India tour of Australia 17 Dec - 19 Jan: Tests

[alfie]

Everyone's hard to beat at home. England are inconsistency personified at the moment, yet still haven't lost a home test series since 2014. There was a point a couple of years ago where something like 80% of the previous two years' series had gone with the home side, and only West Indies and Bangladesh were losing at home (plus Sri Lanka losing at home to India, which is barely an away series for India). Fortunately things seem to be a bit more competitive now, but an away tour to India, Australia, New Zealand, UAE/Pakistan, or even England is an uphill struggle for even the very best.

True. Think it is largely a product of the modern insistence on trimming tours so short there is no time for the visiting team to get a proper preparation before the Tests. Even the ODI s , if scheduled , tend to follow the main games.
I think Australia were aided in drawing the last Ashes Series by having been there for the World Cup , different format though it was.

Would love to see a return to the old days of several first class warm up games ; but accept that the current crowded three format programme simply doesn't allow it. And of course the home teams and the home boards are happy enough...

Pujara out !

Game on.

[bigfluffylemon]

14 overs, 65 runs, 6 wickets.

Still draw favourite but all three results possible.

Australia may have erred by playing for the rain yesterday.

[alfie]

Fascinating.

Still time for either five wickets or 60 runs. Think the former the more likely unless Pant does a Stokes turn...which he might if he loses a couple more partners !

Pant still looking for runs anyway , though I'm not sure he really knows any other way.

Suppose Australia might feel they could have declared ... But if they had set even twenty less runs this game would be nearly in the Indian pocket unless they'd lost wickets last night. Actually think the target that ended up setting itself was probably about the optimum one - given the loss of time last night.

Cummins giving it everything . Top effort from him today

11 overs . 5 wickets. 55 runs. Place your bets ...

[bigfluffylemon]

INDIA WIN! Fortress Gabba breached after 23 years!

I can't believe I just witnessed that. I have been glued to the screen for the last 2 hours, thinking 'they can't do this, can they?' and watching the runs tick down. Records smashed - highest ever run chase at the Gabba. This might be India's finest ever test win, almost certainly their best overseas, given the Australian bowling attack and the Indian injuries. An even greater series win than two years ago as a result. Stunning. Well played.

[bigfluffylemon]

Also, the worst possible time for BFL junior to start taking an interest in cricket (I've been watching it rather a lot the last three weeks), and decide he supports Australia...

[bigfluffylemon]

Somehow India have won in Australia despite having only one century in four games (although Australia only had two). And being bowled out for 36 once. The highest team score by either side was 369, and that side ended up losing. Quite the bowler dominated series, even though most of the pitches didn't seem to misbehave that much.

Are you paying attention, England? You don't need super speed to take wickets in Australia. Just discipline and relentless accuracy. It worked in 2010, after all. And for Glen McGrath.

Some seem to be asking on commentary if Australia's much-vaunted bowling attack was actually a weakness, and India's injuries a blessing in disguise. Four tests in five weeks with no rotation - they looked knackered today, and day 5 in Sydney. And while Hazlewood and Cummins both bowled very well all series, Starc's been mostly absent (he only bowled 16 overs today, 0 for 75 leaking nearly 5 an over). Maybe the injury, but his inability to penetrate or bowl a long spell meant that Lyon had to bowl most of the day, while also looking incapable of getting a wicket. Lyon's had one of his worst series - India do play spin well, but it's not often that a visting offspinner outbowls the local, let alone three of them.

I wonder if Paine's captaincy can survive. First Headingley, then Sydney, now this. Clueless when the pressure's on in the fourth innings...

[bigfluffylemon]

And on the other stats front, this is only the third time India has won a match batting second in Australia. Ever. And the second time was in Melbourne this series.
https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engin ... ew=innings

Also the first time India have won in Brisbane. After winning only four tests in Australia to 2018, they've won 4 since.

New world order indeed.

