India arrived in Australia with the world’s best batsman heading up a star-studded lineup.
They also brought two world-class spinners, who complemented a fast-bowling lineup that may be the best India has ever produced, as well as an exciting batsman-keeper.
Add the fact it’s an all-around useful fielding side and you get the picture of why the ICC’s rankings suggested a big gap between India, the number one Test nation, and England, regarded as next best.
But after two Tests in Australia, the obvious question is whether the current lineup is as good as the numbers suggest?
The top order is a major worry. In four innings, India have been two down for 15 or less on three occasions, which follows a similar pattern from the recent tour of England.
The tourists have experienced openers in KL Rahul (who averages 35.2), Ajinkya Rahane (41.45) and Cheteshwar Pujara at three (ave 49.8), but these three are not giving the middle order a chance to post big scores.
Virat Kohli is the side’s class player and guys who bat with him seem to gain confidence simply by being at the other end.
The Perth Test proved that even when Kohli makes runs, without support from the rest of his batting lineup, India will lose Tests and right now, Rahane, Sharma, Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant are simply not producing.
In Pant’s case, he doesn’t seem to know whether he should be playing as a Test batsman or as a T20 hitter.
The rest of the batting, from no.8 down, is simply not up to Test standard, with some guys not at all keen to get in behind the ball.
India’s bowlers aren’t doing much better than their batsmen.
This is one of the weakest batting lineups Australia has fielded in the past 50 years, yet they have more than held their own in the first two Tests, played on wickets that gave plenty of help to the bowlers.
The Aussies are averaging better than 104 overs per innings, which suggests the Indian attack either lacks penetration or is not being well managed.
In contrast, India is averaging 89 overs.
The “elephant in the room” has to be team leadership, and this is where Ravi Shastri needs to get Kohli to pull his head in.
Kohli seems hell-bent on sledging, which is taking his focus away from his role as on-field leader. He’s not managing his bowlers well and seems almost clueless when a decent partnership develops, relying more on defensive field placements and luck to get wickets, than on being adventurous and attacking.
I also question whether he is a very good people manager, given some of the antics we saw and heard from some Indian players in the past few days.
Don’t get me wrong, India has some fine players and injuries have not helped their cause, but this team has a lot of issues to address if they want to remain at the top of the ICC Test pile.
Their worst mistake would be denying they have issues and right now, that’s the impression Shastri and Kohli seem to be giving.
Block & Leave
Roar Rookie
In retrospect this article appears juvenile. India did have a chink in the armour but Australians didn't take advantage and after 2 days into Boxing day test the series was pretty much over. The article is a testimony of everything wrong with opinion columns. People are too early to jump to a conclusion (T20 effect perhaps?) , possibly the Australian Team management did the same too. Be like Pujara, Be Patient ! wait for the outcome before deciding to comment on the fate of the series half way into the series where the results are tied 1-1. PS: this made me chuckle "The tourists have experienced openers in KL Rahul (who averages 35.2), Ajinkya Rahane (41.45) and Cheteshwar Pujara at three (ave 49.8), but these three are not giving the middle order a chance to post big scores." I understand KL Rahul is an opener but by no stretch Rahane, even in that case Pujara scored a century and half-century in the 1st test. Rahane score a half-century in 2nd Test. Opening was an issue but definitely not no.3 and middle order. At least the author could have looked at the scorecard carefully.
marees
Roar Rookie
This website has gone down the drain, in terms of comments the posts remain fantastic tho
Rohit SEN
Roar Rookie
Haha
Richard Islip
Roar Rookie
Well said. A strong alternative skipper would leave Kohli free to cause mayhem with the opposition, without having to think too deeply about the team.
