Australia vs India 2018-19: 3 things India need to do to win in Australia
Waking up at five in the morning in winters and watching Test cricket in Australia with a steaming hot cup of coffee is a memory every Indian cricket fan savours. From this week, it will be an experience a lot of them will relive again as India and Australia take the field in Adelaide.
This time the hope is to see India win a Test series in Australia for the first time in history. Due to the absence of Steve Smith and David Warner, a lot of experts claim that India are favourites this time around. However, India will have to play out of their skins to win Down Under. If Kohli's men wish to succeed, there are certain things the team needs to definitely do.
#3 Runs from senior batsmen
The reason for India failing in both England and South Africa was quite evident to any cricket follower. The Indian batting line-up simply did not do enough in either series for the team to build formidable totals. Apart from the notable exception of Virat Kohli, all other Indian batsmen did not produce the goods for the team in either place. The Indian captain was the top scorer with 293 runs in three Tests in South Africa and 593 in five Tests in Australia. However, no other Indian batsman got even half of his runs in either series.
If India wish to win a series overseas, they need big contributions from more than one batsman. It is vital for the senior batsman to step up their game and provide sufficient support to Virat Kohli. The crucial thing is to let young players like Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant and Hanuman Vihari find their feet in International cricket. The onus is on the veteran members of the team to produce the big scores.
Firstly, the vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane needs to pull up his socks. In India's last overseas cycle, Rahane had taken world cricket by storm by producing impressive performances in every tour. His century at MCG is one that stands out in the Indian cricket fan's memories. However, over the last couple of years, Rahane's form does not inspire much confidence. In his last 23 Test matches, he has scored only 1062 runs at a below-par average of 29.50.
Another player who needs to do more for the team is Cheteshwar Pujara. The India number three's overall Test average is a remarkable 49.55. In the 'SENA' countries, it dramatically drops to 29.30.
Earlier this year, he struck a fantastic century at Southampton. However, in the rest of his seven outings, Pujara scored only 146 runs. Even in South Africa, Pujara only had one 50+ score to show in six innings. The team needs a lot more than just one good knock a series by a player of his caliber.
For the nth time, the selectors have given a recall to Rohit Sharma in the Test squad. The fact that the Mumbaikar is one of the best limited-overs players around is not even up for debate.
However, he has failed to translate his ability to Test cricket. While his home record is impressive with an average of 85, it's outside the subcontinent where he has largely disappointed. In 12 matches in SENA countries, Rohit has only 2 half centuries to show for. It is clearly now-or-never for Rohit in the longer format. Runs from his bat could make all the difference in the series. The Australian pitches will suit his game and he simply needs to make the most of this chance or else India need to move past him in Test cricket.