As the Indian cricket team touches down in Australia in the waning weeks of 2024, they find themselves in an intriguing position. In a sense, Rohit Sharma’s men are the defending champions, having secured back-to-back series triumphs on Australian soil in their last two visits. This is a remarkable feat considering that prior to 2019, no Asian team had ever won a Test series in Australia in over 70 years of trying.
Conquering the Final Frontier
India’s breakthroughs in 2018-19 and 2020-21 were momentous occasions, shattering the longstanding notion that they were incapable of winning in the challenging Australian conditions. In both instances, India overcame adversity and the absence of key players to script famous victories.
Beating Australia in their own backyard is the ultimate achievement for any team. We did it twice, and now we want to make it a hat-trick.
– A senior member of the Indian team
The Brisbane Heist
The 2020-21 series, in particular, will forever be etched in the annals of Indian cricket. Ravaged by injuries and without many of their first-choice players, a second-string Indian side defied the odds to clinch the series at the Gabba – a venue where Australia hadn’t lost a Test match since 1988. The sight of a battered Rishabh Pant guiding India to a famous chase on the final day is now part of cricketing folklore.
Winds of Change
However, a lot has changed since those heady days. India’s recent 0-2 loss to New Zealand on home soil has raised questions over their Test match prowess. The team is in a transitional phase, with several young and inexperienced players thrust into the limelight. The batting lineup, in particular, wears an unfamiliar look with the likes of Shubman Gill, Devdutt Padikkal, and Yashasvi Jaiswal forming the top order.
- Gill, Padikkal, and Jaiswal have a combined experience of just 5 Tests
- India’s middle order too is unsettled with the inconsistent form of Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane
- The pace bowling attack, while talented, lacks the experience of the injured Jasprit Bumrah
The Aussie Challenge
Australia, on the other hand, will field a familiar and formidable bowling attack led by Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc. The batting has undergone changes, but the return of the talismanic Steve Smith and the emergence of youngsters like Will Pucovski and Cameron Green lend it a solid look.
The addition of a fifth Test also tilts the scale in Australia’s favor. Winning two matches out of four, as India did in their last two series wins, may not be enough this time. They will need to dig deep and draw inspiration from their past heroics to combat Australia in their den.
Belief and Beyond
For India, the key will be to believe that they can replicate their recent successes. The 2020-21 triumph, achieved in the most trying of circumstances, should serve as a touchstone for this young brigade. They will also lean heavily on the experience of seasoned campaigners like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja to navigate the challenges posed by the Australian conditions and crowd.
This team has the talent and the self-belief to beat anyone anywhere in the world. We have done it before, and we can do it again.
– Rahul Dravid, Head Coach of the Indian team
As Rohit Sharma’s men embark on this daunting mission, they will know that victory will not only help them retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but also firmly establish their credentials as one of the finest traveling teams in the world. A series win here will be the perfect riposte to the recent reverses and reaffirm India’s status as a cricketing superpower.
The stage is set for an enthralling contest between two proud cricketing nations. Can India rise to the challenge and script another glorious chapter in their cricketing history? Or will Australia reassert their dominance on home soil? One thing is for certain – the cricketing world will be watching with bated breath as this riveting drama unfolds Down Under.
