- Cricket connoisseurs would vouch in unison that touring Australia for Test matches is one of the toughest in the circuit. Any team returning with a successful stint down under only reaffirms the superiority of the visitors over home favourites in all departments of the game. Hardly few cricket-playing nations have succeeded in overcoming the monumental challenges of defeating the Australians in their own den. It is here Team India deserves a special mention for not only defeating the Australians in two successive series while touring but also conquering the extremely competent outfit quite convincingly by showcasing extraordinary resilience and consistent performances. Undoubtedly, it takes something special to beat the Aussies at home.
PC: India Today
- However, the ongoing five-match Test series has not gone according to the envisaged script for Team India is apparent. The reasons for the below-par performances are plain obvious since the batters have not delivered in tandem to mount a match-winning challenge against the marauding Aussies. Team India did start the series spectacularly by defeating the Aussies in the first match of the series at Perth considered as the paciest cricket pitch in the world. Jasprit Bumrah led the team in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma. Ever since the return of Rohit, Team India’s fortunes have gone southwards having lost two Tests and managing to draw one. With the Sydney Test left to be played, the pundits will be out to dissect the team’s failure to rise to the occasion.
PC: The Times Of India
- Prima facie, the India batters have not showcased consistency in putting up decent enough scores for the bowlers to come into the picture. Opener Yashaswi Jaiswal delivered once with a big hundred in Perth followed by a few decent scores in the subsequent matches. Rohit Sharma is a disaster with the bat performing poorly and returning meagre scores. The ignominy of being termed as the least productive skipper with the bat in Australia looms large. The manner of Rohit’s dismissal mirrors his current state of mind which is also causing him to commit apparent tactical blunders on the field. The talismanic Virat Kohli scored a hundred in the second innings of the Perth Test, and since then, his bat has gone quite repeatedly falling behind the wickets.
PC: India Today
- Kohli’s inability to curb off-side poking has resulted in him being the bunny of Aussie pacers time and again in the series. The glaring technical glitch bogging Kohli has not only affected his own standing as an outstanding batter but also immensely hurt the team’s cause in the bargain. KL Rahul did show great technical prowess in tackling the Aussie bowlers but has gone off-boil in the last three innings or so. The less said the better about the batter in Rishabh Pant who has repeatedly lost his wicket playing atrocious shots at the most inopportune times. Yes, the young Nitish Kumar Reddy has shown great character while scoring crucial runs including a terrific hundred in Melbourne. Sadly, batters not playing in tandem has hurt Team India’s cause big-time.