[yuppie]

Brilliant result for India and a sign of new world dominance.

With that much depth to their team its could be a long reign at the top

[Red Devil]

2-1 to India - What a test series!!! Greatest Of All Time - even eclipsing 2001?

1-0 down after that 36 all out in the 1st test and the best batsman in the world going home. Bumrah, Ishant, Shami, Umesh, Bhuvi and Pandya injured wrecked the fast bowling; Jadeja and Ashwin injured wrecked the spin attack; Kohli, Vihari and Rahul missing weakened the batting - against a full strength Aus that hadn't lost in Brisbane since 1988 ... what a win from there ... you can win it with kids!!!

Not a bad start to the day - my boys were all up early (they believed!) and cuddled into my bed watching - inspiring the next generation!

[Durhamfootman]

Interestingly poised at tea. When was the last time Australia lost a test match at the Gabba?

1988

2021

The reason I asked the question was that it just felt on, somehow. I was watching the scorecard and although India seemed reasonably content to just play it out for the draw, by taking it deep with all those wickets in hand I did wonder if they would have a right old go at it in the last 10 overs. Well done India's 3rd XI.

[Durhamfootman]

my boys were all up early (they believed!) and cuddled into my bed watching - inspiring the next generation!

sounds like an incredible way to start the day. Those sorts of moments only come around occasionally..... something to cherish

[Durhamfootman]

I struggle to understand the whole test championship thing, but as I understand it, Australia now have to win in South Africa 2-0. If they lose a match there they can't qualify for the final because they were docked 4 points for a slow over rate in one of these matches.... might have been Melbourne... not sure.

Had India lost, they would have had to beat England 4-0, I think. They might very well do that anyway, but a bit of resistance, a brilliant piece of Stokesy, or some bad weather along the way and they might not. Now they can afford to lose a match against England (he said chuckling away) and still go through to play NZ

If England beat SL 2-0 they can still qualify if they beat India 3-0.....but ignore that... that's even less likely than Trump suddenly conceding defeat to Biden before the inauguration

[alfie]

Well that was just amazing. What a finish...though I actually didn't see it as I had to head out to practice...thoughtful of Pant and Washington to pretty well settle it with those two crazy overs so I basically knew how it was going to end.

Really until they took 26 from 12 balls I never thought the chase was quite on. Think Australia did themselves no favours by bowling Cummins into the ground , good though he is , and leaving him nothing left for the finish. My main criticism is the bizarre handling of supposed all rounder Green : three overs out of 97 ? Really ? What is the point of having a fifth bowler ? I fear Paine , though he did a good job in restoring morale after sandpaper gate , is tactically clueless...

But forget bagging the Aussies : this is all about a fantastic performance by India . Everything against them , from injuries to toss and the home team's favourite ground... And they've not just taken the draw to keep the trophy but taken the win to put a seal on it ...with a record chase at this ground to boot.
After Adelaide no one would have been surprised if they'd fallen apart. But they've gone from strength to strength , every setback seemingly producing a new hero...outstanding sporting achievement

If anyone can beat that for "team performance of the year" - even with 11 months to go - they'll have earned it !

[Durhamfootman]

I just wonder if the idiotic behaviour from the crowd gave a few Indian players a bit more focus today.

I hope so

and maybe some more focus here. Again, I hope so

[alfie]

I do think BFL made a very good point above...the Australian insistence on using the same four bowlers for all matches did eventually bite them. Not sure whether it was on here , but I remember suggesting after Sydney that it might be a good time to rotate someone out - probably Starc who looked tired even then. But it seems with Pattinson out of the squad they don't really rate the other reserves...so much for fast bowling depth ?

I do feel for Pat Cummins though: wholehearted effort throughout , didn't deserve to be on the losing side. Hazlewood too was excellent.

As for Lyon he had a shocker. Some bad luck , but really for a bloke with nearly 400 Test wickets he didn't stand up at all.
Clearly he is just no Dom Bess