Is Australia being brilliant or India just downright woeful?

Source: Amy Rathbone

Australia have turned full circle from their humiliating loss to New Zealand and sealed the Border-Gavaskar trophy, three nil, by shellacking India within three days at the WACA. Having last summer lost the Ashes, the new-look Australian side has made a great impression lately. But is it Australia being brilliant or India being downright woeful that has lead to such a gaping abyss separating the sides?

Michael Clarke's men have outplayed India in every single facet over the past two tests. While there was somewhat of a contest at the 'G', that all seems lost in the propetual rubbish that India has tried to pass as test match cricket since then. The Aussie bowling attack has been clinical in dissecting the Indian order and at least one batsman has managed to guide Australia to a total in each innings. On the bright side, India now have an extra two and a half free days to practice their go-carting.

As if it weren't bad enough for India that they have lost the test series in an emphatic three nil fashion, they will also be without captain MS Dhoni for the final test in Adelaide. Dhoni has been suspended because India failed to maintain the required over rate throughout the Perth test. Yet another example of Dhoni's shambolic test captaincy. If he didn't just let Australia bend them over and have their way with India, he also did it with a slow over rate. If history was anything to go by, you couldn't be blamed for thinking the BCCI will demand he be allowed to play or they'll boycott the remainder of the series. Nonetheless, I'm sure the Aussie's wouldn't mind.

Added controversies were never far away in the lead up to the third test either. Whether it be Sharma flipping fans the bird, the heated banter between Haddin and Khan--Haddin proved right in his assessment of India's batting lineup fragility and Khan was correct that Haddin can neither bat nor catch--or the test match eve drinks on the pitch by ground staff. I'm just waiting for the latter to be blamed for India's demise by their own media. David Warner had no qualms with a few beers and a casual sit on the pitch the night before he bludgeoned 180 of the most entertaining runs seen this summer.

On another note, the test ranking system is obviously flawed. India, the world number two, has lost its past seven consecutive tests on foreign soil. They've been made to look like amateurs on any pitch with an inkling of bounce or a touch of pace. The DRS has been on topic this summer too, especially with India not allowing its use. I think it's time the ICC grew a spine and stopped being the BCCI's mistress. I thought Sachin Tendulkar's disgust at his so-called 'controversial' dismissal was shambolic. Once again, if the ICC are to maintain their dignity, Tendulkar should have been fined or reprimanded for dissent. No Australian has behaved in such a manner in the series. Even when Hussey copped a potential career ending howler, his displeasure at the decision was in no way directed at the umpire.

From the series thus far, I have constructed three deep and insightful observations; Number one: India's ancient batting lineup need to move into the retirement village. They have been rolled aside six times with ease by an inexperienced attack and have showed little hope of resurrecting their once great form. India need to begin introducing the next generation of batsman to test cricket. Number two: Australia aren't as bad as we all thought; Clarke has showed why he deserves the captaincy and the revitalised bowling attack has been inspirational. And number three: as Ian Healy and Joe the cameraman showed us, segways can be hazardous to your health.

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