By V.N. Prasad

Australia has taken an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five Test match series

A lump in the throat though, hearty congratulations to the Kangaroos on their emphatic 184 runs victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG); a great morale booster as they await the 5th and the final Test at the iconic SCG (Sydney Cricket Ground), starting from Jan. 3.

Brilliant hundreds by Steve Smith (140), young Nitish Kumar Reddy (114) as also fine 82 and 84 by the young Yashaswi Jaiswal were entertaining. Had he not been run out in the 1st inning, the story at the MCG could have been different. For sure, it was Virat’s fault. If only he had carried on, we could have narrowed the lead and end could have been a different story. But again, “If wishes were horses.”

However, we should acknowledge the brilliance of bowling by both the sides. Jasprit Bumrah spearheaded our side; well-supported by Md. Siraj, Akash Deep and Jadeja. For the OZs, all the bowlers bowled their heart out to clinch this formidable victory. For sure, OZs have their tails up as they go into the Final Test.

Amidst of all the drama at the MCG, a rarity occurred as the climax went into the last session of the 5th day; something that eluded Test Cricket for quite some time now. Congratulations to the curators on preparing a true and sporting track. With this given fact, our guys went in for Tea with seven wickets in hand. It was known for sure that we were poised for a ‘Tame Draw.’ Had Jaiswal not tried the Hook (Visibly, the ball deviated clearly from the glove and he was out caught behind) and had Pant not tried to hit Nathan Lyon out of the park, we would have drawn the Test and been that much confident going into the SCG.

All said and done, inconsistencies in the Indian side have raised many a question that are best answered by the players themselves and the BCCI.

1. Rohit Sharma: Is his ‘Body Language’ consistent with the zeal that an opener and a Captain need to possess? Answer is an emphatic NO. And, should he QUIT NOW? Answer is – YES, he should. His career average of 40.6 seems good but not convincing.

2. K.L. Rahul: Is he a ‘Definitive/ Confident’ opener? Answer is an emphatic NO; sporadic performances notwithstanding. Does he DANGLE his bat leaving out-going deliveries with a sense of diffidence? Answer is an emphatic YES. Somehow, he appears to have the proverbial butterflies in his stomach all the time. A career average of 34.1 doesn’t speak any high of this lad. More consistency is needed.

3. Virat Kohli: Is it a ‘Rocket Science’ for Virat to understand the fundamental that “Cover Drive away from the body by 7th & 8th stump is dangerous and that bowlers like Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Pat Cummins are experts in exploiting his vulnerability?” Answer is an emphatic NO. Virat succumbed to the delight of the OZ pacers six times in the series. He became a laughing stock and @ 47.2 Test average. Should he QUIT NOW? Answer seems ‘Probably.’ Why wait until you are down in dumps?

4. Rishab Pant: For sure, this kid’s performance is getting choked on account of lack of good scores on the board by the top 3. That notwithstanding, Pant threw away the Test to the OZs because of his immature disposition in both the innings. Question is – ‘Does he need a serious ‘Dressing-Down’ by the BCCI?’ Answer is an emphatic YES. He, young Jaiswal and Washington Sundar had almost got us out of the woods on the 5th day. His ‘Blood-Rush’ took the better of him to squander the advantage.

5. Nitish Kumar Reddy: Undoubtedly, his knock of 114 in the 1st innings scripted the tale of this Test going into the 5th day. With an average of 49, he should heavily concentrate on consolidating his position and improve his bowling skills.

6. The final question: Are we let down heavily by our batsman? Answer is an emphatic YES.

Our bowlers did an extremely good job; spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah. He made the OZ batsmen dance to his tunes; especially Marnus Labuschagne. Around Bumrah, Md. Siraj, Akash Deep, Nitish Kumar, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar played vital roles.

While victory at Perth gave us the initial kick with a massive win by 295 runs, Adelaide wiped it off giving the OZs a massive victory by 10 wickets. Draw at the Gabba was a disappointment. And MCG was an apology. We now look at redeeming our pride at the SCG commencing from Jan. 3. All the best to our boys. A 2-2 would look better than a 1-3.

The Indian selectors should have the conviction to do away with the losing horses than continue with them with the hopes of miracle at Sydney. In case, they continue with the same team, the Australian pacers and the lone spinner Nathan Lyon have sufficient strategies to outsmart the over confident Indian top order.

Therefore, it is strongly advised to bring in new blood and mind train them with the hopes of victory at the SCG.