Chai Latte – An Indian Summer of Cricket 2020/2021

Introduction
This summer the Indians are back again down under for the Border Gavaskar Trophy, in what has become an intense and engrossing rivalry in recent times between 2 titans of the modern game. The last series back in 2018 was won comfortably by India, who hold the current trophy. However, Australia are fortified this time by Smith and Warner’s return from their bans although Warner will miss the first pink ball test match due to injury. India will also have to play 3 tests without their Talismanic Captain Virat Kohli who has taken over the mantle of “King” of world cricket with his dominance in all three forms of the game. Kohli will depart for the birth of his first child after Adelaide and he won’t be back for the rest of the series.

The pink ball test match also looms as an exciting fixture that will bring in balmy evening crowds under lights to create a totally different atmosphere and buzz. The pink ball can also create a flurry of wickets especially around twilight with additional swing and movement. However, as was evident in the recent tour game it can also go soft and become unhelpful. Either way it will add some excitement and unpredictability and hopefully bring bowlers into the game to create a result. So how will both Teams go? Let’s review and compare the two teams.

Australia
Australia are currently ranked #1 in the world test championships and have been well led in test matches by Tim Paine. Paine is still the best gloveman in the country not to mention a wonderful statesman who has brought stability to the Team during a turbulent period. Paine has also been a solid performer with a decent test batting average who is surely on the verge of cracking his maiden test hundred to keep critics at bay. Expectations of Australian keeper batsman have always been unrealistically high ever since the likes of Adam Gilchrist, who was a once in a generation cricketer! As a batsman Paine has always been technically correct but any extended lack of runs may bring out his critics again. Paine leads an experienced Australian outfit who will definitely be up for the challenge. At 36 years old, Paine may not play for too much longer but he is doing a great job as Captain – Keeper – Batsman and deserves to extend his tenure until he hangs up his boots.

Australian Batting
The Australian batting order has been a bit harder to pick than the bowlers. At the start of summer, the only “burning’ question was whether Joe Burns would still be the best option to partner David Warner. A lot has happened since then! Warner has been ruled out of the first test with a groin strain and Will Pucovski who was due to replace Warner has been ruled out too with the 9th concussion of his fledgling career. Earlier this season Will Pucovski was part of a batting partnership of 484 runs that broke a longstanding record for the highest ever Sheffield Shield batting partnership previously set by the Waugh brothers 30 years ago. Pucovski’s batting partner who helped him break the record was Marcus Harris who has now been called up to the Test squad, ironically due to the fact Pucovski is out. Harris now looks set to open for Australia after being dropped a few years back and is likely to open with either Burns, Wade or Labuschagne.

Burns is the incumbent opener but has not made many runs this season and he also failed to impress in the recent A Games against India either although he does have a decent test batting average of 38. If Burns is picked he will need to score some runs to keep his spot. Labuschagne and Smith will make up #3 and #4 and they will be the mainstays of the Australian batting as they will be very hard to dismiss. Smith has already been compared to Bradman for his batting exploits. Labuschagne enjoyed a stellar first year where he rivalled Smith at times and it will be curious to see if he can maintain consistency. Travis Head and Cameron Green are likely to make up the remainder of the top 6 although Wade has been in the form of his life so he may play at #6 in place of Green if he doesn’t open the batting.

Pucovski really deserves his spot after leading the Sheffield Shield run tally this season and hopefully will play a part in this test series. At 22 years of age along with Cameron Green who is 21, one feels they will both feature in the Australian team for a long time. Australian selectors have traditionally been conservative often opting to only pick mature and established players (Katich, Hussey, Voges, Rogers come to mind) and they can show a lack of patience with letting younger players develop. Both Green and Pucovski have showed signs this season that they are ready. A “pick and stick” selection approach will reap great dividends as it did with Smith, Warner & Co. During this series expect the Indians to target both Steve Smith and Will Pucovski with the short ball. Smith due to his dismissals to Wagner in the most recent NZ test series and Pucovski will generally be wary after all of his concussions.

