How Bazball’s crushing loss can give Aussies formula to beat India - Robert Craddock

[vvvslaxman]

Five lessons Australia can take from England to reclaim Border-Gavaskar Trophy

 

• By ROBERT CRADDOCK

• CODE SPORTS
• 7:27PM FEBRUARY 26, 2024

 

England have lost a wonderful Test series to India but they have helped Australia shape a blueprint for snatching back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy next summer.

England went 3-1 down with one Test to play after an epic five wicket loss in Ranchi but could easily have been 3-1 up had things gone their way in the last two Tests.

They played better than the score line indicated, pushing India in every Test, probing soft spots and shaking some big reputations in a series which proved that beneath all the Bazball banter lies a genuinely competitive all-surface cricket team.

England’s rookie spinners had no right to keep their team in the series but did against a team who grew up playing on all sorts of dusty turners.

These are five key lessons for Australia …

India secured the series against England in a thriller. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

1. BEWARE THE CAVALRY

Since the Indian Premier League started back in 2008, fans speculated that eventually India would become a cricket nation where superstars could rest and be replaced by backup players who would shock the world.

We waited – and waited – and wondered if this era would ever arrive. But it has.

Australia saw it in Australia where the likes of Mohammed Siraj burst into to the Test XI and played like and old timer in 2020 and now in India the likes of batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal and fearless keeper Dhuruv Jurel, whose nerveless batting won India the Ranchi Test, have hit the ground as ready-made Test stars.

2. TARGET THE CAPTAIN

India skipper Rohit Sharma is still occasionally capable of big things but Australia has never been his favourite playground – his top score here is 63 from seven Tests.

There were signs in the series that when Sharma is feeling the heat as captain he can be vulnerable as a batsman.

Bring down the captain and there’s a good chance the team will follow. Australia have been on both sides of this mantra on home soil. Pat Cummins men must go big-name hunting again.

India captain Rohit Sharma has a poor record in Australia. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

3. REST AND ROTATE

Australia loathes these three words but the time has come to face the truth.

Just as England and India accepted the reality that they had to chop and change their attacks throughout the series so too must Australia acknowledge it cannot play the same attack in five Tests against India.

Australia played an unchanged attack in five home Tests this summer – it won’t happen next season.

Australia will look to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar trophy. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

4. NEGATE THE YORKER STALKER

Jasprit Bumrah’s wicked late-swinging yorker was the most venomous ball sent down by any bowler of either side, a genuine weapon of mass destruction.

Australia have to be on red alert for it. Some English batsmen shortened their backlifts and that helped. The statistics tell is that Bumrah is the most underrated Test bowler of the century.

Australia could do worse that see him off rather than think about taking him down.

Jasprit Bumrah will be one to watch. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP)

5. ATTACK THE SPINNERS

Chances are India will play only one of their three exceptional spinners – Ravi Ashwin, Ravi Jadeja or Kuldeep Yadav – in Australia.

There were times in the series when all three filled their boots but also instructional sessions for Australia when English batsmen played positively and momentarily rocked their radar, scattering men posted around the bat.

This Indian team is hard to beat anywhere – but England frightened them and Australia must believe this is their time for revenge.

[vvvslaxman]

  This is what an aussie got that from this series?

[cowboysfan]

this series is far away and a 100 things can change till then ,no point in planning now.

[Trichromatic]

So Jaiswal who might become highest run getter for India in a series finds no special mention.

[vvvslaxman]

3 minutes ago, Trichromatic said:

So Jaiswal who might become highest run getter for India in a series finds no special mention.

 

He ias basically saying Australia has to deal with all the good things happened in the series lol He didn't mention how.

[vvvslaxman]

Aussies are somewhat hurt  they could not retain the BGT 4 series in a row. Typically you see Aussies talk about how to beat England rather than how to beat India. Tables have turned. Atleast Australia respects the better team unlike England who used to consider every series as a preparation for Ashes.

[R!TTER]

28 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

Chances are India will play only one of their three exceptional spinners – Ravi Ashwin, Ravi Jadeja or Kuldeep Yadav – in Australia.

They can play two, my picks would be Kuldeep & then Jadeja. I know Jadeja has a good record in Oz, so does Ashwin in last two tours, but on current form Kuldeep should be our number one all conditions spinner! The biggest issue would be replacing Pujara at three & who plays the role of Sundar/Thakur & of course Pant.

[vvvslaxman]

5 minutes ago, R!TTER said:

They can play two, my picks would be Kuldeep & then Jadeja. I know Jadeja has a good record in Oz, so does Ashwin in last two tours, but on current form Kuldeep should be our number one all conditions spinner! The biggest issue would be replacing Pujara at three & who plays the role of Sundar/Thakur & of course Pant.

 

Yea. They should also groom Jaiswal as a part timer. He has some potential. In case if they roll out a green pitch like they did against SA we should be prepared to go with 4 seamers and a spinner.

[Lone Wolf]

India should prepare pace friendly decks for Bangla to prepare for Aus...  Throw in a D/N game too. 

 

Flat pitches vs NZ as well. 

 

I am not sold on Sarfraz for Aus...  Pant as a pure batter (hopefully) Jurel looks like has a backfoot game with his stance.. And technique. 

[sensible-indian]

4 hours ago, Trichromatic said:

So Jaiswal who might become highest run getter for India in a series finds no special mention.

He does

 

"Australia saw it in Australia where the likes of Mohammed Siraj burst into to the Test XI and played like and old timer in 2020 and now in India the likes of batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal and fearless keeper Dhuruv Jurel, whose nerveless batting won India the Ranchi Test, have hit the ground as ready-made Test stars."

[Kron]

9 hours ago, vvvslaxman said:

  This is what an aussie got that from this series?

also they said 5 matches lmao. who writes this crap. it was 4. 

[Number]

Calling Bumrah just a yorker stalker is quite a bit underestimating him. He is an ace seam bowler who threatens both edges of the bat.

[Kron]

4 minutes ago, Number said:

Calling Bumrah just a yorker stalker is quite a bit underestimating him. He is an ace seam bowler who threatens both edges of the bat.

he is better than cummins. 

[Chaos]

It willl be 4-1 india v england. Australia MAYYYY win ONE but rest will be trashing.