Halftime report on India’s tour to Australia Down Under 2018-19
We are right at the middle of India’s tour to Australia. Interestingly, India looks in a much better position than ever before and are actually in a position to win their first ever series down under. The T20I series Trophy was shared due to rain’s interventions which snatched away the Series Victory and of the 4 Test Matches that are scheduled we are done with 2 Test Matches and both of them have been extremely competitive. Unlike, home matches, India had to sweat out hard to beat the Aussies who have made it hard for India to win. Come Perth, the story reversed. Indian batsmen crumbled against the spinner Nathon Lyon and his bowling won it for Australia. With two more test matches to go and with 3 ODI’s to come after the test series, the Tour of Australia is still a long way to go and it would get spicier and exciting.
Adelaide win was a big boost for Team India and India was eyeing to settle the series victory in the second test itself, but the mighty Aussies came back strongly and played with grit to win a higher number of sessions in the complete test match, which made them to win by140 runs. Problems with India weren’t new, India went through the same old problem of leaking runs to the tailenders and then during their batting, throwing away the wickets. That’s the basic and simple mistake which led to India’s fall. Virat Kohli batted brilliantly in the first innings and took India’s total to respectable one. But the controversy didn’t leave the two famous opponents, asVirat was adjudged Caught Out in a controversial manner. It would not make any difference if we do the ‘If’ analysis as it is all over right now. But what’s in store for future is surely in hands of the Team and players. It is based on their performance India is going to win. Adelaide has always been lucky for India, done with Perth, Melbourne and Sydney had a bad history for India. Perth has given for the result, next up are Melbourne and Sydney.
With so much noise off the field, Virat will want to prove his mettle yet again with bat when he comes to bat for Boxing Day test match. Historically, it’s going to be an uphill task for India to win the series from here. Firstly, Aussie squad were carrying a bag of losses and the shame of Cape Town incident. But with the victory in Perth, players are back with full confidence and will be tough to crack down in the boxing day test which will start on 26th December 2018. In the history of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, India never won more than 1 test match in the series since 1980’s. Out of 8 times, India could win test match only 4 times and drew 10 times. Whereas Aussies defeated India 17 times. India has played 8 boxing day test matches against Aussies at MCG but couldn’t win even single time. India played 8 New Year test matches against Australia at SCG with no wins and 4 draws and 4 losses.
So, history doesn’t give any chance of victory for India in the coming matches. But arguably the teams are very different from what they have been before and it’ll be really interesting to see how it finishes. The best scenario could be India managing for a Draw in the Melbourne test and with a decent history at Sydney, they can look at winning the Sydney match. But, Virat is a different person and he would want to give it all in the next match as well. Let’s wait and watch how it is going to end, with things getting heated it’ll be fun to watch the next two test matches!