Australian Bowling
Australia’s bowling lineup looks fairly settled. Cummins, Hazelwood, Starc and Lyon will make up the Aussie bowlers with Green as the 4th seamer. The Aussie bowlers have been very successful and on most days are a match winning combination. Pat Cummins the Australian vice captain has been one of the best fast bowlers in the world in the past few years taking wickets in all conditions despite his hectic workload. Josh Hazelwood has also been back to his metronomic best of late after injuries. Hazelwood’s exceptional ability to land the ball consistently on a good length often draws comparisons with the Narromine Miser (Glenn McGrath). Mitchell Starc has an X Factor with the ability to swing the ball at high pace though he can also have the occasional off day and leak runs. Pattinson could push Starc for a spot especially if the bowlers’ workloads are to be managed or if the series has already been decided.

Nathan Lyon is their current spinner who imparts lots of revs on the ball and generates spin, dip and bounce. Lyon will enjoy Starc’s footmarks and these days he doesn’t just complement the three quicks but can be a match winner in his own right. There is really nobody else contesting Lyon for his test spot though Zampa is much improved and Swepson is slowly rising. Cameron Green should also play if fit to provide a 4th seamer option for the Aussies a la Ben Stokes for England. Green picked up a concussion while bowling in the warm up game so his fitness will need to be assessed and his bowling workload may also have to be managed after recent injuries but he can bowl at 140kmph+ as well as generate awkward bounce from his 200cm height.

Australia Likely XI
Harris, Burns / Wade, Labuschagne, Smith, Head, Green, Paine (c), Cummins, Starc / Pattinson, Hazelwood, Lyon. Expect Warner and Pucovski to make the Team once fit

Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Sean Abbott, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Moises Henriques

India
Though the IPL has been the jewel in India’s crown, India has also been very solid in test matches and are second only to the Aussies on the world test championship table. Virat as a player leads from the front with his passion, aggression and strong body language. As a captain he is also India’s most successful with 33 wins out of 55 matches. Due to the arrival of his first child, he is expected to depart after the first test and hand over the reins to Ajinkya Rahane who is the vice captain. There have been some calls especially in white ball cricket for Rohit to be Indian captain for his creativity as well as his calm temperament but this is very much Kohli’s team. Touring Australia can be a tough gig for visiting captains with long hot dry days on the field against an Australian home team who will not drop their intensity. Kohli’s intensity and batsmanship will be missed as much as his captaincy when he departs.

Indian Batting
India are missing Rohit Sharma at the top of the order though he is due to join the tour later. This means they need someone to open along with Mayank Agrawal. Options include Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul or Shubam Gill who would be making his Test Debut. Shaw is a young exciting stroke player but he has endured a lean trot of late despite a rapid fire 40 in the recent tour game. KL Rahul is a white ball specialist who enjoyed a prolific IPL winning the Orange Cap for most runs and has been in great form on this tour though he has not enjoyed the same success with the red ball as the white ball when it comes to the Indian team. Shubam Gill is likely to make his long awaited test debut during this series as opener. He averages more than 60 in first class cricket and is only 21 years old so it’s just a matter of when not if.

Rohit enjoyed a groundbreaking test series against South Africa last year scoring a double hundred as well twin centuries in one test match so will slot back into the Team if he is able to join the tour. Like Australia, India’s middle order looks very stable with Pujara and Kohli at #3 and #4. If Dravid was the wall then Pujara has almost been a fortress at times! He scored the most runs during Australia’s last tour and can bat for an eternity. The Aussies will want to get him out before he digs in. Rahane’s batting prowess waned a bit with a couple of lean years back in 2017 and 2018 but he looks to be back to his best and scored a hundred in the recent tour game against Australia A as did Hanuma Vihari who should make up the top 6 unless India want to play an extra bowler, in which case a bowling allrounder such as Ravi Jadeja may play. Jadeja is no mug with the bat having scored a triple hundred once in the Ranji trophy but will be jostling with Ashwin and Kuldeep who are regarded as more specialist bowlers for the spinner’s spots.

