believe in seeing something in this India side which has now twice lost but not been disrgaced. This is not the former team of champions they had which seemed invincible at home but unable to perform away from the sub continent. This is a team chock full of young quite outstanding talent, still developing. They dropped the ball figuratively at critical moments in both tests, a characteristic of youth, but they've had us on the ropes a couple of times and at times looked very much the goods.. Not sure if they will win a test this series but I would suggest in a year, this team could be quite a dangerous proposition.
Bobbo7
Guest
Not so good. They would have got away with it if not for those pesky practice pitches. Clearly India reman a lost cause outside of dust bowls. Thought they had improved but no. Terrible bowling to the tail and it all got too much in the second dg.
Bobbo7
Guest
Yep got that wrong. They just looked better this time around...but clearly not
Spanker
Guest
Please please drop Watson. We finally have 3 good batsmen and no surprise are starting to get wins. If Watson finally gets dumped we might finally find a fourth good batsman, which all strong teams need. For the desperate Watson lovers who can't live without his 1/35 every fourth test fine pick him as a bowler but we NEED a batting #3 -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Cheers Nudge, I really enjoyed doing those Talking Points articles and might bring them back for the next Ashes.
Nudge
Guest
Ronan, while your articles are always fantastic, what's happened to Ronans wrap, where you go through all the talking points of the previous days play? I miss those
fazed
Guest
Let me say this, I have no objections to the usual banta that goes on & certainly makes the game more interesting. Having said that with what I witnessed on the TV went far beyond the normal banta. It does not seem that long ago when a similar incident with the bowler went off at the batsman he just dismissed & showed him the finger & told him to go to the sheds, he was subsequently charged with unbecoming conduct, which to me was not as bad as what was on show this time round.. More especially the spitting towards the dismissed player.
Blake Standfield
Roar Guru
Glaring, and swear words. There's been some horrible things in the news lately but this is truly devastating. I only hope that Smith and Rogers are able to recover in time for Boxing Day. But if they need to take some time to reflect on their life and their place in the sport then no one could blame them.
fazed
Guest
I sincerelly hope the cricket board have a look at video replays regarding Indian bowler Ishram Sharma. Yesterday when he produced a wonderful ball & not unusual for most bowlers to give a verbal to the batsman they just bowled, its another thing to then see a replay & see his mouth & what he said to a departing Steve Smith """F$&@ OFF"", nice stuff. Then today when he dismissed he dismissed Rogers, he glared at the batsman & sent forth a lovely stream of spit. What a wonderful show from an international cricketer, & people may wonder why there is not much love between players or the two countries.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
India might have been down 1-0 but they had momentum after giving Australia a huge scare and then had them on toast yesterday with a 1-1 scoreline theirs for the taking. But the point anyway is not to say this series is a mirror image of the England debacle rather to point out that there are distinct similarities emerging in their capitulation after a very strong start to the series. Can they avoid falling apart like they did in Eng?
Bearfax
Guest
OK. You've sold me Al
Red Kev
Guest
One half decent performance (and don't pretend it is any more than that Ronan - Watson is still a shockingly poor no.3 batsman) does not invalidate the point. Watson has always been a deft bowler, even if he is 10-15kph slower than he used to be, the issue is that any sizeable workload breaks his body. It will be a Christmas miracle if he pulls up fit for Boxing Day after bowling this much at the Gabba.
ak
Roar Guru
No contest now.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Barring a miracle Australia should wrap up the game this afternoon. Magnificent bowling from the Aussies this morning.
jammel
Guest
Noted Ronan. However, I don't see the efforts by the Australian tail (or the events of today) being equated to the Rose Bowl. In that series, England were down 1-0 after two Tests. And the turn around was very pronounced. Whereas, in this series Australia was already 1-0 up - not really a "huge shift in momentum". Indeed, if there is any turning point, you could just as easily make the argument that it was Lyon's efforts in Adelaide more so than the Australian tails batting (as exciting as it was to watch!)
jammel
Guest
That's 100% true jamesb. Our efforts in the UAE and India of late were very very poor.
Darshan Kawar
Roar Pro
After end of third day's play, it was same old story for Indian fans. Bowl aggressively to top order batsmen and by the time tail-enders get in, Indian bowlers look tired and exhausted and it showed yesterday as well. They allowed Johnson, Lyon and Starc to settle down, bowl at their strength which helped them to score freely. As every time, I failed to understand why Yadav, Sharma and Aron didn't bowl single yorker at tail-enders, but kept bowling short and wide. Indian bowlers need to learn how to wrap up tail in quick time and don't let them throw their bat in the air. That's the only way India will remain in the match overseas. They just simply can't afford to let tail-enders score as heavy as top-order batsmen.
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
Oops... Bad call? Gotta love hindsight!
Gav
Guest
Watsons bowling has been quality. His line, length and movement through the air and off the seam are really showing the importance of those skills.
Fivehole
Guest
How's that prediction working out for you Bobbo?