What a fantastic series!
So many aspects to highlight and marvel at.
36 all in the same series that was ultimately won 2-1, that too against a full-strength Australia defeated in their own backyard, twice in a row now.
Above all, for me, what stood out was that it was not so much the Indian cricket team that won the series, but the idea of a new India.
What team in the world could have accomplished a feat like this? Go to the final test without six first-choice players, including the entire first-choice bowling attack, and still win against one of the strongest opponents in the world on his own turf?
The tour has seen the most exciting rush of rookies since, well, ever. Every game, except the first test, saw at least one debut; the final test saw two.
Read also | ‘Australia just couldn’t get him out ‘: Clarke on India’s’ great role’
Here’s a look at each of them, including Shardul Thakur, who didn’t make his debut here, but is on this list because he threw only ten balls on his first test in 2018 before returning to this tour.
Shubman gill
The man’s class was evident even when he played games outside of India. It seems to have everything it takes to be successful at the highest level, and I’m only talking about test cricket here in all of the following reviews.
A calm demeanor and good balance are his main strengths. It has this slight backward foot trigger movement that is fairly common and globally effective, but it can still advance against fast players.
The only small crack he has is his tendency to play within the line of the ball. It’s okay for mid-level hitters to do this, not for a starter. But as the series progressed, you could see that he was already working on it. It is common for test cricket to throw flaws in its game and those who tackle them quickly have a long career. Even Sachin Tendulkar had one that he turned to in a matter of months. Gill doesn’t have a clear and compelling plan against short ball. You should work on that, whether it’s defending or attacking the short ball, but both reactions need a bit more certainty in execution.
Washington Sundar
He could be one of the first Indian cricketers to quickly enter IPL and T20 test cricket and looked like a test cricketer.
The young man’s talent just blows me away. You can enter the test team as a pure bowler. He has great control over his line and length and that is the majority of the boxes checked for success in Trials; With the bounce he gets from his high pitching point, he can be a real handful, especially on Indian pitches. His hitting is controlled by the mind of a hitter.
Shardul Thakur
It wasn’t quite her debut in Brisbane, but the spark she has displayed as a low-key closer in IPL and domestic cricket was ignited in a full-blown fire at Test. It immediately makes my list of the top five Indian Test pacemakers.
1) Mohammed Shami
2) Jasprit Bumrah
3) Ishant Sharma
4) Mohammed Siraj
5) Shardul Thakur
His great advantage is that he runs easily, does not use too much energy and throws the ball at 130 km / h. Every time the ball comes out of his hand, he does something: he can swing it, sew it, throw a good yorker and also a powerful gorilla. It can be helpful in getting rid of the queue that India often worries about. His hitting is also an advantage, but for him to be a regular on the India team, he has to be a stock bowler, not a strikeout pitcher looking for grounds, as Siraj does.
That leads us to …
Mohammed siraj
It is your attitude that truly fuels your excellence. No matter what the game situation is or how many overs he has thrown, he will run like an enthusiastic teenager excited to bowling like he hasn’t played for two years. It’s a nice closure, you can also make the ball swing, but it takes a little more work with your yorker and gorillas.
It’s a captain’s dream – a fast-eyed, fast bowler wanting to bowl even when the opposition is dominating you is a blessing. He has the wicket taking the skill and this has nothing to do with luck; bowlers like him know how to get wickets. Siraj seems like a long-term perspective to me.
T Natarajan
Of all, Natarajan seems least likely to have a long career in testing. I said less likely, not impossible and Natarajan’s story has many almost impossible plots!
All your skills are in the final action – you need to get stronger and get more out of your career. But he deserves a standing ovation just for the fact that he debuted for India in all three formats in a span of 48 days and did not look completely out of place in any format.
Much of the success of these newcomers was not even planned: Natarajan, like Washington and Shardul, was in Australia for the Test series only as a net pitcher.
That’s really the big takeaway from this win – that there is a wonderful supply chain within Indian cricket that allows talent from all corners of this giant country to come into the limelight. Once they are in that U19, India A, IPL and top notch system, their talent will be seen and allowed to flourish. The “A” tours have been a big reason for this success: all the newcomers and fresh players we saw in Australia had been to the country before to play cricket. During our time, my first test in Australia was also my first time in the country.
.
