November 25th, 2024, Perth, Western Australia. India beat Australia by 295 runs in the first Test to take a 1-0 lead in the series yet we are somehow left with more questions than answers.
Did Lyon and Cummins lose their rhythms big time? Is India suddenly batting well now? Is Virat Kohli back in form? Where do Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma fit in the Indian XI for the 2nd Test? What is Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne’s Test future? Will the pink ball tip the balance back in Australia’s favour or will it make it even for their aging batting order? Will Hazlewood find some support from the other end?
As always, BGT comes with its weird yet enticing set of questions, and the bid to find some of those answers is going to get extra spicy as the second Test is set to be a Day-Night affair with a pink ball to be used. Pink Ball has been one of Australia’s biggest strengths where they are yet to lose a game but they were also yet to lose a game at Optus before this series so that has changed.
On a similar note, they did bowl India out for 36 the last time they played a pink ball Test against them at the same venue but they also had a rather high-scoring affair against England at the same venue with the pink ball in the Ashes 2021-22 where the game went to the last session.
So will the pitch yet again be good but with rewards for batters showing character? Will that put India back in the bid to “Pujara” the Aussie bowlers yet again by putting endless miles in their legs and keeping the Aussie batters on the field for multiple days? Or will the Aussie batters finally find some form and get a good score?
The way it is set up, India has Mukesh Kumar, Akashdeep, and Prasidh Krishna in their seam bowling assets with a potential Mohammed Shami return in the future, all while Australia has to deal with injuries to Jhye Richardson, Michael Neser, and potentially Mitch Marsh with Scott Boland still trying to find his footing post returning from injury.
Elsewhere Marnus Labuschange, Steve Smith, and Nathan McSweeny would be longing for some good signs with the bat despite the challenge against them being a stiff one, especially in the form of a certain Jasprit Jasbir Singh Bumrah with a slight chance of facing a skiddy & venomous seamer in Akashdeep.
For India, the challenge is simple yet scary. The Pink ball with extra shine and lacquer brings long drawn-out sets of phases with prodigious seam movement along with the 45-odd minutes of twilight period where spotting the ball would be extra tough coming out of the 6’4-6’5 stature of Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc along with the turn and bounce that Nathan Lyon brings.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul might have fought and won a tough new ball battle in the 2nd innings at Perth, but a new challenge awaits them possibly in a different role for Rahul at the Adelaide Oval.
Who will win? Who will find their stride? The only way to find it out is to wait for December 6th.
About the Author: Aman Patel, A long-term viewer and student of the game. Specialises in cricket from the 2000s.