M A I N   N E W S

Australia is just too good

The loss in two and half days at Perth and with it the loss of the series has understandably sparked off angry reactions back home as well as wherever Indian cricket supporters reside. It is not so much the defeat, but the perceived lack of fight that has been distressing for all.

The Indian team is not that bad is the response that you get from fellow cricket supporters and if so, then why has this happened is the next question.

In simple cricketing terms the Australians were just too good, were definitely better motivated and felt more strongly about defending their record at home against the Indians. No team is easy to beat at home and the Australians are perhaps the toughest.

Kangaroos:  All guns Blazing

They have terrific support from their Board and the media, which is half the battle and the public also comes in handy with their vocal backing at the grounds as young Virat Kohli discovered, and was lighter in the pocket for it. Being young and feisty, he was keen to make the opposition pay for it and played good innings in the next Test and with it has given his Test career a big boost.

India never got off to the start that they needed with both bat and ball. If the opening batsmen do not get the team off to a start of at least 70 plus, the rest of the batsmen come under pressure having to face the ball when it is hard and new and the bowlers fresh and energetic.

The pitch also is at it’s juiciest while the ball is new and that is why the opening position is crucial. Similarly with the new ball if the bowlers get early wickets, then they can have a go at the remaining batsmen when the ball is doing something and the pitch has some life in it.

India’s bowlers gave them starts by getting early wickets in most of the innings excepting the Perth Test, but found that there was little support all round and so the Australians could recover and post big totals. India went on the defensive pretty quickly which suggested a lack of confidence in the bowling.

India’s fielding has never been one of its strongest points and when the field is set back, then the slow movers are exposed much more than when they are in the ring. India was virtually fielding with a few men short and against the athletic Australians it was a handicap that they could not afford. India also went in with the wrong combination in the Perth Test. The simple rule is to go in with your best bowlers, but by going in with no variety in the bowling the Indians offered pretty much the same fare to the Australians who didn’t have to adjust their bat speed too much to counter the bowling.

So what does Adelaide Test hold for the Indians? For starters this is usually a pitch which becomes a beauty to bat on and that should suit the Indian batsmen. The bowlers may not like it, but then they have always been the poor cousins in Indian cricket, isn’t it? — PMG