Rodney Nolan
Guest
India are a good cricket team despite the article. Kohli is a talker on the field as are the Australian cricket team. I lost my respect for the culture of Australian cricket. India does not churp on the field like Australian cricketers have done for decades. I can't see why you are aiming at Kohli who responds to the Australian sledging. Incase you forgot Australia's antics on the cricket field got to a nadir of behaviour last year. Warner was a typical example of bad ethics on the field. Being a good cricketer does not give you the right to be a bully. I am sure he was the "brains" behind the sandpaper scandal. I think the other two followed his demands to cheat. While you are talking about Kohli's sledging think what he got from Warner. Sledging amplifies when teams play Australia. I am not a fan of sledging or bad behaviour on the cricket field.
badmanners
Roar Rookie
Hey Chris do you know how retrospective the rankings run? Like how many years previous are included in the current rankings? Could the current India ranking of first still include the home season of a couple of years ago when they played 11 or 13 tests in one home season? How did the bowlers ever get through that!
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Sandpaper often 'grates'.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
It's not all about you. It is the dominant tone of celebration on The Roar...by most posts.
Simoc
Guest
Yes. The strength is playing at home The weakness is playing away from home.
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
Dominated? In Australian condition? That condition in Adelaide was more close to Indian than Australian much like in S.A.. For all the talk, best batsman, best bowling cartel, they were almost defeated by a team weakest in history by their own admission. That too they were defeated because they had cotton in their ears they couldn't hear Pujara's Nick that could be heard from other side of TV. If SCG is spinning then India would be in real trouble. They will be cleared off much more faster than Indian spinners can clean up Aussies. People should come out of delusions that this indian team can play spin. There is no laxman, dravid, tendulkar. This team is better in slow,low bounce pitches. If the ball is getting a rip then they will be in trouble just like Pune.
Reg Grundy
Guest
I have been rather impressed with India's bowling attack, especially their quicks. Unlike Australia, their tail is quite long if the top order fails to make runs. I quite like VK in playing in an aggressive manner with sledging. Its nothing more than old fashioned banter out on the field. Paine's banter has also been quite amusing. The question you need to ask is if India are playing badly or that this current Australia line up is better than what we expected from the sandpaper suspensions (It grates me the word "sandpaper gate")? It has been a pretty good competitive series so far and is my above my expectations in thinking that it was going to be a long summer (apart from SL test series).
Paul
Roar Guru
We'd be stupid to turn the SCG into a spinners dream. Ashwin and Jadeja would clean us up and the Test would be over in 3 days
Paul
Roar Guru
Was Australia "dominated" in the First Test when they lost by 31 runs? I didn't get that impression from Paine and the rest of the team and if they were, surely they must have dominated in Perth? Much will depend on Indian selections over the next two Tests. Ashwin must play if fit and they'll no doubt bring in Jadeja in Sydney. I can't wait for Boxing Day!
Paul
Roar Guru
Our batsmen have certainly toughed it out on nearly every occasion, but the Indian bowlers have still struggled to find the right line but in particular, the right length. For example, I recall a Bumrah spell of 5 overs where the batsman played the ball twice, played and missed twice and everything else sailed through to the keeper. He had great figures but should have been forcing the Aussie guys to play
Hugh Jarse
Roar Rookie
Exactly. I'm an Aussie and am predicting a draw in Melbourne and a win to India in Sydney. I think they have a better all round team than us and I don't rate our bowling attack as highly as the Australian media do.
anon
Roar Pro
Could be, but we aren't too flash on spinning tracks.
Internal Fixation
Roar Rookie
Have we hit a point where we need to doctor the SCG to favour spin? In australian conditions Lyon looks the best bowler from either team?
anon
Roar Pro
It's 1-1 with Australia being dominated in the First Test. Unheard of in Australian conditions. I'd think India are a very good chance at the SCG. The MCG Test will become a must win.
JamesH
Roar Guru
I assumed you were talking in the context of this series, Paul. In the case of the tour of England then yes, everyone aside from Kohli had inconsistent or downright poor series. Often Pujara was one of the top order culprits. I don’t think you can really blame Pujara for Perth, though. He copped a ripsnorter in the second innings that he couldn’t have done much about. Even his 24 (from 103 balls) in the first innings helped get India from 2/8 to 2/82. He’s coming in behind two walking wickets, which can’t be easy.
Junior Coach
Guest
I think you could counter that by saying that the Australian batsman have operated as a unit and played within themselves, toughed it out and occupied the crease. The Indians have been forced to work for their wickets. (which is the way a Test match should be). The Indian tail on the other hand just gives their wickets away.