One of the positives of being a touring side in Tests is you typically have the underdog status and so play under less pressure and scrutiny.
India will not enjoy that luxury in this series in Australia – they are expected to win.
The number one Test team in the world will face an Australian side massively weakened by the banning of three players, including their two best batsmen – who also happened to be their captain and vice-captain.
Were Steve Smith and David Warner playing Australia would be favourites and India would carry far lighter expectations on their backs. But the absence of this pair of superstars means the Indian team, the Indian media and the Indian fans know this is easily their best-ever chance to finally win a Test series in Australia.
Increasing the pressure on India is their series losses in South Africa and England this year.
As the number one ranked team, to lose all three of their away Test series in one year would be a monumental failure.
To top it all off, India coach Ravi Shastri has heightened expectations on his side by recently calling them India’s best travelling Test team of the past 15 years.
That comment ignored the fact the strong Indian team of the mid-2000s to early 2010s won Test series in England and New Zealand, and drew series in Australia and South Africa.
By comparison, under Shastri’s watch India have not played in New Zealand, but lost 6-2 combined across their series in England and SA this year.
Already Shastri’s team are well behind the count when compared with the aforementioned Indian side which boasted champions like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag and Anil Kumble.
Shastri’s overly-confident comments mean he has staked his reputation and that of his team on winning this series in Australia.
If they fail to complete that task, and India finish the year with series losses against Australia, England and South Africa, they will be pilloried at home.
Knives which have been sharpening for months would be directed at Shastri, at the Indian players who underperformed in the series, and at captain Virat Kohli, regardless of whether he dominates with the bat in Australia, as he did four years ago.
Virat Kohli of India bats (Photo by Morne de Klerk/Getty Images)
An extraordinarily-competitive cricketer, Kohli will be acutely aware of this. To manage this pressure he’ll also need to control the manic anger that swells within him when he faces Australia.
Never have I seen a Test captain behave with the constant wild aggression displayed by Kohli during Australia’s Tests in India last year, when he continually gave huge send-offs, earning him repeated warnings from the umpires.
I do not believe it was a coincidence that Kohli suffered the worst home series of his Test career, making just 46 runs at an average of 9 against Australia.
Pehaps Kohli will be calmer for the absence of Warner, his long-term verbal sparring partner.
The banned Australian batsman seemed to revel in giving Kohli a mouthful every time he came to the crease and Kohli couldn’t help but respond.
If Kohli can remain unflustered he very likely will have a big series with the bat. He proved in South Africa and England this year that, with Smith not playing, he is clearly the best Test batsman on the planet and can conquer any conditions.
At his disposal he has a strong side which boasts the most potent pace attack that India ever have possessed.
There are no excuses for India failing to win this series. The Indians know that and it will only make their task more difficult.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
The period that saw their rise to #1 definitely included a massive number of home tests, and the only series outside the sub-continent was in the West Indies. So it's certainly easy to think that if Australia played a similar stretch of home tests we'd suddenly be on top too. Though the real thing at the moment is there isn't any clear cut #1 like there was during Australia's long dominance, and the West Indies long dominance the preceeded it. As mentioned in another story I read today, Australia is currently 5th in the test rankings, but if Australia wins this test series 4-0, then that would push Australia ahead of India into the #1 spot. That's how tight the test rankings are at the moment. There aren't any teams consistently dominant home and away at the moment.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Ashwin has had two tours here before, and averages 54 here with the ball. And Australia's had plenty of lefty's during both those series. For all the talk of Australia's struggles against spin, that tends to be struggles against spin overseas, in Australia, most overseas spinners leave with their tails between their legs.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
It will be interesting to see what the MCG come out with. After that rating they certainly need to come out with a less dead pitch this year!
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Not a chance Head bats ahead of Khawaja and Shaun Marsh. Or Cummins ahead of Paine!
Stuckbetweenindopak
Roar Rookie
The rule is India looses overseas test serie in Australia, England, new Zealand and South Africa... And so will happen this time also... The only question is can India better their scoreline from customary 4-0 margins.. And will the defeat margins per game reduce considerably... JOKE OF THE DAY: sunil gavaskar shocked everyone today when he predicted India will win 3-0 on a local sports show..further explaining the drawn test match will be a an outcome of bad Melbourne weather.
Hari
Guest
Leave the pitch with full of green grass and see the magic!
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
Rahul and Rahane?...You must be joking, they are in poor form since long time, only being selected due to their reputation.
Sumit
Guest
Rahane has 50+ average away from home. The irony is the bowling is much much better, but the batting has fallen away in the last few years.
AREH
Roar Guru
Shaw out rushing Vijay into open is a huge plus for Australia, as the latter is in a significant form slump to say the least. In fact, almost all of India's batting - Kohli aside - is either in underwhelming form or historically struggles away from home. Mentioned it on another thread but it will likely be a very tight series I think, that is hopefully live come Sydney.
Amit raj vats
Guest
Very nice article...
Atgm Shags
Roar Rookie
Prithvi shaws injury is a big setback for india. Now they have two out of form openers who lack the x factor that shaw brings. India don't have a 5th bowling option if they play their 6 best batsmen. A solid 5th bowling option in mitch marsh is Australias greatest advantage going into the series
Baggy_Green
Roar Pro
Finch Harris Head Khawaja SMarsh Handscomb Cummins Paine Starc Lyon Haz Batting order for me for Adelaide
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
Planet earth. Why i think that is stated above.Feel free to disagree.
JayG
Guest
Can Melbourne afford to be flat given the ICC warning after the Ashes?
JayG
Guest
Exactly, it can be argued that England actually have 4 #5 batsmen - their averages are similar (Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler, Curran). Most of them average 30+... Ben Stokes (#6): 33.7 Jos Buttler (#7): 36.7 Sam Curran (#8): 36.72 Adil Rashid (#9): 20.7 Stuart Broad (#10): 19.4 Heck, Jimmy has a high score of 80! In truth, their lower order has similar (or better) averages than their top order: Keaton Jennings (#1): 26.62 Alastair Cook (#2): 45.35 (very poor form for most of the India-England series) Root (#4): 50.44 Bairstow (#5): 37.71
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
England's lower order can bat, they are hardly tail-end bunnies.
Nudge
Roar Rookie
“Actually it was not that better” What planet do you live on?
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
Highly doubt it after watching couple of his innings. I think Rahul & Rahane would be more dangerous.
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
356/6 102 overs!!
Kangas
Roar Rookie
Australia will be winning