Rise like Phoenix - India Australia 2020-21 - Series review

 What the world witnessed today (19.01.2021) and during this test series is meaning of life. Life may punch you hard in the face but it’s your ability to pick yourself up after the bloody punch in face is what defines you. India has done exactly the same. 36 All out in the first test match was disheartening / discomforting / embarrassing. It was the nadir for Indian cricket team and exactly one month after see where it has reached, to the its pinnacle. This is what new India is!! This is what a cricket test match / series teaches us!! This is what life teaches us!!! Be resilient / be gritty / stand your ground and above all believe in yourself regardless of what others say about you.

This series has shown us that even if all the money / luxuries / cushions / belongings are taken away from you, but you may still live to fight on and show your intangible asset i.e. “attitude” and “Character” to life and say I am here to live and live graciously. These are really cliched terms but damn important. The importance of these two terms was on display by Indian team through out this test series. Before even the test series started one by one, all the jewels of Indian team were being taken away from them. Virat Kohli had announced that he will only play the first test match (as he wanted to be with to be mother of his first child at the time of arrival of the first child). Ishant Sharma, Bhuwaneshwar Kumar and Hardik pandya were also not available due to injuries. Rohit Sharma (the preferred opener) was not available for first two test matches. Jadeja was concussed during the t20s and was not available for the first test. To add to the salt to the wounds, the degree of defeat in Adelaide was humongous. India had bettered their lowest ever total in Adelaide.

The “Experts” said it would be a whitewash, 0-4 Australia’s way, India’s win in 2018-19 was because of no presence of key Australian players etc. The Captain had already left for his once in lifetime moment. One of their premier fast bowler Shami, also got injured and was ruled out of the test series after the Adelaide test. The stand-in captain had to build this team from ashes. The Indian team went to MCG believing in their skill sets and knowing what they can do rather than what has happened in the past. Ajinkya Rahane stated that they didn’t discuss what happened in Adelaide test in their dressing room. It was all about what could be done and what needs to be done. Such a simple thing, but I can’t stop myself but to draw a parallel with life. No matter what has happened in past, it is your belief in yourself and belief in future that will determine where are you headed. Don’t be a prisoner of past, be a architect of the future. The display of Indian team’s “Character” and “Attitude” was for the first time (and ofcourse not for the last time in the series) on display in the MCG test match. First the bowlers (Bumrah and Ashwin) toppled Australia for a low score and then the Captain lead them from the front and hit a century to ensure India gets a sizable lead and rest was history. A noticeable thing during the test match was during the second innings of Australia there was one more addition to the list of Indian injured players i.e. Umesh Yadav. Hardly bowled 4 overs and was injured. India with 10 players, still was able to win the test match. Amazing.

Then there was the Sydney test. One of the finest rearguard action done in a test match. This showed that in life winning is not everything. It is also very important not to lose. If you can’t win a match, don’t lose a match. Keep toiling, stand like a rock and see eye to eye with the difficult situation and say if I can’t better you, doesn’t matter, I will not let you better me. That’s what happened in Sydney. However, in process of rearguard action, India’s resources were exhausted and the injury list kept on ballooning. Before going into the Gabba test 9 of the established players of Indian team were either unavailable or were injured.

Questions were raised on the ability of the Indian team even to compete (let alone winning) against the mighty and full strength Australian side on the ground which is fortress for them for 33 years. Australia last lost a match in Gabba against a formidable and champion West Indies side consisting of Gordon greenidge, desmond Haynes, viv Richards, Malcom marshall, curtly ambrose, Courtney walsh etc. After 1988, the Tendulkars’, Akhtars’, Lara’s, Ranatungas’, Smiths’, Pietersens’, Flemings’, all have come and gone however, Australia never lost a test match at Gabba. However, as I mentioned above, this Indian team is architect of future and not prisoner of past. The combined experience of 21 tests amongst Pant (15), Gill (2), Thakur (1), Sundar (0), Saini (1) and Siraj (2) was the chief actors of India’s win at Gabba which will be cherished and remembered for the years to come. However, the efforts of senior players such as Rahane, Pujara and Sharma cannot at all be ignored. Be it be acting as a Insurance policy for India (Pujara) or seeing of the new ball (Rohit) or leading from the front and with an intent of street fighter (Rahane). All of this put together, what have we got, a test series which explains us how to live. Difficult times come and go however, character and attitude is something which is always with you and you own it.

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