It is a strange question you may think as we’ve all seen teams, or individuals, get into form which is subsequently reflected in their performances or results.
And yet it is an undefinable concept far from the literal, scientific meaning.
What, in a sporting sense, actually is momentum?
Given the fact there is competition or someone directly in front of you trying to achieve the same thing, the so-called momentum can be thwarted as quickly as it can be created.
And if that is the case, should any store be placed in the endless references to it by those who have a microphone placed under their nose?
There is a reason for this opening preamble and it comes in the shape of Steve Smith.
After Australia’s creditable draw in the third Test – long odds indeed once the captain had had his stumps rearranged with the deficit reading 89 and six wickets and more than two sessions remaining – Smith stated that the momentum was probably with his side ahead of the decider in Dharamsala.
His reasoning was that India would’ve expected to have won from such a strong position – a fair assessment – and also that the tourists will be buoyed by their escape, another fair point.
This wasn’t the standard ‘taking the positives’ drivel so beloved of the modern-day interviewee but a hard to disagree with statement.
But flip this on its head and Smith’s claims of his charges owning the momentum doesn’t really stack up.
The first day aside, India had the upper hand and, of the two combatants, only one got themselves in a position from which to claim victory.
Coming on the back of their victory in the second Test the overall balance of power across the series is with the home side.
Taking this into account, surely any momentum that does exist is with Virat Kohli and his men?
An argument in this case can be made for both sides and if one cancels the other out then a definition is tricky to come across.
Ricky Ponting believed Australia had the momentum after winning the fourth Ashes Test at Headingley in 2009 only to see his team comprehensively beaten at The Oval a few days later.
And the same was true of Alastair Cook post Cardiff in 2015, not long before England succumbed heavily at Lord’s.
For every time where it seemingly plays out, there is an occasion where the opposite occurs and, as such, it doesn’t really offer much to the analysis.
What Australia did show in Ranchi was that they are becoming a different animal, certainly on the batting side, in Asian conditions.
At the start of the final day expectations from many wouldn’t have been for the close to arrive without any significant drama having taken place.
To thwart such luminaries as Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, with all the elements of the game squarely in their favour, was a fine effort and doubly so given the chief roadblock was presented by the relatively green Peter Handscomb and the oft-maligned Shaun Marsh.
For Ashwin to be restricted to just two scalps from 64 overs of toil was bordering on the remarkable given the much easier ride he usually experiences on home soil.
The fruitless efforts of Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe may have hinted at a slight straw to clutch at going into day five – thankfully not much harping on about pitches this time – but batting in pursuit of time rather than runs is a rapidly disappearing art.
So commendations to Handscomb and Marsh and an enthralling series gets the chance of a fitting conclusion.
As for picking a winner, surely it all depends on which side has the all-important momentum.
Which, at the moment, is neither.
davSA
Guest
For me momentum is pretty important . Sure it cant be scientifically quantified , neither can confidence or form . But surely we can all acknowledge they exist. For my money It is a subconscious state and can apply equally to a group dynamic ( team in this case) or to an individual. I am still completely convinced that by sending a sub standard Australian team to SA for the one dayers and getting caned 5-0 had a big impact on the respective momentums of either side . This transferred to the test series played soon after and to be frank this was not a particularly great SA team that relatively easily beat Australia . Winning does develop a confidence/momentum/form positivity be it in sport or other spheres of life .
El Loco
Roar Rookie
Not sure about momentum, but of course we know bouncebackability is a thing right Alec?
El Loco
Roar Rookie
Very true, any situation where you have to start again means momentum is a questionable concept. Tennis a classic example where one player could win a set 6-1 and the feeling is that they will race away with the match. But the next set starts at 0-0 and turnarounds are commonplace. Same goes with a test series. Next match starts at none-fer-none, anybody's game. When one team starts to dominate a series it's more about simply being the better team than so-called momentum.
Baz
Guest
best example was at the end of day 4 india had the momentum and aussies were struggling at the time hence the two quick wickets. it continued on from the extra runs put on by the tail. also when we lost yhe second test ashwin had the momentum the doubts in the mind of the aussies and took us all down
astro
Guest
A guy named Bill Barnwell writes on the NFL for ESPN, and when he worked at Grantland he wrote a great (and very long) two-piece article on momentum in the NFL. Basically, he tries to discredit momentum using stats in the first part, and in the second part he talks to how the word momentum' is used in sports. It's all a bit NFL heavy, in terms of stats and the like, so might not be your cup of tea, but even reading the headlines of the article in the second part is worthwhile: http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nomentum-in-sports-part-2/
matth
Guest
I think it applies to individuals, more than teams as such. Although sometimes an individual's momentum can be such that it's enough to carry the team along with him. Jarrod Hayne in 2009 (I think) Kohli in the summer up until he ran into the Australian brick wall. Smith in general has massive personal momentum at the moment but is it translating to his team and the results?
matth
Guest
Yes he did
Thunder Nation
Guest
If we pick an injured Nathon Lyon in the 4th test we are asking to lose he has been toothless except for 2nd test Drop him! Drop him! Bring in Agar or Bird We will lose if we pick Lyon, he is injured. Wake up selectors!
Guy
Guest
Momentum is just a fancy way of saying confidence, which is important and does exist. Rather than neither team having momentum going into the final test, I'd say both do, but the other factor not being discussed is fear. Who will be most afraid to lose? That might decide who wins, or is most likely to retreat for the draw.
JamesH
Roar Guru
My view is that across most sports, the longer the match, the less important momentum is (as a general rule). In sports like T20, NRL and AFL, 30 minutes of having the momentum can decide a game. In tests, momentum can turn in a session. So you end up with matches between good sides where momentum see-saws and can become meaningless by the start of the next day's play. What is important is what a side does with their momentum. Australia used their momentum well in the first test, but didn't capitalise on it after strong starts in the next two tests. India did in Bengaluru but not in Ranchi. I don't think either side really knows who has momentum here, but It probably won't matter by the time play gets under way tomorrow.
JohnB
Guest
Didn't Smith equivocate about whether there was such a thing as momentum in sport in making his comment?
Rob JM
Guest
This series is more about knife edges than momentum! I think the Australian momentum is good for about half an hour of the fourth test.