MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 29: Rohit Sharma of India speaks to his players in the huddle during … [+]
Ben Stokes might not give the World Test Championship much thought, but India’s chance of reaching the final of the ICC’s showpiece event for the third time in a row has been dealt an almost fatal blow after losing to Australia in Melbourne. 2024 has been a bittersweet year for Rohit Sharma’s team. Indian cricket is ending it on a bum note just as it did in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa last year.
During the carnage at Centurion in 2023, there were some emerging potholes that have not been filled. An out-of -sorts Rohit scored five runs in the match as India’s top order struggled to gain a foothold against a skilled pace attack. Although they won the New Year return in Cape Town in the shortest Test ever, India were rolled over for 153 in their first innings, losing their last six wickets for no runs. It was incredulous batting.
India entered the final session of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne with seven wickets still in the bank. There was a great chance of going to Sydney all-square in the Border-Gavsakar Trophy despite being on the back foot all game.
After making it to tea with admirable restraint, Rishabh Pant couldn’t help having a heave against Travis Head. Sunil Gavaskar’s blood pressure was probably raised to unsafe levels in the commentary box. The rest of the batting order crumbled as sure as night follows day. Witness the pink-ball Test destruction in Adelaide for further evidence of that.
The fall of the late thirtysomethings has already begun with the mid-series retirement of Ravi Ashwin and the continued form slump of Rohit. Virat Kohli’s offside issues are becoming ever more alarming. Hang it out there and the wicket will come must be the battle cry for all seam attacks now against the great man. Jasprit Bumrah is playing like two men, but he can’t bowl from both ends.
India’s sweetest moment was midway through 2024 when they finally ended their 11-year wait to land another ICC trophy. Test Championship finalists South Africa, another team that has a reputation for being the bridesmaid, were on the receiving end of an incredible finish at the T20 World Cup final in Barbados. After five single-figure scores in seven matches, Kohli finally came good. There’s a pattern of ever-decreasing returns.
The sense of relief was palpable as Rohit and Kohli retired from the international T20 arena with a pair of the right coloured medals. Yet their return to the longer format in the second half of 2024 was almost unremittingly miserable. India were whitewashed by the unassuming but expert Kiwis at home to end 12 years of domestic domination. The Blue Men have now been defeated in five of their last seven Test matches. If Brisbane’s weather had behaved, that would be almost certainly six out of seven.
The green shoots of recovery on the Indian flag will undoubtedly come from Yashasvi Jaiswal who smashed England out of the five-match series in February. He has continued to defy Australia with a similar sense of purpose and even sledged Mitchell Starc. Nitish Kumar Reddy carries that same air of belief and big match presence that has drained away from the more senior batters. Washington Sundar is also made of the right stuff despite limited opportunities to show it.
The Times Of India has reported that Rohit could be set to quit Test cricket after Sydney. Some of the current’s skipper’s quotes post-Melbourne suggested a man preparing the red-ball carpet entrance for the last time. For a man who doesn’t worry about statistics, he’s finally had to face the Test match cricket number-crunchers. The runs have dried up – 619 in 14 games – and even the win at Perth was an outlier after being bowled out for below 200 yet again.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 16: of India chat on the bench prior to day three of the Third Test … [+]
Nothing stays the same forever. India haven’t been at the races in Australia, despite being only one down with one to play. 2025 is a packed schedule with the Champions Trophy – where India will play their matches in Dubai. The big tour will be in England where they have historically struggled at some points with the seaming pitches that mirror the chaos in Bengaluru against New Zealand.
It may be time to pull the trigger on change after a respectful last dance at Sydney. Suryakumar Yadav is the new ‘old’ leader of the T20 side at 34 years of age. The Test match bubble is about to burst too. It’s easy to eject the old guard if they can’t shoot straight anymore, but the cavalry may not come for some time.
