SERIES TAKEAWAYS
Follow UsFor the first time since 2014-15, India have lost a Border-Gavaskar Trophy, allowing Australia to reclaim it on the back of a 3-1 series defeat Down Under. Let's take a closer look at some of the highs and lows from the series, from an Indian perspective.
Kohli's misery continues
Virat Kohli started off the series with a superb century in Perth, but, post that, everything went downhill for the right-hander. Kohli was dismissed eight times in the series, and on all those occasions he was caught behind the wicket, either by the wicketkeeper or at slip.
Since 2020, Kohli has scored a little over 2,000 runs at 30.72, slamming just three tons in 69 innings. Moreover, for the first time in eight years, his average has dropped under 47.
Also Read: Virat Kohli's bittersweet journey in Australia comes to a disappointing end
It's clear that this series alone has not been the issue, and all this has been brewing for some time. There does not seem to be a way out for the veteran batter. Is this the end of the road for him?
No way out for Rohit?
It's certainly a massive problem when you're the captain and opening batter of the Indian cricket team and you're not able to deliver both as a batter and a leader.
In his last 15 innings, Rohit Sharma has scored just 164 runs at 10.93 with just one 50-plus score. Meanwhile, it's five defeats in six Tests as skipper, with the Brisbane rain stopping it from becoming six defeats in six.
Following the highs of the T20 World Cup, the Test arena has been a massive challenge for Rohit, under whom India have looked a shadow of their old, dominant selves. While he has cleared the air saying that he has not retired, there is surely an air of uncertainty over not just Rohit as captain, but Rohit as a batter too.
Considering he will be turning 38 in three months' time, we might just have seen the last of Rohit in Tests.
Bumrah & the rest
Every time Jasprit Bumrah came into bowl, he made an impact. He made a mockery of Usman Khawaja, getting him six times, ended Nathan McSweeney's series by dismissing the newbie on four occasions. And, not to forget, he got the better of Travis Head and Steven Smith seven times combined.
Safe to say, it was Bumrah vs Australia for the majority of the series.
Who is India's third seamer outside the subcontinent?
It was clear India missed the services of Mohammed Shami in the series. A fit Shami along with Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj would have certainly made the tourists' seam attack more lethal. However, while Harshit Rana, Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna did well in patches, they were not consistent enough.
That relentlessness and intensity Bumrah showed in the series was missing from the third pacers. And that, in a way, ultimately cost the side the series. Pressure was often not sustained and the Australian batters smartly took full toll.
That being said, the experience the other bowlers would have gained from this Australian tour would be immense, which could only benefit India moving forward. Akash Deep might just be ahead in terms of the third seamer choice, but he is by no means well and truly in front.
Jaiswal, Rahul & Reddy put on a show
Other than Bumrah, if there were some positives from the series, it has to be the trio of Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Jaiswal top-scored for India with 391 runs in the series, including a mammoth 161 in Perth. While his performances in the first innings needs to improve, safe to say he was the best batter for India on the tour, overall.
Rahul, on the other hand, looked assured in his time in the middle, but he faded away as the series wore on. But that can be excused considering the quality of Australia's bowling, and considering how this entire series proved to be a graveyard for top-order batters.
Meanwhile, like Jaiswal, this was also Nitish Kumar Reddy's maiden tour of Australia, but it certainly did not seem like that. His twin 42s in Perth was just a trailer for what was in store. He grew in stature with every innings and lit up the series with a sizzling 114 at the MCG, where he single-handedly gave the side hope of getting closer to Australia's mammoth first-innings total.
Nitish picked up four wickets, but India will hope for him to bowl more and longer spells in the future, without his batting taking a dip. Batting wise, 298 runs at 37.25 in five Tests is not a bad start for someone that's still a work in progress.
Gill yet to show consistency outside subcontinent
Ahead of the series, the team management would have hoped for Shubman Gill to emulate Cheteshwar Pujara's impact in his own style. However, with the series done and dusted, that is far from reality.
Gill got off to starts in three of the five innings in the series, but his inability to convert put more pressure on an already lacklustre batting line-up. This brings up the question of whether Gill is good enough to play outside the subcontinent.
In his 16 innings outside Asia since 2022, Gill has scored just 264 runs at 17.60 with ZERO 50-plus scores. 12 of those innings have come at three, where he averages a shade over 19. It's clear that Gill is seen as the future of Indian batting, but he needs to start producing the goods.
What is India's long-term strategy with Sundar?
Ravichandran Ashwin's retirement in the middle of the series opens up a spot for another spinner to permanently stake claim for his place. While Ravindra Jadeja is a fix regardless of the venue, one or two of Washington Sundar and Axar Patel will have an extended run in the XI in home Tests, going forward.
On this tour, Sundar was given the opportunity to be the second spinner. But, as it turned out, his bowling services were barely used, especially in the last two Tests. In fact, in Sydney, he bowled a grand total of ONE over. What India will have to figure out is Sundar's role in the team, especially outside the subcontinent, where there is rarely assistance.
At this point it seems that they see him as a frontline bowling option at home, but are not sure what to make of him outside the subcontinent.
Also Read: India need to quickly figure out Washington Sundar’s role in away Tests
