The Australian team is riding on boisterous confidence, feeling they can decimate any opposition, especially at home, as seen in the series against the depleted Windies.
From David Warner to a quieter Shaun Marsh, all seem to feel in their veins as if they are the most brutal Test cricket outfit.
A healthy 2-0 series win over their Tans-Tasman rivals seems to have given them the confidence that they can destroy the opposition ranks and replicate the genius of the same Aussie squad that played in early 2000s.
Coming to this very series, Australians felt they have real chances to pile more misery upon a side whose away record and quality of players are equally abysmal.
The first two days in Hobart have seen Australian supremacy, with under-cooked players Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges scoring in tons and bowlers gluing well in tandem, but does that send a clear message that they are on course to become the most dangerous Test cricket outfit?
With all due credit to how well they have bounced back after the Ashes loss and Michael Clarke’s departure, there can be no denial that whitewashing a depleted Windies does not prove they are the most formidable side in the world.
Many have already started to feel Australia and India are soon going to reign in this format and topple South Africa and England from their perch, simply on the virtue of their attacking brand of cricket which has so far given them commendable series wins.
However there are many answers which Steve Smith and co would have to answer.
The first issue is how they will perform in the Subcontinent and in England, two challenging destinations which have eluded the Aussies any major triumphs over the last decade or so – even though they have defeated the Proteas in their own backyard.
As for Australia’s matches at home, beating the Windies and New Zealand is not a true challenge.
Their tour of New Zealand next year would be a much better indication how well the side would have progressed.
Clavers
Guest
The point about the Australian Test team right now is the speed with which they have been able to replace stalwart players like Clarke, Rogers, Watson and Johnson. At the start of this summer only two batmen were well-established in the to six: Warner and Smith. But now tho that list can be added Burns, Khawaja, Voges and Shaun Marsh. In fact, Voges is averaging 76.83 in Tests right now. So strongly-placed is the team that they will have to drop either a batsman in red-hot form or all-rounder Mitchell Marsh when Khawaja comes back from injury. In the bowling department, Starc is close to the most potent bowler in the world right now, Hazelwood is going from strength to strength taking 7/78 in the most recent Test, and Pattinson, potentially the best bowler in the world is back with a stunning 5/27, with all his victims in the top seven. The attack continues to be solidly supported by Lyon and Siddle. And the keeper Neville has slotted in beautifully. The summer so far could hardly have gone better for Australia. The biggest concern at the moment is probably the batting figures of Mitchell Marsh. But his bowling is much more than adequate for a fifth bowler and with every other batsman in the top six averaging fifty-plus (in Khawaja's case 150-plus!!), it is a problem Australia can carry for a while longer.
Bearfax
Guest
Yes man you've obviously never watched Laugh In, a 70s TV comedy that was all the rage back then. 'Sock it to me' was one of their pet lines.
Don Freo
Guest
He got how many in this disgusting set of recent pitches? They don't count in my esteem...and shouldn't count officially. I am talking about cricket...not arranged results. I'd love India to join the world of fair international cricket.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"Ronan aren’t fast bowlers averages skewed as they play most of their matches on fast bowler friendly pitches?? Shouldn’t your logic be applied to them too. Johnson averages 60 in non helpful conditions of ind and sl." Yes man those averages I listed for Ashwin etc are "away" averages...their records in ANY country outside of their own. Mitchell Johnson's average in Tests outside of Australia was 31. But, by all means, continue...
yes man
Guest
Ronan aren't fast bowlers averages skewed as they play most of their matches on fast bowler friendly pitches?? Shouldn't your logic be applied to them too. Johnson averages 60 in non helpful conditions of ind and sl. Don, if you go by recent stats Ashwin wins hands down. 50 wkts in last 7 tests. And he gets big ones too. He dismissed sangakkara 4 out 4 times, amla 4 times and devillers twice. The last time lyon was in 'spin friendly india' he was taken to cleaners by dhoni. I just can't fathom how lyon is better than any of the above you mentioned. In Australia yes.., but overall no way.
