On Backfoot

 

TWO struggles are making headlines in the world of cricket for last few days. One is the desperation of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to keep the 2025 Champions Trophy as hosts by conceding to the demand of the BCCI for a hybrid model. And two is the shaken confidence of the Australian team after the humbling defeat handed by India in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Amid the reverberations of both the developments, Team India is sitting pretty as it prepares for the day-night Test in Adelaide starting in a few days’ time. The high at Perth where India were underdogs is set to drive the visitors’ momentum in the series. The shoe is now on the other foot for the hosts despite their reputation as a strong side in home conditions. Yet, India would never fall into the trap of overconfidence while going to Adelaide. The team will be spurred not only by the commanding victory in the first game but also by the venue which had seen it sinking to a low of 36 all out on the last tour.

 

It was also a pink-ball Test which left a huge scar on the Indian team’s psyche. But it was also a major pivot that turned things around as India went on to win the series with a sterling display of guts and gumption. All those memories would form a wonderful backgrounder to the Adelaide Test starting December 6. This time, the Australians are under pressure. There is still no clarity on a gameplan. Neither the batsmen had any clue about the Indian attack in Perth nor the bowlers could stem the run flow in the second innings. The game brought more headaches to the Australian camp, compounded by the barrage of criticism from the unsparing home media and former players. To cap their agony, the Australians have lost pacer Josh Hazlewood to injury. The goose looks cooked for the home team. Knives are out for the out of form players in the team. Former players were appalled by the struggles of the batsmen against Indian captain Jasprit Bumrah’s precision.

 

Other pacers including debutant Nitish Kumar Rana also put the home batsmen under pressure in their own conditions. The Australians are not taking it easy and the heavy criticism of Pat Cummins and his team is bound to dent the team’s confidence levels. Already, there are selection issues for the captain to deal with. Experts are calling for exclusion of middle-order batsman Marnus Labuschagne who has had a lengthy poor run with the bat. Steven Smith is also being questioned for the defensive approach against India’s pacers. It is a peculiar situation for the Australians to be in at home. For quite some time the Australia has remained a fortress for visiting teams. India have had a pretty good time in the last few tours but given the favourite tag the Aussies enjoyed before this series, the sudden whipping is bound to create more cracks in thinking and planning. It is advantage for India in the day-nighter in Adelaide.