- Die-hard Indian cricket fans would have felt devasted and disappointed by the drubbing received at the hands of the unheralded visiting New Zealand team in the three-Test series before the Aussie tour. Team India was comprehensively whitewashed 3-0 in the recently concluded series would have raised the concerns manifolds since the more gruelling five-match Test series was scheduled down under. The cricket fans are familiar with how tough it is for the visiting teams to beat the marauding Aussies in their own den. Of course, Team India has successfully defeated the Aussies in the last two previous visits was a reassuring fact. Nonetheless, the home drubbing just before the crucial series was an unexpected body blow nobody anticipated.
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- A lot is at stake since the team’s chance of qualifying for the World Test Championship appeared in a quandary following the humiliating defeat. On top of it, some of the top guns like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as well as KL Rahul had a forgettable outing compounding the concerns of Team India. Further, captain Rohit Sharma had to withdraw from the first Test in Perth anticipating the birth of his second child. People in the know about cricket would vouch that the Perth wicket is not only heavily loaded in favour of the pace bowlers but also challenging for the batters to score runs freely. Thus, it was assumed that the Indian team would be simply steamrolled by the formidable Aussie pace battery to set up an easy win.
- Yes, the script appeared to be going in the familiar direction when Team India was skittled out for a paltry 150 runs in the first innings. Now not for nothing cricket is termed as a game of glorious uncertainties. What followed subsequently must have warmed the cockles of every Indian fan big time. Indian bowlers led by stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah – who had a five-fer- bamboozled the Aussies by bowling them out for a mere 104 in the first innings. The Indian spearhead was simply superb and was unplayable as the Aussies found out with no ready answers for his guiles. Thankfully, the way Team India went about their business in the second innings was a treat to watch for the true connoisseurs as they scored a monumental 487/6 declared.
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- The highlight of the innings was a spectacular opening stand, a mammoth 161 by opener and emerging star Yeshaswi Jaiswal, and return-to-runs of Virat Kohli with a polished 100 not out. The Aussies were stunned by the turn of events was evident. The way pace bowlers struggled to contain the free-flowing Indian batters was a sight to behold. And the way Bumrah strangled the Aussies at the start of their second innings was nothing short of mesmerizing too. The writing was clearly on the wall, and it was a matter of time before the Aussies were thumped stupendously. Eventually, Team Australia was routed for 238 allowing the visitors to romp home by 295 runs. Will Team India go for the jugular in the remaining four Tests? Hopefully, yes.
