India lost. But more importantly, Australia won. And how. It’s bad enough that the Indian players find the kind of sporting tracks prepared by groundsmen too hot to handle. Do they really expect to play on wickets in places like Melbourne or Headingley that turn like tops? In the meantime, with a day to spare, the Australians must be busy with their shopping lists.
Bangalore, Chennai, and now Nagpur reaffirm their indisputable authority as the premier cricket team in the world, one that has turned Test cricket from dreary draws into exciting cricket matches that produce results. Although they may be no richer than the Indian team in terms of talent, cool professionalism gives them an edge. They play match after match as a team rather than as just 11 ‘stars’. The discipline in their bowling and fielding is only matched by the determination of their top order batsmen to sacrifice flair for solidity and refusing to get out to sweep shots — unlike the you-know-whos. The Aussies never waste an opportunity to improve and even resist the temptation of not changing a winning combination, the way a two-down batsman goes in to open the innings while a five-down bat replaces him. And to think India has yet to find a satisfactory opening pair.
Remember India’s Adelaide victory and the series win in Pakistan were all based on excellent opening partnerships putting the opposition on the defensive and allowing the middle-order flourish. It’s still not too late for India to salvage its honour from the series. But then, it’s just the right time that we congratulate the world’s finest cricket team.
{{/usCountry}}Remember India’s Adelaide victory and the series win in Pakistan were all based on excellent opening partnerships putting the opposition on the defensive and allowing the middle-order flourish. It’s still not too late for India to salvage its honour from the series. But then, it’s just the right time that we congratulate the world’s finest cricket team.
{{/usCountry}}