Don Freo
Guest
I'd be more interested in numbers over recent times. Career averages are not much of a guide to current form. Right now, Lyon is hot...especially with the wickets of higher order bstsmen.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Out of interest, these are the best teams in Test cricket over the past four years, ranked by their win-loss records: 1st.... South Africa : 17-6 2nd... Australia : 24-14 3rd.... Pakistan : 14-11 4th.... India : 15-13 5th.... England : 18-20 6th....Sri Lanka : 13-15 7th...New Zealand : 12-15 This hasn't been an easy period for Australia in terms of retirements and rebuilding yet they have been clearly the second best Test team of the past four years.
Tommy
Guest
7 ducks to 9 scores over 50...not equal
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
There are 4 current spinners ahead of Lyon in the Test rankings - Ashwin, Jadeja, Yasir and Herath. Out of those 4, Yasir to me looks like the one who has the tools to be a very good spinner who can actually be effective in all conditions. But he's yet to be tested in Australia, Eng, SA and NZ - and these 4 nations shape as strong sides over the course of his career. Jadeja, Ashwin and Herath all have career records which are skewed massively by their great averages in spin-friendly home conditions. Away from home, Jadeja averages 46, Herath averages 43 and Ashwin averages 37. Lyon isn't the best Test spinner but I wouldn't say any of these guys are significantly better than him. Out of interest - Lyon's home-and-away averages are similar - 31 at home and 34 away.
yes man
Guest
Is this something sort of a joke?? Lyon best spinner in world???? Really????
Don Freo
Guest
The current Aussie quicks...all fit...just might be. Starc, Cummins, Pattinson, Hazlewood and, within a year or two while the aforementioned are still young and reaching their prime, we add Paris and possibly Stanlake...hmmmm... ...hushed tones.
AlanKC
Guest
Thanks Don, was just about to provide their names. Add in Starc (close to if not already the best left arm quick in the world) out injured.
Ken
Guest
Well said. No current side will be talked about in future decades in hushed tones, but there are some top players mixed in and they are all competitive with each other - enjoy it for what it is. In time the planets will align and another dominating team will appear.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Apologies Don. In the last 2 years since he has been in the test side he has scored 3 ducks and 2 centuries (+ a 99), so he's just as likely to get out for a duck as he is to score a century. In that period he has passed 50 a total of 5 times. He has been out for 2 or less a total of 6 times. So statistically speaking, based on recent test form, Marsh is more likely to get out for 2 or less than get 50 or more. So basically his recent form reflect what I originally said. Apology rescinded. I'm sure you can point me to some innings against a second string FC team in a nothing game that shows Marsh is an excellent batsman though.
Don Freo
Guest
5 of those Test ducks were over 3 years ago. Now...explain how that is relevant to anything.
Don Freo
Guest
That's ICC rankings. That has nothing to do with how cricketers are performing. ICC rankings are wrong in almost everything they rank...often not even close. That is definitely the case regarding our Garry. It's a bit like Bearfax's use of statistics.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Yeah that's why... Marsh has 2 test centuries and a 99, so basically 3. He has 7 test ducks. He's more likely to get out for a duck than contribute a game changing innings. He has 7 scores over 50. He's equally as likely to be out for a duck as he is to score 50 or more.
Armchair Expert
Guest
Don, as consistent as Lyon has been recently, the ICC ranks him the 6th best spinner playing test cricket.
matth
Guest
"while the standard of the 5 day variety has regressed dramatically over recent decades." I'm not sure if that is really true. at the moment if you transplanted the 1980's West Indies or 2000 Australians and had them play the current sides it would be a massacre. But guess what, it was a massacre in their own time as well. Mostly the standard is similar, with 4 or 5 ok to good teams. The difference at the moment is there is no great team to set a benchmark. How good is Australia at the moment? About the same as SA, India, Pakistan, England and NZ. So that's pretty healthy really. 6 teams who have a chance on any given day. Sri Lanka have lost their batting spine (Sanga, Jayawardene and Dilshan), over the past 18 months, so of course are weaker. the less said about the West Indies at the moment the better.
Bearfax
Guest
SOK it to me, SOK it to me. Yehhhhhh