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Hello Friends,
August has been another cricket dominated month unlike last month. Though beginning of the month was good for Indian sports lovers since our performance in Commonwealth Games was commendable where we won total 39 medals including 13 gold medals and ranked 4th in overall medals tally, by the month end Indian Hockey lovers' dreams shattered when India were knocked out of the FIH World cup after loosing a crucial game against Argentina.
As far as cricket is concerned Indian men's team started their season with an overseas win when they defeated Sri Lanka in the first test match of the two test series. This series is crucial for India's chances at WTC (World Test Championship) since they have two tough series after this against New Zealand & Australia respectively. Pakistan men's team are having a testing time during their back to back test tours of West Indies followed by England. Australia too started their season a bit early though with a shock defeat to Bangladesh in the first test before winning the next test to level the series 1-1. Indian domestic season also kicked off with Duleep trophy competition. In terms of franchise cricket Lanka premier League (LPL), the flagship T20 tournament of Sri Lanka & the Hundred in the UK witnessed some exciting cricketing action. Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is hosting yet another exciting season back in the West Indies. At the same time all eyes will be on the inaugural season of European T20 Premier League (ETPL) where some of the best of the T20 format will be locking horns.
This month's Sports Talk Of The Month will feature major highlights from the test series between Australia & Bangladesh witnessing Bangladesh's first test win down under.
A Series Of Prime Importance
Recently concluded two match test series between Australia & Bangladesh men's teams was an important one for more than one reason. It was the first time in more than two decades that the Bangla tigers were visiting Australia for a test series. Their last test series down under was back in 2003. Hence the excitement among the young bunch of Bangladesh players was bound to be extremely high. On the other hand for the home team this series was the beginning of their one of the busiest seasons in a long time where they are going to play at least 20 test matches in a span of next 12 months. At the same time this series was another opportunity for the home team to strengthen their position at the WTC table before they start their journey against the big boys of South Africa, New Zealand, India & finally arch rivals England to qualify for their third consecutive WTC final.
Before the start of the series the anticipation was that the Aussies might test their bench strength by allowing their big guns some more rest before the stern tests ahead. But they going ahead with a full strength team for both the games showed how seriously they took these two games with regard to their chances at WTC and also the game time for some of the big names who were coming back from an injury layoff including captain Pat Cummins. The first match of the series was a real eye opener for the home team where they were convincingly beaten by the visitors. It was a landmark win in the history of Bangladesh cricket. At the same time the loss once again sparked the debate of how a fragile Aussie batting unit is malfunctioning for a while now despite their dominance in red ball cricket.
The Malfunctioning Batting Unit
It's fair to say that in recent past Aussie bowlers have been phenomenal and have carried the team more often than not. Batting group hasn't been in top gear for a while now specially if we talk about a collective batting performance. Even captain himself didn't try to hide his team's batting woes post their loss to Bangladesh in the first test. Challenges for the batting group are significant to be precise. They are yet to get a proper replacement of opener David Warner even after two years of his retirement from test cricket. That's a long enough time for a team like Australia and definitely raises some uncomfortable questions for their selectors. Fellow opener Khawaja's retirement last year added to the woes. Though his form was also on a downward spiral but still he was a dependable figure at the top of the order. In last couple of years they have tried multiple opening combinations but yet to get a settled one.
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| Aussies have a tough summer ahead Image Credit: Calistemon, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons |
The Marnus Conundrum
In addition another experienced batter Labuschagne's low returns for a prolonged period has been another big blow. His poor form makes the entire top three vulnerable. He was expected to lead the batting group in the coming days once their stalwart Steve Smith retires. Labuschagne's dip in form saw his batting average going down from high 50s to early 40s with his last test century coming back in 2023. Those are horrible stats for a top order batter who is technically sound and has experience of 60+ test matches. It also shows how the team management has backed him for such a long period of time despite his poor returns with the bat.
