The Border-Gavaskar Trophy has come to an end after so many uncertainty hiccups straight after the first test match when team India has registered the lowest ever total in the history of their test cricket. But what followed next was the statement from the underdogs, that after trailing by 1-0 in the series team India can turn things around and win the series at historic venue, Brisbane Gabba (where it was the first time since 1988 Australia has lost the test match). This victory is very special as most of the players of visitors (India) were not playing in the series including Virat kohli and even in the final test match most of them were injured.
For Australia, everything has gone wrong in the series after the first test match and this defeat against team India will raise the criticism over the choices they have made in the test series after the lead of 1-0 in the series. From the weak captain (biggest reason) to average bowling performance and the over dependency on the few players to batted out for the team in every situation cost them to lose the test series. Poor form of David Warner in the test series is also another reason Australia have not performed well. Having said, let us take a look at the three reasons why Australia lost the test series.
Tim Paine Captaincy Was The Biggest Mistake Of Australia:
After losing the last test series by 2-1 in 2018, under the captaincy of Tim Paine. Australia still keep Tim Paine as the captain instead of someone like Steve Smith (who has been phenomenal as the captain of Australia in his career). Before the test series, many former greats like Michael Vaughan believed
“I think they are overthinking it - they are looking at what happened a few years ago - and thinking if everyone has moved on. Of course, everyone has moved on from the ball-tampering incident - we have all forgotten it. The game moves on really fast. If an opportunity arises in ODIs or Tests, then Steve Smith will definitely be Australia captain,” Michael Vaughan told Cricbuzz.
“He is not an individual whose captaincy affects his batting. It is just about figuring out who is the better leader in the group, who is the better tactician, who could help Australia with a tactical change in the middle. I think Steve Smith probably would," he further added.
Even in the test series Tim Paine batting performance was very poor and against such in-experience bowling line-up of team India if paine wasn't able to score runs. It will be another mistake of cricket Australia to keep him as a captain across the formats before the big ashes series this year from 14th November. Steve Smith should be the captain of Australia in test cricket if not limited overs cricket.
Mitchell Starc Average Bowling Performance:
11 wickets in the 7 innings of 4 test matches. The left-arm fast bowler has not performed upto the expectations it was expected from him. Even in the first test match where Australia had put opposition into the shambles it was Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood pair. Starc was already under pressure before the test series started and this performance is giving some signs that he is not the same fast bowler who he was in test cricket earlier.
The left-arm fast bowler has troubled the batsman with his pace and swing while in the test series the Indian batsmen have been easily hitting big shots against Starc's pace. Even with the old ball Starc was in effect he couldn’t even reverse swing the ball.
Over Dependence On Few Players:
Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, Australia's whole batting line-up depended on these two players in the 4-match test series. Marnus Labuschagne was the leading run scorer in the test series with 421 runs while Steve Smith became the fastest player to score 27 test centuries after Don Bradman but couldn't get the support of his other players in the series to provide any resilience to the team.
Apart from these two players, there was no intent shown by any other Australia batsman in the test series. From captain to all-rounders everyone has not performed at the times it was needed for the team. While the other inexperienced players were not good enough to give any fight in the series. Even the Australian openers were absurd was the another reason they have lost the test series.
