India Down Under: Rise like a phoenix

My dad was an avid India fan irrespective of how they performed, but I had a bit of critic in me because in my view the team were tigers at home but lambs abroad.

I wanted this to change and even though I saw some good developments over the last three or four years, there was a lot of work to be done to ensure stronger performances in SENA countries.

After the debacle in Adelaide, I wrote my first article in which I highlighted the positives, areas of concern and the changes required to reshape and strengthen Indian Test cricket.

From then on, while I was hoping for a better fight, the comeback at the MCG, the Houdini act at the SCG and the counter-attack in the Gabba played out in a dramatic fashion for India to seal the series 2-1. It turned out to be one of the best series to be played in the history of Test cricket and India’s resurgence reminded me of the phoenix in the Harry Potter series, with the ability to recreate itself from the ashes.

So what changed for India after the Adelaide Test?

Over the last few years, India developed their bowling arsenal but batting overseas was still a worry. However, on this tour, because of injuries, the frontline pace attack was also depleted but the newcomers punched above their weight to put the onus back on the batsmen.

With Rohit Sharma back in the mix, India got their opening combination right and even though Cheteshwar Pujara was far from his best, he hung in there to ensure he took the sheen of the ball, so that the batsmen who followed found it less difficult, particularly in the absence of Virat Kohli.

Ajinkya Rahane could have definitely done better with the bat but as a captain, he stood out. He kept the side together, lead from the front in a calm and composed manner with the right tactics and the right combination. It is true that a captain is as good as his team but he needs to be able to get the best out of his team, which he did.

They did not rely on one or two players to score the bulk of the runs. Each and every time India were in trouble, someone put their hand up to bail them out (Ravichandran Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari at the SCG, Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja at the MCG).

Youngsters led the charge, sometimes with both bat and the ball while the seniors showed them the way. This was the game-changer (Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur and T Natarajan).

Everything aside, the grit, determination and the self-belief that team India showed was remarkable. Staying in a bubble can create greater bonding provided positive energy is disseminated and that comes from the top. Hats off to the leadership team that includes the head coach and senior coaching staff plus the team management along with the support staff deserve a lot of praise.

Australia lost the plot right after Day 4 at SCG, as there was no dearth of talent in that side. They underestimated the opponents and were not willing to soak it up when it was required. Aggression can be a good form of defence only when it is backed by sound wisdom. Weak leadership and dropped catches at crucial times proved costly and irreparable.

India with this performance have rebranded the way Test cricket is played. Be it a draw, a win or a loss, Test cricket has become gripping and interesting to watch and this augurs very well for it to not just survive but thrive. With World Test Championship (WTC) becoming a regular feature, I hope it gets the recognition and respect that it always deserved from a wider audience.

The depth in talent that we as a nation possess is quite amazing and it is imperative that the system is robust to ensure the talented get recognised, treated well and rewarded fairly. There is nothing wrong in conducting the IPL when there is a window of opportunity available but if it is just ahead of a long important series (like the one we had) then BCCI needs to ensure that the players’ fitness gets priority over IPL games, even if it requires some players to miss the final leg of this lucrative tournament.

Country should take precedence over club without an iota of doubt.

Looking ahead, with Kohli back for the England series at home, India should feel confident but not complacent. They have a very good chance of playing the WTC final at Lord’s this year and should take this momentum forward to ensure that they qualify and win the title this time, whoever the opponent may be.

To conclude on a lighter note, here’s a corporate lesson from Virat Kohli: “Be cautious when you take a leave from your job. It should be short enough to let the team miss you but not long enough that your team realises it can function without you.”