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| Labuschagne's test future could be in danger Image Credit: DustyNail, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons |
Whether it's technical aspects or a mental side to it selectors probably have to take a tough call now by bringing in fresh faces and grooming them for a better future. Labuschagne still has a good amount of cricket left in him for sure. There is no reason why he can't make a comeback with some strong domestic performances which he has done in past too. But the biggest worry is his dip in form across formats. His returns in ODI cricket too are not that encouraging either. Whether his recent inclination towards T20 cricket is a factor in terms of technical adjustments is better known to him but Aussies would expect him to return to his best soon since he still is a vital cog specially in their red ball setup.
Bowling Veterans
At the same time the bowling unit deserves a lot of appreciation specially for delivering when the batting didn't work at all. The biggest success for the bowling unit was definitely their performance in the last Ashes series where they demolished arch rivals England despite playing with a second choice bowling group throughout the series. That shows their bowling depth. Lot has been spoken about the age factor of the players as well as how the transition would be taken care. But at the end of the day it's all about performance. If a 38 years old Nathan Lyon or 36 years old Mitchell Starc can deliver at the big stage then why would they be deprived of that opportunity only because of the age factor? As far as transition is concerned that's inevitable for any cricket team and every team manages that in a specific manner. I am sure the Aussies will definitely handle that cautiously keeping the best interest of Australian cricket in mind.
Yet To Be Consistent
That's about the home team. Let's now talk about the visitors who rewrote the record books in a historical tour down under after a gap of more than two decades. Despite spending over four decades in international cricket & more than two decades in test cricket Bangladesh men's team still couldn't be the force that it was supposed to be. Over the years they have produced some amazing players who have gone on to register some incredible individual performances but the most disappointing fact has been that neither they have been able to produce a memorable performance as a team in ICC tournaments nor did they stamp their authority in test cricket. Till date their victory against any top ranked side is considered as an upset in cricketing terms. Their first test victory on Australian soil was also termed as a shock loss for the home team. Despite that their performance in that first test match can't be ignored at all. They kind of delivered a knock out punch on one of the most successful teams in the history of cricket in their backyard.
Now while throwing light on some of the major talking points of the series let's start with how the tigers triumphed over the kangaroos on their home soil.
The Wait Of Two Decades
First of all let us accept the fact that Bangladesh outplayed the Aussies in all three facets of the game in that first test match in Darwin. This was an unusual time to begin the home season for the Australians since they generally start the home season a couple of months later. Moreover they were playing at a venue they were not very accustomed to play test cricket despite it being their home ground. Those factors kind of worked against them specially when they are playing test cricket after a gap of around 7 months. But for the visitors those were not the deciding factors since they came well prepared for what will be in store for them in one of the toughest countries to play test cricket. Their preparation was well exhibited in the first match of the series where a young side showed how skills & energy can triumph over experience.
They got accustomed to the conditions quickly before dominating the proceedings throughout the test match. The win was even more courageous since they lost their practice match against an Australian XI team a few days before the start of the first test match. With that sort of a start to a tough tour the way their seamers utilized the bowling friendly conditions on the first day of the test match and got the home team bowled out for less than 200 was commendable. Young Hasan Mahmud had a memorable game with six wickets in the first innings followed by a three fer in the second. The way their entire pace bowling unit performed throughout the series despite having limited exposure to the conditions was excellent. In fact a resurrection in their pace bowling stocks has been a major factor behind their improved performances in test cricket in recent past.
A Leader With Plenty Of Potential
An able team requires a composed leader to sail through challenging times. In Najmul Hossain Shanto Bangladesh got a real capable leader who can excel in this format if he continues to learn. He was calm under pressure and could take right calls during crunch moments. As a young captain he was not over aggressive or trying to be well ahead of the present moment. He is one of their best batters too though he would have been disappointed with below par returns with the bat in the second test match. His well crafted knock of 84 in the first test match in addition to a solid partnership with centurion Tanzid Hasan was one of the major factors behind their historic victory.
