After a win, even black curtains acquire a sheen of mystique, Virat Kohli is resurrected as the lording maestro and England get told how to learn real Bazballing from India.
Here’s a collection of praise showered on Indians post their 295-run victory by the cricketing ecosystem:
‘When comfortable, Kohli is a force of nature.’
– Kerry O’Keeffe
The former Australian international spinner speaking on Fox, reckoned Virat Kohli settling into a rhythm could prove ominous for Australia. “He will hurt Australia,” O’Keefe declared.
Wow words: “(Kohli) He’s a player who, once he assesses that conditions are his way, he’s such a competitor, and he’ll get on pitches throughout the series (that) he will say, ‘This is my pitch. This is my day,’. And he’ll hurt Australia. Australia will want him batting after 8.30pm at night in the pink ball Test. If he bats in the daytime, and India bowl at night, with Jasprit Bumrah after 8.30pm … anything could happen. When Kohli is comfortable in the conditions, he’s a force of nature. You almost sensed that there was so much seam and movement on day one, he was vulnerable. But he knew in the dugout waiting to bat when Jaiswal and Rahul were batting, that the pitch had settled down (and) there was not the same sideways movement, and you could almost see his moment ticking over. ‘I’ll get runs here,’. And so it came to pass.”
Bumrah the Game Changer! 🎯🔥
Jasprit Bumrah’s fiery spells lit up the 1st Test, leading India to a commanding victory! Watch every wicket from his match-winning performance. 🏏💥
📺 #AUSvINDOnStar 👉 2nd Test, FRI, DEC 6, 8 AM onwards! | #AUSvIND #ToughestRivalry pic.twitter.com/y3fCoMbmOp
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) November 26, 2024
“India provided a great lesson to England in how to play in Australia. “
– Michael Vaughan
The former English captain gushed about how Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli, despite being good white ball cricketers, showed application in dealing with Australia and reckoned it was instructional for England’s aggro-fixated Bazballers, wiriting in The Telegraph. “An education for England’s batsmen who play only one way…” he stressed.
“After being bowled out for 150 on the first day, they provided a great lesson in how to play here. Perth has huge boundaries and a very slow outfield. It’s great to be flamboyant and aggressive, but you’ve also got to be able to defend and leave the ball. Soak up certain spells or tactics from the Australians. That is exactly what Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul did in the opening partnership, and Virat Kohli did later. All three of them are great white-ball players but had strong defences to the very best balls of Australia’s big three, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. That is what you need in Australia. It was an education for England’s batsmen, who often play only one way – attacking. You are allowed to let one through to the keeper.”
“Jaiswal appears poised to inherit the mantle of Indian batting excellence.”
– Greg Chappell
The Aussie great and coaching guru writing in Sydney Morning Herald gushed over the Indian batsmen, and said it was “frightening” – the quality of players waiting in the Indian wings.
“Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul capitalised (on a less treacherous pitch) making the Australian bowlers look ordinary. Rahul’s quality is well-known, but Jaiswal is an emerging superstar. The young opener is fearless and appears poised to inherit the mantle of Indian batting excellence, following the likes of Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar…
2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣8️⃣ 🤝🏻 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣4️⃣
16 years later, #TeamIndia brings back the magic, scripting yet another historic triumph in Perth! ✨
WATCH #AUSvINDonStar 2nd TEST 👉 FRI, 6th DEC, 8 AM onwards only on Star Sports Network pic.twitter.com/c0mdHcZolw
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) November 25, 2024
It is frightening to think that spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, who have more than 850 wickets between them, along with batters Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will most likely come in to strengthen the Indian Team for Adelaide. Mohammed Shami, with 229 Test wickets to his credit, is in the wings as well.”
“Indians locking out public from training sessions… created area of excitement which we haven’t normally had.”
– Mike McKenna
Arriving with a 0-3 drubbing pasted on their backs, the Indians had spent their first few days in Perth, shielded from public glare by wrapping their facility in black curtains. Post their win, as close to 36,000 turned up to watch the opening Test, Perth Stadium chief executive Mike McKenna said fans had “voted with their bums and feet” talking to Fox, and the Indians keeping media and public at bay with hidden training sessions, had proved to be a “gamechanger” as it created unprecedented excitement.
Several Aussies staying in nearby high-rises watching Indian training sessions had been interviewed by the press, but it was the packed stadia that had McKenna pleased.
“We had the Indians seeming to be locking the media out and the public out of their training, and that whole thing created an area of excitement which we haven’t normally had. Generally, the teams come a day or so before. You don’t see much of them. The game is on and that’s the first time people are even aware that there’s a Test match being played, so this is a real game changer.”
Aussie Rants
While Indians were praised, the brickbats rained down on the Aussies, by the Aussies, for the Aussies.
“The (spotlight) will shine on the Australian top order if they’re not scoring any runs in the next couple of Test matches.”
– David Warner, despite being supportive of the Top 6, said the glare on failing batsmen could get piercing in coming days.
***
“Well, I have been critical of it for a while. That hour leading into tea (on Day 2) I just thought they looked like they were going through the motions. It’s unacceptable really. It’s day two of an important series (between) Australia and India.”
– Former Test opener Greg Blewett had torn into the team’s body language when commentating for Channel Seven.
***
“I’m not willing to jump at shadows just yet…. The Australian batting order has had one innings. Yes, they didn’t perform as well as they would have liked… I’m willing to just wait, be patient and see and make more of a judgement after three Test matches…. But the Australian public don’t like the Australian team getting beaten, and beaten badly.”
– Mr Cricket Michael Hussey though, not willing to dunk this team just yet, but warned that the air was grim.
***
“I can’t understand (that) if Mitchell Marsh takes a couple of wickets in the first innings, why doesn’t he bowl a lot more … why are we bowling Marnus and Head if he’s your all-rounder? They’re worried about him getting injured …All that great planning around his bowling, what a waste. If you need to bowl the guy right now, mate, and if it means you’re bowling till you’re in the ground, you bowl; win this test. It was like we just expected to knock India over again for not many – there was no intent. They were right in our faces, but I didn’t see any of our bowlers give it to any (India) batsmen … it all looked a bit flat for the first Test of the summer. Boys, stop preparing for 2030 — because you mightn’t get there.”
– Michael Clarke talking to Sky Sports’ Big Sports Breakfast, was livid even a day later about Mitchell Marsh not bowling more in the second innings.
***
“Australia’s team is an ageing one – at 32, it is on average six years older than the Indian side. While our bowling unit remains a strength, the batting lineup is starting to look fragile. Worse still, there is no immediate queue of skilled batsmen knocking on George Bailey’s door.”
– Greg Chappell, writing in Sydney Morning Herald, worried for an ageing team. He himself is 76, and the old gaffer is acutely concerned about age as a factor in cricket.
