- The much anticipated India-Australia Cricket series down under has not started on a positive note for the Indian cricket team. Three matches one-day international series is already pocketed by the marauding Australian team with an unassailable 2-0 lead by winning the first two matches comprehensively. That the much-vaunted Indian batting and most surprisingly, the bowling which looked so menacing and adequate on paper in bowler-friendly conditions of Australia, has been rendered ineffective is a worrying sign indeed.
PC:
- Two back to back opening century stands by the Australian pair aptly mirrors how ineffective Indian bowlers were found to be in failing to get early breakthroughs. Once a solid platform was laid by the belligerent openers, the platform was conducive for the top order and middle-order batsmen to not only consolidate the fabulous opening stand but also pile on the mountain of runs to bat out the Indian team on both occasions. The ease with which the entire innings was played out in the 50 over format by the Australians only portends further trouble for the Indian cricket team.
- Apart from the opening duo of David Warner and Aaron Finch, the sparkling form of their batting mainstay Steven Smith – who scored terrific successive centuries at such brisk rate – and that of mercurial Glen Maxwell renders such invincibility to the hosts that it renders the Indians’ tasks of reigning in more challenging and arduous. Where accolades are due for the way Australians have batted, it also shows the poor and unproductive bowling efforts of Indians in the middle-overs as well to put breaks on the plundering batsmen from running away with the game.
PC: Snehadri Sarkar
- It is still too early to question the pace bowling duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami but the way they have leaked runs aplenty are a definite cause for concern. The five-bowler strategy, in the absence of one or two bowling allrounders, severely exposes the limited options available at Virat Kohli’s disposal. An off day for one or two frontline bowlers will place the team in a vulnerable position as the Australian batsmen have shown in the two ODIs so far. Of course, the chasing from the Indian batsmen too never appeared achievable sorely lacking in intent as the margins of defeat signify.
- The game of cricket is all about sustaining momentum and the Indian cricket team must quickly find its mojo in the remainder of the white ball matches i.e. one ODI and three T20Is which will be followed by the eagerly anticipated four-match Test series. A below-par performance leading up to the Tests means it will be an uphill task to stop the Australians from blacking us out. Remember, Virat Kohli is flying out after the first test and as such, it is imperative Team India pulls itself up and performs to its full potential from now on.