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| Shanto can be the leader that his team needs at the moment Image Credit: Rocky Masum, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons |
Shanto has been in the hot seat for a while now before relinquishing his duties in both the white ball formats. Being appointed as an all format captain at such a young age shows the faith that the stakeholders had on him. With time he is growing as a leader. Now as the leader of one format he can focus better and can get the best out of a young team. If he can work hard and get the required support from team management there is no reason why he can't emerge as one of the best for his country both as a batter & leader. At the same time it's high time for his team also to be more consistent in terms of their performances. After a historic win the way they performed in the second match was not a sign of a great team. They would need to work harder on their skills to succeed more often than being involved in cricketing upsets. More opportunities to play abroad can be a big factor in terms of their improved performances in future.
Talking about the home team despite having plenty of concerns with regards to their batting there were quite a few positives for them too. Green's batting form, ever dependable Starc & Smith's consistent performances and more importantly yet another bounce back after a humiliating defeat were some of the key takeaways for the home team.
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| Starc's form is a real boost for his team Image Credit: Calistemon, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons |
Old Is Still Gold
Starc's performance in the second test match was yet another masterclass in fast bowling. He has been leading this pace attack for a while now. Despite having Cummins & Hazlewood in the team he once again showed why he is the leader of the pack. His pace, accuracy & hunger to take wickets even after 100+ test matches is second to none. Bangladeshi batters had little answer to his heroics. Despite all the talks surrounding age factor of the bowling group Starc seems to be enjoying an excellent run towards may be the fag end of an outstanding career.
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| Steve Smith still going strong Image Credit: www.davidmolloyphotography.com, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons |
The same can be said about Smith too. He too seemed to be in excellent form despite not getting a three figure score. He looked the most sorted batter of his team throughout the series. It's just amazing to see how he changes gears in no time while batting in both test & T20s. With lot of batters finding it difficult to adjust to the demands of multiple formats Smith is showcasing his versatility in contrasting formats. Australia is still struggling to find an apt replacement of this modern day great in ODIs. But the way he is performing in red ball cricket Aussies would hope he is not hanging his boots any sooner. With Labuschagne struggling & Head fighting hard to cement his place at the top of the order Smith's presence is going to be a crucial factor for his team in next 12 months. Designated vice captain Smith operates as captain too in the absence of Cummins. With or without a designation he is a true leader in this team. With an opportunity lying ahead to end up as all time best Australian test batter surpassing great Ricky Ponting Aussie supporters would hope he doesn't rush to end a rather illustrious career.
Future To Be Green
Biggest gain for the home team from this series was definitely the batting form of Cameron Green. There is a lot at stake for Australian cricket with the performance of Green. One of the youngest of the group Green touted to be one of the stars of future. Being an all format all rounder is a tedious task for any modern day cricketer. Green is no exception. Frequent injuries and long layoffs post surgery haven't made his life easier. Great to see the way he has been backed by the team management. Despite all the criticism he was backed across formats to be the all rounder his team is searching for.
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| Green's form is crucial for Aussies Image Credit: WikiWanderer261, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons |
His bowling loads are still managed carefully. With the big three taking the major load and some of the test matches being too short lived he is yet to go through long bowling spells. But his batting returns are definitely a big boost for his team ahead of a challenging summer. He showed great resilience during his century at Darwin where he had to hold one end firmly and also keep the scoreboard moving. It was one of the best and matured knocks by an Australian batter in the recent times. With plenty of test cricket coming in addition to an ODI World cup next year Green will have a big role to play. His team would expect the hundred in Darwin is just the beginning of a long run of fruitful performances for the Western Australia all rounder. At the same time how his workload is managed in order to keep him free from injuries might decide how greatly he can contribute towards team's success.
To conclude it can be said that this series will give Bangladesh team a lot of confidence when they next travel abroad. At the same time they need to remember that they have to improve their skills drastically to become consistent winners in the longest format of the game. In terms of Australia if they can sort out their batting shortcomings & take some tough calls in terms of team selection they can surely celebrate 2027 the way they celebrated in 2023 after winning twin ICC titles.This time a long awaited away Ashes win can be the perfect icing on the cake.
Stay tuned for more at this space.
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