Driven by determination!

The Perth Test is barely two days old. Yet, the Indian team that looked uncertain and tentative v NZ appear to have put that away as a bad dream and are waking up to a new dawn in Oz

India's fabulous comeback in the Perth Test match shows the determination that this team possesses. The Test is barely two days old, yet this team that looked uncertain and tentative against New Zealand, appears to have put that away as a bad dream and are waking up to a new dawn. The inspiration for this has come from Jasprit Bumrah. Captaining the side in the absence of Rohit Sharma, he has taken calls that have shown his confidence in his batting unit. Despite being a fast bowler himself, he wasn’t tempted to field first as there was quite a healthy grass cover on the pitch. Instead, he opted to bat, first telling his batters that despite their lack of runs against New Zealand, he expected them to get over it and make a contribution. The batters tried in the first innings, but it was an uphill battle as the pitch held too many surprises and the Australian fast bowlers used it smartly to restrict the total to 150. That early dismissal turned out to be a blessing in disguise as Bumrah, along with his fast bowling partners Mohd Siraj and Harshit Rana, could still use the pitch to push Australia into a corner.

Pitch easing up

There was some resistance the next morning from Starc and Hazlewood, but that also showed that the pitch was easing up. Then, the heavy roller used by Bumrah made the pitch lose a lot of its sting and so the openers could ease themselves after a testing opening spell from Starc, Cummins and 
Hazlewood and score much more freely as they settled in. Taking the lead however big or small was also a psychological boost to the team.
India will need to set more than 350 to chase for the Aussies as the pitch will get a bit more easier for the Aussies too. Not having Jadeja or Ashwin may be a factor if Bumrah can’t effect the early breaks as he did in the first innings. While the pitch may not turn square, it will still help the spinners a bit. Then with the heat of Perth, it’s impossible for the fast bowlers to bowl long spells. There could be a partnership too and so one of them to support Washington Sundar would have been perfect.

Also Read: India's Jasprit Bumrah Test bowling average features among best of all time

Big bucks and quick fame

The IPL auction will change the fortunes of some players who will not only become millionaires but also become known outside their local neighbourhoods. The T20 leagues that each State organises has made some players look better than they actually are. With boundaries that are nowhere near what you get at international grounds and bowling which is mediocre, some of these batters look world beaters. They get picked for crores which is of course their good luck, but they get found out pretty quickly in the hard ultra competitive IPL. Very few come through, but one cameo somewhere keeps them in the eye of the bidders and once the crores are made, the ambition usually dies and a player who could otherwise, with a bit of hard work, make a good cricketing career, gets lost to the game. That said, it is not their fault that they get picked for multiple times their base price and good luck to them.

Also Read: From intimidation to admiration, Perth crowd embraces Indian Test team

There was some loose talk here in Australia as to why the auction is being held in the middle of the first Test match. What these people forget is that it is the owners of the franchises who are busy people and who would prefer to have the auction on a Sunday so that they can get back to their business on Monday. BCCI would naturally care about looking at what is convenient for them rather than what some Australian and English employees of the franchises want.

Another message sent by BCCI is that they will go with what is convenient to Indian cricket and their stakeholders than for those who have no business to poke their noses in Indian cricket. Well done, BCCI.

Professional Management Group

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