This is happening for the first time in Indian cricket that Team India is going into the last match of the three-match series with the mindset where they are more concerned about avoiding defeat than winning. Team India has never been swept in any Test series. Last time, at the beginning of the century, they may have lost a two-match series by 2-0 against South Africa, but they have never lost every match in a 3- or 4-match series. The third Test between India and New Zealand is to be played from November 1.
The question is that this sudden defeat against New Zealand has stunned everyone associated with Indian cricket. Before the Australia tour starting in November, the series win against the Kiwis was being seen as a mere formality and a warm-up series before an important series. It was assumed that by winning 3 matches, the path to reaching the final of the World Test Championship would be improved. But, within just two weeks a coup has taken place and every equation seems to be being turned upside down.
Farewell series of Rohit-Kohli, Jadeja-Ashwin…
It was believed that for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, first the final of the World Test Championship next year i.e. in 2025 and then a 5-match Test series against host England could also become their farewell series. Was. If one week is considered a long time in political circles, then the last 2 weeks can be considered a very long time in Indian cricket. India’s next home series is in October 2025 and it is probably not an exaggeration to say that in the Mumbai Test, you will see the unmatched quartet of Rohit-Kohli-Ashwin-Jadeja together for the last time on home soil. This is the same quartet which kept the Indian fort impenetrable for 18 series in the last 12 years. In this era, the two most successful batsmen and the two most successful bowlers were these four friends.
Now what will be the way forward?
This is a question that will constantly bother chief selector Ajit Agarkar and new head coach Gautam Gambhir. The golden days of this quartet, which achieved great success in Test cricket, are probably a part of the past. Certainly, these players have the ability to perform brilliantly in one series or two series or every two or three Test matches for the next few years, but they themselves will be the first to admit that the path of the future can no longer be built on their shoulders. . On the spin front, the Ashwin-Jadeja duo not only outclassed the great duo of Anil Kubale-Harbhajan Singh gracefully with the ball at home but as a bonus, they also performed such wonders with the bat that India remained on their soil for more than a decade. Remained unbeatable. Even though Kuldeep Yadav is not available for the Australia tour due to injury, a new era spin trio with Axar Patel and now Washington Sundar will be seriously considered.
The big question is about Rohit-Kohli, isn’t it?
Certainly, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has become as important for the current captain and the former captain as was the challenge of the T20 World Cup held in June. Ignoring all the criticisms, the selectors had expressed confidence in these veterans and they did not disappoint either. Will these two be able to repeat the same dream in Test cricket against the Kangaroos? This is a big challenge for Rohit not only as a captain because Team India has won there on the last two tours, but as a batsman, especially as an opener, he will have to find Rohit Sharma for the 2021 England tour.
Pressure is increasing on captain Rohit
Rohit, who mesmerized former captains and stalwarts like Ian Chappell and Mark Taylor with his strokeplay on his very first tour of Australia in 2008, has struggled to find white-ball rhythm in his three Test tours. An average of around 32 and only 3 half-centuries in 14 innings of seven matches certainly neither matches with Rohit’s ability nor with the personality of an experienced player like him. In such a situation, can it be expected that after recovering from the disappointment of recent months, the captain will not only score his first century on Australian soil but will also try to reach at least around 500 runs, which will not only benefit his team. In fact, even as a batsman, he will reach close to 5000 runs in Test cricket. Before saying goodbye to Test cricket, Rohit would like to achieve at least 5000 runs and 15 Test centuries?
Australia is Kohli’s favorite team
For Rohit’s teammate Virat Kohli, Australia has been his most favorite place. Kohli’s Test average on 4 tours has been better than 54, which is much higher than his current career average (48). Kohli, who did not score a single half-century in his first 5 innings in Australia, has scored 6 centuries and 4 half-centuries in the next 20 innings. That means either a century or a half-century in every second innings. Here also as captain, he made Team India win the first Test series in Indian history. In such a situation, will Kohli be able to make his last Australia tour equally memorable? This is the Yaksha question. In the last 5 years in Test cricket, Kohli has been very quiet compared to his contemporary greats in terms of centuries and average and in such a situation, if his reputation needs to go to a different level again, then it will be necessary that 5 matches. In the series, his bat made the same noise as he has been doing on every tour.
Overall, Australia’s tour is once again going to be very important for the future of Indian cricket. In 2011-12, the trio of Sachin Tendulkar-Rahul Dravid-VVS Laxman was seen struggling and then one after the other all three greats said goodbye to the game. In 2014-15, as soon as Mahendra Singh Dhoni lost the series, he handed over the captaincy to young Kohli and he did not even play in the last test and gave a chance to Wriddhiman Saha. But the tours of 2018-19 and 2021-22 were quite memorable for Team India. Will this series of golden memories be able to complete its hat-trick in 2024-25?
Tags: India vs new zealand, Ravichandran ashwin, Ravindra jadeja, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli
FIRST PUBLISHED : October 30, 2024, 06:31 IST