5 lessons that the Indian fans should learn from the Ashes series

Indian cricket fans

Two Ashes in one year and both producing contrasting results. If the one in England was dominated by Captain Cook’s army, the year-ender in Australia was a perfect payback from Michael Clarke‘s men. But there was a difference in the way the two series’ went. In England, Cook’s team dominated the Australians and played quality cricket to grab the urn but in Australia, things were a little more dramatic.

Winning a series against your arch rivals is one thing but catching them by the scruff of their neck, rubbing their faces in the dirt and tormenting them to a point where they lose their mojo is an achievement that seemed beyond this Australian side.

Over the last two months, Australia played some fascinating cricket. Mitchell Johnson, Michael Clarke, David Warner, Brad Haddin, Chris Rogers, Ryan Harris and even Nathan Lyon stepped up with exemplary performances to overpower England and earn back the urn. But more than the individual performances, it was the revival of team Australia that stood out in the series. They not only trounced England, but also left them reeling with self doubt and indelible scars.

As a neutral it was series to enjoy but as a fan, there was a lot to learn. Especially, for the Indian cricket fans, this Ashes series should be a guide book on how to support a team.

And here are the five things that all Indian fans should’ve learnt.

Have faith in your captain

Back your skipper – He’s the man!

India is the only country that mocks at a cricket captain who has two World Cups, almost every ODI trophy and the distinction of taking his team to the top of the rankings in both Tests and ODIs on his CV. MS Dhoni is perhaps one the most successful captains in the world yet in his own country, his achievements are surprisingly downplayed and he is often tagged as “lucky”.

Of course, his career will always have the black mark of suffering two whitewashes abroad but so is the captaincy tale of Michael Clarke. After losing the series 4-0 in India, Clarke went on to lose the Ashes 3-0 in England. Yes, the fans were disappointed and the selectors were concerned but no one, absolutely no one, went on a rampage to remove Clarke from the helm of Australian cricket.

The selectors pinned their hopes on him for a revival and by the end of year, Clarke has turned things around and how! If MS Dhoni had a fantastic year with the Indian team, Clarke too has cemented his place in the Australian folk lore with this resounding revival of team Australia.

Just like MS Dhoni, Clarke has been slammed for backing players of his choice and has often faced criticism for playing favourites. But at the end of the day, they are leaders of the nation for a reason and the fans must understand that the stakes are much higher for the man who flips the coin.

Moral of the story - The Skipper knows best.