India have never won a Test series in Australia, which is surely a sore point for the world’s premier cricketing nation.
In recent memory, the closest they’ve come was the draw in 2003-04 – entering the final Test, in Sydney, at one apiece.
With a batting order reading like an all-time honor roll, the tourists amassed over 700 in the first innings. But, thankfully, the Aussies hung on for a gritty draw – avoiding the shame of sending Steve Waugh out a loser.
India missed a rare opportunity that year. The Aussies still had a solid batting line-up, but without Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, the bowling stocks were thin. Does the name Brad Williams ring a bell, anyone?
Fast forward 15 years and India have an even better opportunity to snag that big W. This is arguably the weakest Australian team we’ve seen, and the Indians are ranked number one. We’re knee deep in a touchy-feely rebrand, and they’re battle hardened on the back of two away tours.
Our bowling stocks are workable. But after rubbing out our two world-class batsmen, Usman Khawaja (13) is our only entry into the ICC’s top 20. Next, you’ve gotta scroll all the way down to Shaun Marsh (38) – with a ranking that’s still higher than his Test average.
And, let’s face it, despite some recent resolve, our batting is still as fragile as a Fabergé egg.
Cast that against Virat Kohli, the world’s best batsman, plus Cheteshwar Pujara, who’s fourth, and you start to see the magnitude of their advantage.
Also in their favour is the schedule, with no summer opener on a Gabba greentop. The last time the Aussies lost in Brisbane was during Expo ’88.
Next, it’s the wickets. Perth isn’t the hazard it used to be, and Adelaide doesn’t help the quicks. Melbourne and Sydney are playing low and slow, so India will like their chances of getting some results.
Finally is the day-nighter, or lack thereof. The Aussies clearly had the advantage of experience here, but it was canned by the BCCI.
My point? All the pressure in on India now. I can’t see them getting a better chance.
If they don’t win this series, then they may as well take their bat and ball and go home.
Niranjan Deodhar
Roar Pro
Jokes and sarcasm apart, but India must find a way to win this series. If your No.1 ranked Test team cannot win even win out of three away series it is playing, then it is by no stretch of imagination justifying it's numero uno spot. If you look at the other teams from the past who were ranked No. 1 or either were at the peak of their prowess, have managed to dismantle the home teams. With India being cricket's current superpower and all the facilities that players get these days, its a matter of huge concern as far as Indian Cricket is concerned that they haven't even once tasted Test series win either down under or in the rainbow nation. However, there are two major roadblocks that are making the Indian team look thin. Along with the curious case of Indian openers failing to provide any form of solidity at the top, all of India's bowlers except R Ashwin or Jadeja(whoever plays), look like No. 11's. Technically, India played with four No. 11' s at Perth. May be the opener's problems can be resolved soon, but you can't play with four No. 11's, can you? And that's a brand of cricket that was kind of common say 20 years back. Only time will tell, if India actually manage to find a solution to this scenario, till then India's middle order should try to bat with twice as much as responsibility as they are doing it now.
Paul
Roar Guru
It might as well be for the fanatacism with which it's followed
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
"India may well have been 2-0 up if they’d played Jadeja" !! :-o Let us assume that it was was sarcasm :-D :-D
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
It's not their national game. Actually none of 3 most cricket crazy nation's national game in South Asia is cricket.
Paul
Roar Guru
India has a population in the billions and cricket is their national game. It's safe to assume they will win a series in Australia at some point. I wonder why no mention is made of their failure to beat South Africa away from home?
Paul
Roar Guru
They may well have been 2 0 down if they'd played Shaw and left out Pujara in Adelaide.
JohnB
Roar Rookie
77/78 playing against an Australian side without any of the WSC signatories was a pretty fair opportunity too. Actually a brilliant series, with Bob Simpson's Australian side winning 3-2.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
India may well have been 2-0 up if they'd played Jadeja instead of a fourth seamer at Perth.
JamesH
Roar Guru
The opener wasn't at the Gabba because India refused to play there. That would have been the quickest and bounciest deck of the tour.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
The biggest opportunity was in 85/86. Australia had a pea shooter attack, and a long tail, and India were playing in Adelaide Melbourne and Sydney. Gavaskar his greatest ever failure not going for the jugular then. India lost only 26 wickets across 3 test matches, they did not get close to getting bowled out twice, India scored slowly despite Srikkanth and Kapil Dev scoring very quickly , second test match Gavaskar didnt bother to chase 126 off about 25 overs to win the match. Third test match you had Srikkanth and Kapil Dev scoring runs at knots but Gavaskar and Armanath scored slowly.