Australia hit rock bottom 16 months ago when South Africa destroyed them in Hobart but their win over the Proteas in Durban yesterday confirms they are on an upward trend.
The 4-0 loss in India in 2013 was horrific, as was the 3-1 Ashes defeat in 2010-11, but arguably the lowest point for Australia in the modern era was the back-to-back Test floggings at home to South Africa in late 2016.
That series loss was all the more painful for Australia coming as it did directly after both a 5-0 humiliation in ODIs in South Africa, and a 3-0 caning in Tests in Sri Lanka.
Losing by an innings and 80 runs in Hobart triggered sweeping changes to the Australian line-up and set in motion a major reversal of their fortunes in the longest format.
Since that debacle in Tasmania, Australia have a fantastic 11-3 win-loss record in Tests. In that time they have gone unbeaten in nine Tests at home, starting with a comfortable win over the Proteas, followed by three hammerings of Pakistan, and four big wins over England.
It is on the road, however, where they have made their biggest improvement. First they competed strongly in India, placing themselves in a decent position to win that series midway through the fourth and final Test, before falling away.
Australia then carried that momentum over into the tour against Bangladesh, drawing 1-1 against the Tigers, who are a good side at home.
(AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Australia narrowly lost the first Test in Dhaka but rebounded impressively to record an easy win at Chittagong.
These solid series efforts back-to-back in India and Bangladesh represented a major turning point for Australia, who had gone win-less in their previous 11 Tests in Asia.
Amid that win-less streak were weak-willed displays by Australia in India, the UAE and Sri Lanka, which made it surprising to see them scrap so hard in India and Bangladesh last year.
It is this fight, together with newfound discipline, which has been at the core of their resurgence in Tests over the past 16 months.
Prior to that period, the most common criticism of the Australian team was that they had a one-dimensional, attack-first-and-think-later approach to batting. It was a justified evaluation.
When conditions suited them Australia’s batsmen could play some magnificent cricket, but when patience and circumspection were required they refused to adapt.
This led to an endless parade of batting collapses, often precipitated by needlessly-aggressive strokeplay. Since Hobart, however, there has been a marked change in the batting strategy of the Australians, with a much greater emphasis on batting for time, particularly in bowler-friendly conditions.
I detailed this in a recent piece for The Roar.
That’s not to suggest Australia have eradicated all the impulsiveness from their batting, rather that they have found a much better balance between caution and aggression.
That willingness to shelve their egos and graft for runs when necessary was again on display in the first Test against South Africa in Durban.
There were some rash dismissals, most obviously those of Cameron Bancroft in both innings, and Usman Khawaja and David Warner in the second dig. But there was also some admirably stoic batting from the Australians at crucial moments of this Test.
Mitchell Marsh again displayed great maturity as he played a match-defining knock of 96 in the first innings.
Steve Smith (56 from 114 balls), Shaun Marsh (40 from 96 balls) and Tim Paine (25 from 72 balls) all batted within themselves in that innings to help Australia scrounge their way to a good total of 351 on a fairly difficult pitch.
[latest_videos_strip category=”cricket” name=”Cricket”]
In their second innings Australia faced the most onerous conditions of the match, with the ball turning sharply for the spinners and South Africa’s pacers earning greatly-variable bounce.
These were the kinds of challenging circumstances in which the old Australia frequently subsided, handing the match to the opposition.
Here they managed to withstand some good bowling, and some trickery from the pitch, to post a second solid total, this time of 227. In doing so they batted South Africa out of the Test in a manner the old Australia regularly seemed incapable of achieving.
This is an imperfect Australian side which still has significant holes in its batting line-up.
But right now those flaws are being masked, to a reasonable extent, by their grit and determination. The next three Tests should reveal the full extent of their progress.
Don Freo
Guest
Steyn is not that "great" any more. So...he's not really out. That Dale Steyn doesn't exist any more. Australia is without Dennis Lillee too.
Don Freo
Guest
Is Jimmy getting much spin since he turned to slow bowling?
Don Freo
Guest
Yet...they didn't win, Jeff. There are only 2 teams playing and the other one beat them. That is just a weird line of argument. OK, i'll concede that they did come second.
Don Freo
Guest
It's a strange line of argument that whoever Australia beats was weak. The Poms were weak but they had beaten SA before they came to Australia. The Saffers are weak but they had just beaten the superstar Indian team who are now...weak.
