India's Turnaround: From Australian Summer Despair to World Cup Excellence
"India are Box Office," roared Michael Vaughan, the capitals adding emphasis.
Shikhar Dhawan had just crunched 137. Ajinkya Rahane had raced to 79. Virat Kohli had characteristically cruised to 46. Ravichandran Ashwin had been stifling. Mohammed Shami had looked sharp. Mohit Sharma's inclusion looked spot on.
It was all clicking, like it had four years ago.
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India had just dismantled South Africa. They'd thwarted the Proteas' vaunted pace attack. They'd torn through a batting lineup that had been touted as the tournament's best. Their fielding was sharp. Captain MS Dhoni's leadership was supreme. The fans rejoiced.
And when it was over, the margin read 130 runs.
"India get their groove back," wrote ESPN Cricinfo's Sambit Bal. A "complete performance," Dhoni said.
It propelled India to the top of Pool B in the World Cup—a position they've remained in since, with crushing wins over the United Arab Emirates, the West Indies and Ireland following the opening triumphs over Pakistan and South Africa.
Dhoni's men now top our World Cup power rankings. They look like one of the teams to beat. Perhaps the team.
And they've got that swagger about them. They're carrying themselves like champions.
Not bad for a team that went winless for the three months prior.
Adelaide has often been a venue to look forward to for travelling Indian teams. Compared with other Australian grounds, the pitch isn't fearsome, the atmosphere isn't raucous and the runs normally flow.
In Adelaide, it's just a different sort of environment. One that's less intimidating. For India, a perfect place to start a Test series.
Of course, this wasn't a normal Test. It was a rescheduled one. An emotional one. A moving one.
The world of cricket was still reeling from the tragic death of Phillip Hughes. And Australia, still grieving, were vulnerable, particularly with Hughes' Test number, 408, painted on the outfield as a giant reminder.
Indeed, the home side's emotional state should have represented a weakness, a distraction. India had an incredible opportunity to land an early blow, if only they could focus their energy on doing the little things well with the ball: no freebies, hit the top of off-stump, mount some pressure.
Simple stuff, really.
Instead, Varun Aaron's first over was a mess. David Warner thrashed away. Three fours came. Fourteen runs were conceded.
Warner followed up by giving Shami the same treatment in the next over. And to Aaron again in the next.
Too short, too full, too wide.
After four overs, Australia had reached 40. And they'd faced just one bouncer—the sort of delivery that carried extra significance for this Test.
If a pressure valve existed, it had been completely released.
India had one major advantage on the opening morning in the form of emotional clarity and had essentially given that advantage away inside 20 minutes.
"India's bowling plans go awry," wrote ESPN Cricinfo's Sidharth Monga afterwards. They certainly did. Australia made 517 for seven.
And India lost.
There's always been a view in Australia that if you bowl at 135 kph or less, you need to be able to do something pretty special with the ball.
In other parts of the world, it's not necessarily true. But in Australia, it is—do little with it at 135 and you're going to go the journey.
In Brisbane, India, after posting 408 under the baking sun in the first innings, had Australia reeling at 247 for six. Brad Haddin has just been dismissed after some excellent bowling by Ishant Sharma and Aaron. Not long before, they'd gotten rid of Mitchell Marsh, too.
The recipe had been straightforward: no freebies, hit the top of off-stump, mount some pressure. Exactly what they hadn't managed in Adelaide.
Additionally, Ishant and Aaron had worked nicely in a partnership: the former providing the nagging line, the latter supplying the pace.
Then Mitchell Johnson walked in. Aaron bounced him. Umesh Yadav bounced him. Ishant, presented with Australia's hostile left-armer, wanted to join in, despite the earlier success of line and length.
The result? Four. Four. Four. Three.
Nothing special at 135 kph.
Johnson made 88. Australia made 505. Neither should have happened. But India allowed it. Just like they had in Adelaide, they'd kicked away their own initiative.
Then they let their displeasure at practice facilities destroy their will.
And India lost.
India probably didn't want to return to Brisbane. Once they'd made an official statement with regard to the practice pitches there, they probably would have liked to banish their memories of the Gabba.
But they couldn't. They had to meet England in one of those awkward triangular series games that don't seem to matter because the home team isn't involved.
The occasion seemed insignificant. The crowd was practically non-existent. And India didn't seem to care—it wasn't their sort of stage.
So they capitulated, ignoring all the fundamentals of batting in Brisbane.
Dhawan feathered one to Jos Buttler. Kohli did what you don't do at the Gabba and tried to glide the ball to third man off the back foot. It cost him. Ditto for Ambati Rayudu.
Rahane threw it away. So did Suresh Raina. Stuart Binny top scored. And India were bowled out for 153 inside 40 overs, as Steven Finn grabbed five for 33. The same Steven Finn who conceded 49 runs in two overs against New Zealand.
England then smashed them everywhere. The same England that was bowled out for 123 by New Zealand.
And India lost.
India are 83 without loss. Dhawan and Rahane are looking good on a difficult pitch against England in Perth. They aren't cruising by any stretch, but the platform is there.
Though the Indians are winless on tour thus far, this looks like an opportunity to get into the triangular series final after being gifted a point in Sydney thanks to rain.
Then Dhawan falls, nicking one to the keeper as usual. But no problem, Kohli is on hand to build on the start.
He's circumspect early on. Watchful. Minimising risk.
Then he holes out to long-off. Suddenly, 83 without loss is 103 for two.
Then it's 165 for nine, the scores from Kohli down to No. 10 reading: eight, one, 12, 17, seven, five, one, seven.
And Finn is at it again. Yep, that same Finn.
And India lose.
India have just been mauled by Australia in Adelaide in their first World Cup warm-up game. They've conceded 371. Lost by 106.
Warner has just smashed 104. Glenn Maxwell needed only 57 balls for 122.
Shami has conceded 83 runs in just over nine overs. Mohit Sharma has conceded 62 in six. Axar Patel has been scorched for 47 in five. And Ravindra Jadeja has gone for 19 in two.
By any measure, India are a mess.
Dhoni's response? "There were plenty of positives in the game," he said ever so predictably, appearing to be oblivious to his team's dire form. Though it's the ultimate cliche, it's Dhoni's go-to line.
Later, Satish Acharya of ESPN Cricinfo made a cartoon titled, "Plenty of positives."
Around the same time, Daniel Brettig of the same outlet asked: "India: brought to boil or barbecued?"
Monga added: "Conditions shrink India's chances."
Here at Bleacher Report, Rob Lancaster wrote: "Lethargic India look ill-equipped to defend World Cup."
India, stood there in Adelaide—the place where the team's whole quest in Australia had started—were still winless after more than two months on Australian soil.
Everything seemed lost.
"India are Box Office," roared Michael Vaughan, after Dhoni's men had destroyed South Africa.
Crisp with the bat. Focused with the ball. Sharp in the field.
India were suddenly electric.
Less than two weeks later, with the defending champions sitting atop Pool B ahead of a clash with the West Indies, ESPN Cricinfo's Abhishek Purohit wrote: "Dominant India in need of a challenge."
If India can't find that challenge in the form of their opponents, they'll find it in trying to explain their own turnaround.
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