Ahead of India’s tour of Australia next month, the team’s recent performance has become a hot topic, especially after their collapse in the Bengaluru Test against New Zealand, where they were bowled out for a mere 46 runs. This disappointing display has provided ample fodder for the Australian media, who wasted no time in mocking India, linking this failure to their infamous 36-run all-out debacle in the 2021 Adelaide Test. Cricket Australia’s media handle posted on social media, “Is all-out 46 the new all-out 36?” and accompanied the post with a video of the Adelaide Test, where India suffered a heavy defeat.
India’s performance in the Bengaluru Test was dismal, to say the least. Captain Rohit Sharma’s decision to bat first after winning the toss backfired spectacularly, as the Indian batsmen crumbled like a deck of cards in overcast conditions. Five top-order batsmen, including Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin, failed to even open their accounts. The only notable contributions came from Rishabh Pant, who scored 20 runs, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who managed 13. Other key players like Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah were dismissed cheaply, adding to India’s woes.
Australian media has seized this opportunity to troll the Indian team ahead of their much-anticipated tour, but history suggests India has the resilience to bounce back from such setbacks. In 2021, after being bowled out for just 36 runs in Adelaide, India staged a remarkable comeback, winning the series 2-1. Now, once again, India will head to Australia with the aim of securing a historic third consecutive Test series win Down Under.
Australia, on the other hand, has been unable to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for some time, and rather than focusing on their on-field performance, the Australian media has turned to trolling India over their recent failures. These mind games appear to be aimed at putting psychological pressure on the Indian team. However, India’s track record shows that they have the strength to rise above such tactics and perform under pressure. As the team gears up to complete a hat-trick of series wins in Australia, it remains to be seen whether these media jabs will have any real impact on the determined Indian squad.