Flemo
Guest
Khawaja got nearly 200 in the last game lol
Don
Guest
Good point, but worth remembering that the only series India has won away from home since 2009 have been in the subcontinent and West Indies (which is now almost like winning in Zimbabwe). They’ve lost two series each in South Africa, Australia and England and the one series they played in NZ. They are no.1 thanks to winning away from home in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Paul Potter
Roar Guru
The second Test of this series, and the second Test of the series against Pakistan in the UAE, should tell us a lot about Australia. Win both, and they will have done very, very well. South Africa will hit back hard in the second Test, and winning in the UAE would send further affirmation of Australian progress.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
DavSA I think SA are really going to bounce back in the 2nd Test, they'll have been buoyed big time by the way Markram and de Kock fought, and the manner in which Australia lost their direction in the field during that period. I agree on Ngidi, I think at 1-0 down SA can't afford to play Morkel, he was very poor for the majority of the 1st Test. just didn't look like he was switched on.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
There's no doubt that Australia's batting strategy in ODIs has been way too conservative for the past 2 years or so. It's odd that an ODI team with the hitting power of Warner, Finch, Maxwell and Stoinis/MMarsh hasn't been really taking the game on. But I think, the same way Australia recognised in 2016 they were batting too aggressively in Tests and reined themselves in, I know think they realise they've been too safe with the blade in ODIs are have decided to be much more expansive.
BurgyGreen
Guest
That's fair, a lot of people announcing the death of South African cricket rather prematurely. Before the first Test everyone was saying how evenly the teams were matched, and I don't think that's changed. Let's not forget that AB is yet to be dismissed by a bowler.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Hello Shakti, I think India now have the best-balanced Test lineup they've boasted in my 25+ years of watching cricket. In the 2000s India had an incredible batting lineup, and two very good spinners in Kumble and Harbhajan, but their pace quality and depth was nowhere near as good as it is now. It is that depth strength which allowed them to compete well in SA and which will be the key during their upcoming Test tours of England and Australia
Charging Rhino
Roar Guru
Everyone’s getting way ahead of themselves on here. There’s only been 1 Test played, still 3 more to go! And SA has just beaten the number 1 Test team. Why don’t we judge after the Day 5 of the 4th and final Test?
Shakti Gounden
Roar Guru
Gillespie would have to be the most penetrative of all bowlers. He is better than Cummins no question. But maybe Cummins may become better!
twodogs
Guest
Having a stab here - Warner is in decline, rather than a controlled effort to hang around.
Who Nose
Guest
Interesting that it has been Smith scoring slower the past year or so, similar to the way that Clarke went from dashing middle overs player to hard-nosed accumulator in his captain days I guess? If SA don't get their opening partnership sorted soon, it might be nearing the end for Amla, who on his day is still a great player to watch, esp when timing the ball beautifully.
Shakti Gounden
Guest
Hi Ronan, Australia definitely have improved their test cricket and it happened because the captain let it all out after the Hobart humiliation. I feel South Africa currently are undergoing a transitional state in their cricket but once all the very good players retire it will be a very difficult time for them. Currently all teams are good in their own backyard but below away. Yes Australia has been the most consistent but they still need to win more series. And their balanced lineup is their best recipe. However I feel like their batting lineup is always going to be their question mark. Yes lately they have been very good and that is due to momentum from the Ashes and sticking mostly with the same order. They are a very good side nonetheless. I'm unashamedly an Indian cricket fan but I know they have their shortcomings as well. However they have improved markedly and that's because of their bowling. As much as Australian fans hate it, their biggest strength is Kohli's competitiveness. Yes it doesn't go well with most cricket fans because it comes across as poor sportsmanship. But Indians used to be very docile but the current attitude is good for competitive cricket. But they have to win away from home to be no. 1 and that is the case with every other team. Gone are the days of Steve Waugh captained indisputable no.1s. But I must say that I really enjoy the current times due to the even-ness of the playing nations.
George
Guest
Finally the penny dropped for Lehmann? Or is this Smith taking charge with a more nuanced approach? If it continues he has more chance of success in England than Ponting or Clarke did.
moustache twirler
Guest
Ronan - Do you believe that this new conservative batting approach seeped into the ODI side? If it did, then that would be worrying that such a thing could happen? Surely the brains trust of the team would have the foresight of not muddling test and limited overs tactics?
Fergus
Roar Rookie
Australia will have major concerns at 5 and 7 in a couple of years as Paine and Marsh are quite old and it's conceivable that their form will fade sooner rather than later. Khawaja has had serious issues batting away from home and put simply if he doesn't rectify it soon will have to be dropped sooner rather then latter. So far khawaja has done little to ease that concern and even if he excels in SA, NZ and Eng if he remains a liability in the subcontinent the selectors will lose patience and he will be dropped as you can't be rubbish in 4 of the 7 countries Aus tours. That's not even including the revolving door of openers we have of late. There's no doubt Australias batting has improved compared to previous years but selectors will be hoping that they can lock in another opener and khawaja can find away form before the middle order needs rejigging.
Brian
Guest
I expect Elgar & Du Plessis to improve especially Du Plessis who looked very short of match practice. Amla I think is stuck as Hazlewood bunny. Would be surprised if he made any runs at all. Agree on Ngidi at least until Steyn is fit. No point hoping for miracles from De Bruyn or Bavuma. Go back to 6+5 Markram and De Kock were the question marks batting wise and both came through.