India v Australia – Pune Test: Call for writers

Australia last played Test cricket in India four years ago.
MJ Clarke was captain. SPD Smith was not even in the team for the 1st Test. M Arthur was coach.
S Tendulkar played his last series.
Pundits were not confident of Australia’s chances.

The first Test Australian team, in batting order was:
EJM Cowan, DA Warner, PJ Hughes, SR Watson, MJ Clarke, MS Wade, MC Henriques, MA Starc, PM Siddle, JL Pattinson, NM Lyon.

Over the series, selection was varied and selection was confused. Factions, roles, personalities, all played parts. As did form. In the 2nd Test, Australia’s bowling line-up was JL Pattinson, PM Siddle, MC Henriques, XJ Doherty and GJ Maxwell.

1st Test, Chennai: Australia 380 and 241; India 572 and 50/2 (11.3 ov, target: 50) – India won by 8 wickets
2nd Test, Hyderabad: Australia 237/9d and 131 (67 ov); India 503 – India won by an innings and 135 runs
3rd Test, Mohali: Australia 408 and 223; India 499 and 136/4 (33.3 ov, target: 133) – India won by 6 wickets
4th Test, Delhi: Australia 262 and 164; India 272 and 158/4 (31.2 ov, target: 155) – India won by 6 wickets

Look at those Indian first innings totals: 572, 503, 499, 272.
Look at those corresponding Australian totals: 380, 237/9d, 408, 262.
Coughing up leads of 200, 260, 90, 10.

 

==

Skip forward four years.

Pune.

India coming off a home series win over England.
Australia beaten at home by South Africa, then defeating Pakistan.

What have the players learned?
What have the selectors learned?

Some are writing off Australia.

But who will write of the Test series?

Put your hand up to file a report, a story, an observation for the Footy Almanac, below.

Day 1, Thursday  – maybe Paddy
Day 2, Friday – Smokie, maybe Paddy
Day 3, Saturday –
Day 4, Sunday –
Day 5, Monday –

All Almanac cricket stories are here.

About David Wilson

David Wilson is a hydrologist, climate reporter and writer of fiction & observational stories. He writes under the name “E.regnans” at The Footy Almanac and has stories in several books. One of his stories was judged as a finalist in the Tasmanian Writers’ Prize 2021. He shares the care of two daughters and likes to walk around feeling generally amazed. Favourite tree: Eucalyptus regnans.

Comments

  1. e.r.,
    Please pencil me in for Friday – day 2.

  2. Paddy Grindlay says

    Morning e.r,

    I’ll get one in for either today or tomorrow.

  3. G’day gents.
    Good stuff, good stuff.
    How will you “see” it?
    This is perhaps the only time in a 4 year cycle that part of me wishes for PayTV.

  4. As a starting point, it would help immeasurably if the Australian selectors knew what their best XI was.

  5. Immeasurably.
    Also, if evidence of performance in Shield cricket was held in higher regard.

    Looking back, one striking aspect of the 2013 India tour is the chopping and changing in team selection.

    Good luck to those selected.
    Well may they *adapt* their natural games as match and pitch and opposition conditions dictate.

  6. SPD Smith wins the toss.

  7. Apparently the pitch is like the Hume Highway.

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