The Big Test Before The Big Title Defense!

The buzz around the upcoming Australian leg of the Border-Gavaskar trophy is quietly building up, unlike its pompous usual self. Dhoni is absent in the initial phase, Clarke’s participation is unclear and the forthcoming 50-over World Cup is taking some sheen off this marquee test series. India is currently retaining the celebrated bilateral trophy, but barring the 2003-04 series India has not managed to hold onto its possession after a trip Down Under since the incarnation of this prize! Both teams are coming off excellent ODI form and many expect the contest on this occasion to break the uncanny pattern of whitewashes from the last 3 encounters.

The recent form guide (last 5 tests) viz. India: DWLLL, Australia: WLWLL, doesn’t speak of domination in either case and margins for wins & losses have been massive for both teams. To some extent, India & Australia are within a transitional phase; Australia probably wears a more settled look, which is visible in the success percentages as well. Although the home advantage skews the contest in one team’s favour, interestingly both sides have played almost no home tests (Australia 1, India 0) in the 11 months of 2014!

Amid this linear correlation and similarity of the competing teams, the timing of this tour makes it distinctly different from its preceding ones over the last 15 years. Each of India’s last 4 tours followed the World Cup and the focus was limited to the outcome of the series scoreline. The stakes and the takeaways from the 4 tests have an indirect bearing on the build-up to the extravaganza in February-March 2015. Niggles would be protected with cotton wool, minor injuries would keep key players away from on-field action and positives would be explored even in defeats. In recent years, the India-Australia duel has become a big-ticket draw in international cricket and would be fascinating to find the intensity that prevails during the series, given the context of its timing.

The Indian camp has embarked on the flight with abundant positive confidence and batsmen with limited overs form. India’s struggle for 300+ team totals was primarily reasoned for 0-8 in 2011-12. The success in Adelaide (2003) and Perth (2008) suggested that penetrative bowling spells win you matches if you have a firm foundation laid by your batting. India is a batting-strong outfit and the consistency in collective failures away from home is an incompletely understood maze. Once again the onus of leading India’s campaign lies with the batsmen, as it has been on most foreign tours.

India’s current batting line-up shouldn’t ring major alarms in the Australian team meetings. Vijay has sparked in patches through tough away tours in 2014, the trio of Dhawan, Pujara & Kohli have unexpectedly under-performed and in Rohit-Rahane-Raina there is decent international experience. Amid this mixed bag there is the maverick Dhoni followed by the mercurial Jadeja. Barring Dhoni and Kohli none of the above has test match experience in Australia and on account of tests in 2014, the batting unit doesn’t seem ready to impose itself in away conditions by blending moments of individual brilliances. To start with the batsmen would need a leader in the pack and would be interesting to see who puts his hand up over the next few weeks.

Surprisingly, discounting injuries and inability to remain fit over a period of time, India’s bowling on paper exudes hope for the conditions. Ishant, Shami, Bhuvaneshwar, Umesh & Aaron isn’t a world-beater bowling attack but can make an impact if there are periods of complementary good spells. The spin department has variety in Ashwin, Jadeja & Karn Sharma. With the world cup round the corner all bowlers should expect a look-in at some stage during the series, to share workloads. India conceded momentum at crucial points in England (earlier in the year) courtesy its shoddy catching in the field. A lot has been said and analyzed about this aspect of the game and could be a decisive facet to India’s performance once again.

So what should we expect from a set of batsmen with gingerly away statistics, a bowling attack sans threat and a team that is touring with a 2-7 record in the last 12 tests Down Under? Mcgrath has already forecasted a 4-0 triumph for the home side. Although that might sound exaggerated you cannot disagree on which side will win the series, unless there is major turn-around. There is a minor possibility of this being Dhoni’s last away tour as the skipper of the test side, given the hints he has dropped for the last 2 years about his future after WC 2015. The previous tour to Australia was a tricky test for Virat Kohli as the batsman, and the current series could present one for his leadership. Although there is lack of optimism in the previews to India’s chances, the accustomed rosy sense about the anticipation to any tour Down Under is ramping up!