Test cricket in Australia

 I was wanting to write this before the Adelaide Test. Did not get time to pen my thoughts on this very important test series for both India and Australia and actually for NZ as well. I am writing this now after India was skittled out for their lowest total in test cricket.

Let me first share my thoughts on this test match. Will share my preview of the remainder of the series later in this post.

Pink ball tests are the reality of the future and must be embraced. India were  playing their first overseas Pink ball test. Any team visiting Australia usually finds it difficult to cope up with the bounce. Subcontinent teams in particular struggle at the beginning of the test leg... actually mostly throughout. Virat Kohli is a phenomenal test batsman and he simply loves playing in Adelaide. His mastery in all formats is undisputed. He is one of the very few batsmen in modern cricket who find their panache in any format in no time. The transition is almost seamless. The criticism belongs to Virat the captain. It was a confident and strategically smart move to announce their playing XI well ahead of the start of the game. Shaw's inclusion ahead of Gill drew a lot of flak and rightly so. I do not see Shaw playing test cricket for the next little while. I would have picked Pant ahead of  Saha. Reason: He did alright on the previous tour. Did alright in the warm-up game which was a Pink ball game. Also, the dynamics of the XI would have featured him ahead of Saha. Saha is a better gloveman. No doubt about that. Pant is an attacking batsman and impact player. With the likes of Vihari, Rahane after Pujara and Kohli. Pant adds another dimension to the lower-middle order. Also, a left-hander brings a different dimension to this batting line up.

So India won the Toss and ended Day 1 with a decent total. Kohli's run out was a huge moment on Day 1. Day 2:  India were wrapped up for 244. Probably 50 short of what they would have liked. A decent total nonetheless. Bowlers made up for that shortage and India got a lead of 53. Decent if not massive. I will not talk about fielding from India. It was ordinary. India finished day 2 with a lead of 62 with Shaw back in the hut.

What unfolded on Day 3 will be talked about for a long time. and will stay in record books for a long time too I am afraid. I don't think the batting was horrendously poor. It was some really top quality fast bowling from Cummins and Hazelwood. They completely outsmarted this batting line up. Relentless. Pujara got a beauty. Kohli was brilliantly caught. The rest of them did not do much wrong either. It was just very high-quality fast bowling on display. Intensity from Australians was unmissably sharp and it worked. These are the situations when 3 or 4 bold strokes from a Pant or Jadeja could have broken the rhythm a little bit. Little things but can make a significant difference.  

Wade showed that with the bat. although no bowling attack would have been able to defend below 100 total here and especially after earning a 50+ lead in the first innings. This test match now belongs to history and 36 all-out will stay there in record books.

India will miss the services of Virat for the remainder of this series. Rahane takes over. His style of leadership is much different than Virat. The next 3 matches will be a huge challenge. Not only they have to come out of this horrifying first session on day 3. They will also be without the services of their batsman at 4. KL Rahul is likely to play at 4. Shaw should make room for Gill. Siraj comes in place of Shami. Vihari stays at 6. or they just rejig this with Rahane at 4 Vihari at 5 Rahul at 6. These 3 will share 4.5 and 6. Saha is likely to keep his place. Although I prefer Pant. If Saha does not shine at MCG. Rohit and Pant will surely be playing in the last 2 games. Gill or Rahul / Vihari may make way for Rohit.

The Bowling unit takes a hit with Shami being out of the series now. Bumrah will be the key bowler. 

Warner may make a comeback for the Boxing day test. If not that one then he is likely to feature n the last 2 games. They may go with Burns and Wade again. Burns made a timely 50. This may be a career-saving innings for him. Green is likely to stay in the mix. At the moment Australia are looking like a more settled side. The only issue was their opening combination which for now does not seem to be a major problem. Their bowlers are in red hot form. It is India who has to do some catching up to come back in this series. They have the ingredients to create a recipe for a comeback. It needs to be carefully crafted though. Announcing playing XI much before the start was overconfident to begin with.  Not getting the right XI for the next match could decide the series right at the toss on Boxing day. If they get back at MCG they will win this series. SCG is the ground they like even better which is where they begin their 2021. They need to find a way to get this 36 out of their system. They get 2 extra days to do so. 

An Australian win at the MCG could pave the way for a 3-0 or 4-0 scoreline. India winning the boxing day test can be a 2-1 finish in their favor. A 2-2 scoreline will mean that this test series deserves to get the marquee tag. That scoreline will not surprise me either.

All in all Boxing day test matches are always the most exciting events of the Test calendar and never fail to disappoint. NZ -Pak test will also be a good contest. NZ are playing in their backyard and are itching to get WTC points. Test cricket is such an amazing sport.