Revisiting my five fearless predictions before the Test summer

Before a ball was bowled in anger this Test match summer, I made a series of bold (read: foolhardy) predictions based on what would happen in the series.

In a tip of the cap to transparency, I thought it worth the time to revisit these predictions and see how I did.

Now considering there were five of them, I’m going to give myself a score out of five. I’m also going to take some serious liberties with my own assessment of my work, and I expect it to be the task of some particularly ravenous Roarers to take those gentle calculations and replace them with much more severe stuff. In fact, I look forward to it.

So let’s get to it.

Prediction 1: The 4-0 streak will continue
I basically said that Australia would whoop India, continuing the fine tradition of these two Test-playing nations of 4-0 results on home soil. If they didn’t do that, I said, they would win 3-0 with a draw in Adelaide.

Well, I was half right.

Australia did whoop India, and had they not been denied twice in Melbourne and Sydney by time and time alone, it would have been a 4-0 result.

But read the scorebook, Effeney – it clearly says 2-0. I’ll take my medicine, try not to place too much blame on placid wickets and award myself half a point.

Prediction 2: Peter Siddle will be dropped before the end of the series
I’ll have to give myself a big tick here. Sidds was largely ineffective at the Gabba, and was sadly dropped.

There were plenty of reasons postured for his disappointment. From a lack of sausage in his diet to his ripe old age of 30, the notable lack of Peter Siddle’s pace escaped nobody, and has led to him being firmly on the outer in the Australian setup, now behind Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in the stacked fast-bowling pile.

It’s not a place a veteran bowler who plays the role of the honest toiler wants to be.

I want to see that snarl back. That anger, that aggression, that hatred of batsmen.

I tend to agree with Jason Gillespie’s assessment – Sidds needs to bowl fast, hit the deck and possibly hit batsmen. Come on, Pete!

Prediction 3: Everyone will miss DRS
Despite the lack of clangers, with most decisions at least in the realm of understanding of most folks, I’m still going to give myself a tick here. I think we all did miss it.

We would probably all agree that whatever rub of the green there was went firmly against the Indians for much of the series. And still, Aussies protested hard that if we have the technology available, we should use it.

Half of that feeling comes from a desire to see correct decisions made, but a large portion of the emotion also comes from the fact that only one nation defies the use of the system, and that happened to be the nation we were playing.

So I’m going to give myself a tick – 2.5 out of 3 so far, but I have a feeling this is where things start to go downhill…

Prediction 4: Virat Kohli will struggle
You can understand where I was coming from with this one. Sure, we weren’t playing at the WACA, but surely the MCG and SCG would have nice green tinges on Day 1, and the Gabba would be fearsomely quick throughout.

Instead our groundsmen dished up roads that Tony Abbott would be proud to serve up to the good people of Australia who crave infrastructure.

I said at the time, “Kohli is a fine batsman, with the best pedigree of any player on this tour for India. But I still think he’s going to struggle against the pace and bounce of Johnson, and the persistent bounce and seam of Harris.”

All of that remains true, except that Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris didn’t terrify anyone except the umpire at the non-striker’s end, who had to constantly duck and weave from the barrage of well-struck boundaries flying in their direction.

I get a big fat 0 for this one.

Prediction 5: Michael Clarke will recapture his best form
Look, I’m going to go easy on myself here. He did capture his best form in Adelaide. He also recaptured a hamstring injury, which ruled him out of the final three Tests, leaving Steve Smith in his place.

Proxy Michael Clarke then went on and scored three more centuries, on top of his own in Adelaide. So it was a great series for Australian skippers, but not necessarily in the way I predicted.

Do I give myself any points here? Probably not… maybe half. Let’s go with half.

So there you have it. I’m scoring myself 3 out of 5.

What do you reckon Roarers? How many liberties am I taking here?