By Liam McCullagh ACS Journalism Scholar (mentored by The Footy Almanac‘s John Harms).
Twelve months ago, this summer’s Australia vs India Test series looked like a preview to the World Test Championship final, however the two world beating teams full of world class players have recently not lived up to lofty standards set by themselves.
India is fresh off losing a home Test series 3-0 to New Zealand, and after losing an ODI series to Pakistan, Australia’s red-ball team hasn’t played since early March against New Zealand. Seemingly what 5 years ago was each team’s strength – batting depth – has become its weakness.
India’s two superstars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been down on form recently, with Rohit named as an out for the First Test of the series in Perth due to personal reasons. It’s a big series for the Captain as he only averages 31 on Australian soil from 14 innings, and in 2024 he has averaged 29.4 from 21 innings. Kohli on the other hand has averaged 22.7 this year from 12 innings, and he has only scored two 100s since 2020. It does scare me though. If ever there was a place or a time for Kohli to return to form, it would be against Australia, in Australia. India will also look to replace Shubman Gill at the top of the order as he misses the First Test with a broken thumb.
Australia will get its first glance at life post-David Warner as Nathan McSweeney opens the batting but there are further questions to be asked. Who is the next opener once the now 37-year-old Usman Khawaja departs? Sam Konstas’ start to his First-Class career has looked promising and he looks like he will be in the next Ashes side.
While both sides look equally frail with the bat, the bowling looks like it is going to be unreal. Australia gets its band of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon back together, however they are missing the all-rounder in Green through Injury. India has pace duo Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj who are sure to cause headaches with the new ball, and spin twins, in Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin who always cause trouble in Australian conditions.
It’s a big summer for former Australian captain Steve Smith. The 35-year-old isn’t getting any younger, and after a short-lived stint opening the batting, and a rough start to the Sheffield Shield season (scores of 3 and fourth-ball duck), it will not be easygoing for Smith against a fiery Indian attack. After reaching Bradman-esque heights in his 2019 Ashes return (which was 5, nearly 6, years ago), Smith has failed to get back to those lofty standards. Since 2020, Smith has scored 2521 runs at an average of 45.01, which is still very good, but well below his test average of 56.97, which at one stage was above 60. Six hundred’s in 4 years of cricket was not the Steve Smith we became accustomed to during 2013-2017 when he scored 23 in a five-year period. If Australia is to beat India, Smith has to be back to his absolute best, something cricket fans haven’t seen for 5 years.
It’s a massive summer of cricket, and one I can’t wait to watch. The two teams that still seem the most invested in Test cricket, despite recent results and the lack of red ball games. India looking to win their third successive series in Australia and rectify their historic home series loss to New Zealand, while the Aussies are searching for redemption against a side that has previously had the wood over them.
It all kicks off November 22 at Optus Stadium, and what a spectacle it will be.
Australian Cricket Society’s literary scholar Liam McCullagh is mentored by writer John Harms. His pieces are also published at www.footyalmanac.com.au .