At Mohali, India handed the world champions, their heaviest defeat in eighteen years. Are the glory years of the team from down under, over?
Although it’s premature to say that the glory days of the world champs are over, but with such a humiliating loss to India, bells are ringing in more than one way against the current Ausie line up. Whether you call it transition or a lean patch, but the fact remains that the current lineup of the cricket world champs, lack that X factor. When Ricky Ponting lead side landed in India, the reporters here were debating whether this was the weakest line up to have toured India, I was of the opinion that yes, they have lost few players to retirement, but had the belief that, as any touring Australia line up, they will pose a lot of trouble for the hosts.
Half the tour has passed, and the evidence that has come from the matches played, show that, the very spirit which was reminiscent to any Australian side, is missing from this one. That is ‘Gum shun’. A spirit to fight till the last breath. A true example of which, is the final day’s play at Mohali when India still needed to take five of the visitor’s wickets, and the tourists caved in meekly. It was hence of rd to believe when, with a dozen overs remaining on the final day at Bangalooroo, Ricky Ponting agreed for a draw when he needed just a couple of wickets to get into a feeble Indian tail. I am wondering if this is the same Australian side, which uses to fight for every inch, which turned the Chennai test of 2001 on its head when India needed just a further 20 to win with seven wickets in hand, to nearly snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Throughout the Mohali test it seemed there was only one side playing on the ground. Even when India lost Dravid, Gambhir and Laxman in quick succession, Ponting and Australia could not take the initiative and defensive fields were set. It’s ok that in 2004 Adam Gilchrist took the tourists to their first win in 35 years in India, by having unorthodox, imaginative and at sometimes ultra defensive fields, but when a side had slumped from something like 140 odd for one to about four down within ten runs, some sort of attacking instincts were called for from the Australians in order to combat the likes of Ganguly and Tendulkar, who I must admit, must have been aware of what the opponents were looking for. Eventually India put up an imposing total which lead to their spinners strangling the Ausies to death along with Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan.
Probably now we can safely say that the champions from down under are missing the likes of Warne and McGrath. The exodus of Langer, Gilchrist and Martyn in the batting department has surely taken the sting off the top order as well as the lower middle order. I still remember Gilchrist coming into a pot boiling situation at 5/99 in the Mumbai test of 2001, taking the attacks to the hosts, smashed 122 in no time to turn the tide towards the visitors. Imagine him being in this side and the difference he would have made. Also the opening partnership of Hayden and Katich is not providing the starts that we are so use to seeing when Langer was accompanying Hayden.
Coming to the bowling front, the whole lineup of 2004 (the last time Australia toured India), has changed in this tour. With no Glenn McGrath or Shane Warne, the tourists are lacking the strike bowler while the absence of Michael Kaspowicz and Jason Gillispie, means that it’s hard to stop the bleeding of runs. People talk of Warne & McGrath but they forget the impact players like Kaspowicz, Gillispie or a Bichel had on a test match, not just with the ball, but in the case of the latter two, with the bat as well. Who can forget Gillispie helping out Steven Waugh to a memorable century at Kolkata in 2001.
I feel, as in the late eighties, today, Australia is at the beginning of a downslide which will see them lose more matches than expected, and if the arrogance of the batting remains the same as was seen with Ponting and Hayden in the second innings at Mohali, this slide will be steeper. What they require is some solidity, both in batting, bowling and captaincy, and I feel it will come with time.
Hence I believe India has a great chance to pounce on this glorious opportunity and wrap the series in Delhi as the Australians seems to have gone a bit too far in their love for arrogance, gamesmanship and the belief of being world beaters.
Although it’s premature to say that the glory days of the world champs are over, but with such a humiliating loss to India, bells are ringing in more than one way against the current Ausie line up. Whether you call it transition or a lean patch, but the fact remains that the current lineup of the cricket world champs, lack that X factor. When Ricky Ponting lead side landed in India, the reporters here were debating whether this was the weakest line up to have toured India, I was of the opinion that yes, they have lost few players to retirement, but had the belief that, as any touring Australia line up, they will pose a lot of trouble for the hosts.
Half the tour has passed, and the evidence that has come from the matches played, show that, the very spirit which was reminiscent to any Australian side, is missing from this one. That is ‘Gum shun’. A spirit to fight till the last breath. A true example of which, is the final day’s play at Mohali when India still needed to take five of the visitor’s wickets, and the tourists caved in meekly. It was hence of rd to believe when, with a dozen overs remaining on the final day at Bangalooroo, Ricky Ponting agreed for a draw when he needed just a couple of wickets to get into a feeble Indian tail. I am wondering if this is the same Australian side, which uses to fight for every inch, which turned the Chennai test of 2001 on its head when India needed just a further 20 to win with seven wickets in hand, to nearly snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Throughout the Mohali test it seemed there was only one side playing on the ground. Even when India lost Dravid, Gambhir and Laxman in quick succession, Ponting and Australia could not take the initiative and defensive fields were set. It’s ok that in 2004 Adam Gilchrist took the tourists to their first win in 35 years in India, by having unorthodox, imaginative and at sometimes ultra defensive fields, but when a side had slumped from something like 140 odd for one to about four down within ten runs, some sort of attacking instincts were called for from the Australians in order to combat the likes of Ganguly and Tendulkar, who I must admit, must have been aware of what the opponents were looking for. Eventually India put up an imposing total which lead to their spinners strangling the Ausies to death along with Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan.
Probably now we can safely say that the champions from down under are missing the likes of Warne and McGrath. The exodus of Langer, Gilchrist and Martyn in the batting department has surely taken the sting off the top order as well as the lower middle order. I still remember Gilchrist coming into a pot boiling situation at 5/99 in the Mumbai test of 2001, taking the attacks to the hosts, smashed 122 in no time to turn the tide towards the visitors. Imagine him being in this side and the difference he would have made. Also the opening partnership of Hayden and Katich is not providing the starts that we are so use to seeing when Langer was accompanying Hayden.
Coming to the bowling front, the whole lineup of 2004 (the last time Australia toured India), has changed in this tour. With no Glenn McGrath or Shane Warne, the tourists are lacking the strike bowler while the absence of Michael Kaspowicz and Jason Gillispie, means that it’s hard to stop the bleeding of runs. People talk of Warne & McGrath but they forget the impact players like Kaspowicz, Gillispie or a Bichel had on a test match, not just with the ball, but in the case of the latter two, with the bat as well. Who can forget Gillispie helping out Steven Waugh to a memorable century at Kolkata in 2001.
I feel, as in the late eighties, today, Australia is at the beginning of a downslide which will see them lose more matches than expected, and if the arrogance of the batting remains the same as was seen with Ponting and Hayden in the second innings at Mohali, this slide will be steeper. What they require is some solidity, both in batting, bowling and captaincy, and I feel it will come with time.
Hence I believe India has a great chance to pounce on this glorious opportunity and wrap the series in Delhi as the Australians seems to have gone a bit too far in their love for arrogance, gamesmanship and the belief of being world beaters.
Author: Asif Islam, A dedicated sports lover since 1989, following closely the various aspects of popular sports worldwide. Writting articles and analytical reports on players and events since 2003.Email - asif2311@rediffmail.com
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