Rishabh Pant should get the nod ahead of Saha for the wicket keeper position. Saha is the superior gloveman and would be the preferred choice on spnning Indian pitches but on bone hard dry Australian pitches with true bounce, Pant who is the better batsman is likely to get the nod. His quickfire late order batting can also change the momentum of an innings as those who saw his 159* at the SCG during the last tour would attest to. India’s batting has a settled feel to it but Kohli’s absence and replacement might be a factor. If the experienced Rohit Sharma can join the Team as Kohli departs, the batting will be bolstered.

Indian Bowling

India’s opening bowling pair of Bumrah and Shami are a potent combo who combine pace with accuracy, yorkers and swing. India hasn’t traditionally had good pace bowlers in the past and this is one of the main reasons they are starting to win more test matches overseas on foreign conditions. The third seamer position is up for grabs due to Ishant’s Sharma’s absence through a side strain. Umesh Yadav is the favourite to grab this third spot although Siraj and Saini are also in the squad though they are less experienced. When it comes to spin, Australia has traditionally been a graveyard for visiting spinners so India may opt for a specialist such as Kuldeep who is a left arm leg spinner or Ashwin who bowls right arm offspin rather than an allrounder like Jadeja. Indian are likely to play only one spinner based on their lack of previous success with spin in Australia. Expect Australia to see off the new ball duo and target India’s third seamer, spin bowler and any part timers.

India Likely XI: Agrawal, Gill, Pujara, Kohil (c), Rahane, Vihari, Ashwin / Kuldeep, Pant, Yadav, Shami, Bumrah

India Test Squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Mohammad Siraj.

Players to Watch

1. Marcus Harris – Second chances don’t come very often. Harris’ technique has improved and he has a golden opportunity to reclaim a permanent spot due to so many injuries to other openers.
2. Shubam Gill – Gill is the next big thing in Indian red ball cricket at 21 years of age having dominated U19s and averaging over 60 in first class cricket. Australia is a tough place to debut but he may get a chance
3. Cameron Green – Australia’s equivalent of Ben Stokes, Green is as valuable as 2 cricketers and could be the genuine allrounder that Australia have been looking for. A rare talent if he can stay fit
4. Bumrah & Shami – India’s new ball pair led the wickets tally during the last tour along with Nathan Lyon and they will be devastating in the right conditions
5. Smith & Pujara – Smith & Pujara are the sheet anchors of their respective teams. Their runs will help to set imposing totals for their bowlers to defend against and allow others to bat around them

Test Series Schedule

1st Test Adelaide Oval Thu, 17 Dec to Mon, 21 Dec 2020 (Pink Ball D/N Test)

2nd Test Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) Sat, 26 Dec to Wed, 30 Dec 2020

3rd Test Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Thu, 7 Jan to Mon, 11 Jan, 2021

4th Test Brisbane Cricket Ground (Gabba), Fri, 15 Jan to Tue, 19 Jan 2021

Australian TV & Radio Coverage
You can watch the matches on Channel 7 or on Fox Sports or Kayo Sports or ABC Grandstand (Radio)

Final Verdict

India may struggle in this test series due to the fact Kohli is departing after the first test. They will also miss their third seamer Ishant although their bowling attack is still very potent with Bumrah, Shami & Co. Pujara was their leading run scorer last tour and he will be very keen to replicate his success so his wicket will still be the key wicket for the Aussies. Rohit is a very experienced and strong back foot player who has had great success in Tests of late against South Africa. If Rohit can join the Team after Kohli’s departure then it will boost India’s chances. Australia look far stronger this time with both Smith and Warner though Warner will miss the first test. They do not look to have many weaknesses. India should win at least one test match in the series but Australia will be too strong at home this time and will win the series in a very closely fought contest. My verdict is 2-1 to Australia with one test drawn!

Enjoy the cricket and please feel welcome to leave me a comment!