India vs Australia | Will the 36/9 bring in self-examination?

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Bengaluru, December 20: We were in a vastly different world on March 2, 2020. The Covid 19 had not spread its tentacles with such tenacity, people moved around without mask, flights were largely on schedule. But if you take Test cricket as a mini globe, India were in a grim corner.

On that day, the Virat Kohli's side lost the second Test against New Zealand at Christchurch in just over two days, thereby the series 2-0.

December 19, 2020. The world on that day was a transformed one. The living and working habits across the world have unequivocally changed following the pandemic, but the virus has possibly entered the go-slow zone.

But the Indian cricket team remained untouched by the transition, struggling to come out of the dark corner where they had shut themselves in Christchurch. Their first Test assignment, a day-night affair against Australia at Adelaide, ended in an eight-wicket defeat.

If anything, the darkness seemed to have thickened as India were blown away in their second innings by Australian quicks Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood -- 36 for 9 no less. The dream of replicating the glorious Australian summer of 2018-19 is already dusting.

Of course, the 36/9 often does not happen in cricket, and the Indian batsmen were up against a perfect storm, even the fortune was not on their side. The balls that otherwise would have eluded bat, found the edges, and they flew to fielders who did not drop a single offering. This is nothing to take away from the big-hearted effort of Aussie pacers.

While accepting the 36/9 as an aberration, it should also be mulled that whether the scorecard will bring in a much-needed self-examination. It is essential because the team is living inside the bubble of self-denial.

A near immaculate home record, nothing to be scoffed at though as the virulent social media does, a series win in Australia in 2018-19 and away wins against Sri Lanka and West Indies has created that bubble. There is no denying the fact that this team has oodles of talent and we have seen its glorious expression several times in the past.

There is a rider though. We have not visited Pakistan since 2008 for obvious reasons, and from 2014 the record in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) has a faded colour save for that one series win Down Under.

India have lost to England in their shores in 2014 and 2018, New Zealand in 2019-20, South Africa in 2013-14, 2017-18, and Australia 2014-15. In fact, if you stretch it back to the horrible 2011-12 season, then India has a record of 25 defeats, 6 draws and five wins in 36 matches.

This despite India possessing an increasingly potent bowling unit from the 2015-16 season onwards. Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma have developed into wonderful red ball bowlers, and the addition of Jasprit Bumrah to that gang during the 2017-18 South Africa tour has only added more muscle to it.

They have performed regardless of the conditions. In fact, the pace unit outdid the spinners during the home series against South Africa in late 2019, a near unimaginable feat a few years back.

However, same cannot be said about India's batsmen and their effort in the SENA nations in the last five years.

A. Virat Kohli has played 15 Tests in this span scoring 1277 runs at 44.03.

B. Cheteshwar Pujara has 1042 runs, a good chunk came in the 2018-19 series, from 14 matches at 40.07 but the rest offers a not so rosy picture.

C. Ajinkya Rahane has appeared in 13 Tests for 664 runs at a shade over 26 and has not made a hundred in any of these nations.

D. KL Rahul has made 386 runs from 10 Tests at 20.31.

E. Rishabh Pant: 9 Tests, 572 runs at 35.75.

F. Hanuma Vihari: 7 Tests, 277 runs at 21.30

G. Prithvi Shaw: 3 Tests, 102 runs at 17

H. Mayank Agarwal: 5 Tests, 323 runs at 35.88.

They have not really liveed up to the expectations barring some lone sparks like an Oval blitz in 2018.

It shows that if you scratch the bluster, the Indian batsmen need to find a new way to score runs in those countries. It brings up the question on the role of head coach Ravi Shastri and batting coach Vikram Rathour, who has succeeded Sanjay Bangar to the post on August 22, 2019.

Since Rathour has taken over as batting coach, India have played three Tests abroad and has failed cross 250 in six innings. To top it, the Aussie bowlers have exposed the technical fragility of Shaw at Adelaide with incoming balls. It is still early days for him but the BCCI should find out his vision for the team.

On the other hand, Shastri has been with the team since 2014, barring a year when Anil Kumble was in charge, and in full charge after the Champions Trophy 2017. While the team remained a force at home and chalked out wins against Sri Lanka and West Indies, the aforementioned run at SENA nations, and the powerless effort of batsmen in those places will haunt him.

Shastri and Kohli clearly want to erase the poor travellers tag, but the process has not reflected their intent. They cannot fall back upon the logic of other teams do not do well in India/Asia too as they often emphasised the need to "look after our own business rather than others."

Their intention is to make India an all-weather team and for that the occasional "fighting" efforts will not suffice but need consistent run of wins like the West Indies of 80s, Australians of early 2000s and South Africa under Graeme Smith.

A hurting India might still comeback at the Boxing Day Test but a force show at Melbourne or in any of the subsequent Tests should not cloud the need to introspect. Winners are often shaped in the board room!