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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.

Source: Getty Images

No one can question Clarke's desire to see Australia win

Clarke celebrates his century
Source: Getty Images-ESPN Cricinfo

Michael Clarke has lead Australia to five victories, made his highest ever score and inspired a bunch of new faces to perform superbly, since taking command of the Australian test side. In my eyes, his newly established reign as captain, has been the catalyst for a wave of exciting cricket and the beginning of a fantastic new era in the Australian team.

Clarke's promotion to captain has seen him lead the team in nine test matches thus far. The Australians have been able to win five of these and lose just two. having inherited a decaying Australian squad with new, raw and exuberant youth, these results are quite extraordinary. Wins over Sri Lanka on a turning dusty track, South Africa away from home and two convincing victories over the world number two, India, have all been highlights thus far.

Unlike his predecessors, Clarke has been required to lead a team without any serious contenders for a place in a hypothetical world XI. Ponting had himself, Warne, Hayden and McGrath at the peaks of their powers and merely had to tell them when to bowl and construct a batting order. Clarke on the other hand, has needed to be inventive, unorthodox and proactive in his captaincy.

Clarke has turned Michael Hussey's gentle medium pace bowling, into a golden arm, partnership breaking strike weapon. He's demonstrated great confidence in himself to bowl to, and dismiss, Sachin Tendulkar. He has rotated his quick bowlers intelligently and never allowed the pace of the game to be dictated by an opponent. Across all captaincy criteria, he has succeeded and lead the side admirably.

It seems that the increased responsibility has added an additional dimension to Clarke's game as a batsman. Since becoming full-time captain, he has scored 902 test runs at an average of 64.42. As captain, once he has passed a score of 30, he has only been dismissed for less than 100 on two occasions, one of those a gutsy 60 in difficult conditions. Now that he has the role as leader, it would appear he knows that if he gets his eye in, he must convert his innings into big scores and lead by example. When Michael Clarke, captain of Australia, is set at the crease, look out bowlers, he won't be an easy wicket by any means.

Clarke has often been criticised for only being able to make big scores once a large platform had already been laid. However, since taking over the job as commander and chief, Clarke has produced some superb knocks while under pressure. Many of his early test centuries were made after the top order had already plundered the bowling attack, but since becoming the boss, he has responded to pressure with four test centuries.

Clarke's 60 in his first match as captain, was the steel that held Australia's second innings together. On a dusty pitch in Sri Lanka, Clarke displayed great determination to stay at the crease and was surprisingly confident in his stroke-play. The innings was complimented as having been worth 100 because the pitch was so tough to bat on.

In Capetown, Clarke came to the crease with the score at 3-40, he went on to play a blinding innings of 151 under tremendous pressure and built a solid first innings lead for Australia. Despite losing the game by so much, his innings was a certain highlight in a superb test match.

At 3-91, the new Australian captain came to the crease for his first test as official leader in Australia and struck 139 runs at the Gabba. His innings featured some luck, after being recalled, having been bowled on a no-ball. But if there's something Clarke has brought to the team, it is the determination to make the most of any opportunity you get, including second chances.

And last, but certainly not least, the score was 3-37 when Michael Clarke made his way to the center of the Sydney Cricket Ground. For the next 609 minutes, Clarke made his home ground his own. He was unstoppable on his way to an unbeaten 329 which broke records and set up a spectacularly convincing Australian win.

If Clarke's leadership does not waver, he will certainly become one of Australia's greatest captains ever. His 'put the team first' attitude has already drawn praise, and while some of his press room comments may seem somewhat scripted to gain public popularity, no one can question his desire to see Australia win. While he may not be Australia's best batsman, toughest cricketer or most charismatic individual, he certainly has drive and a passion to give his new role his all and so far you cannot fault his efforts.

Michael Clarke celebrates after dismissing Sachin Tendulkar at the SCG
Source: Nathan Kiely

A day at the cricket

Source: Amy Rathbone

Michael Clarke took the vital wicket of Sachin Tendulkar to secure himself as man of the match 

Source: Amy Rathbone

Good luck with that pal

Source: Amy Rathbone

Source: Amy Rathbone

Source: Amy Rathbone

Boo! Kill joys.

And that's the match

There is far more room for improvement

There has been plenty of ranting and raving about the rejuvenated Australian bowling attack. A firing Peter Siddle and new found length inspired by bowling coach, Craig McDermott are being praised for recent wins. Despite all this, I still have my doubts about the strength and form of the Aussie quicks.

Since finding his way back into the side in South Africa, Siddle has taken 19 wickets at an average of 27.32. Admirable no doubt, but when we take a deeper look, his form is not as great as initially thought. During this period, the remainder of the Australian attack has managed an average of 23.15 with the ball. This highlights the bowler friendly wickets Siddle has had at his disposal, and when you look at the figures, he hasn't been on par with his fellow bowlers.

The talk of the new length being bowled by Australia is also unfounded. It doesn't take a scientist to observe the pitch map and see that all of the bowlers are still bowling 'back of a length'. While this has been highly effective on seaming bouncy tracks, it will only take one flat batting pitch for the Australian attack to crumble. Poor batting and juicy wickets have had a larger factor in the Australian bowler's recent success than the length they've bowled.

Ben Hilfenhaus came back into the side from the cricketing wilderness and walked away with the impressive figures of 5/75. However, many of his wickets were less convincing than one might have thought. His first was essentially Gambhir getting himself out and many others fell in a similar vein. Hilfenhaus may have taken his best test figures in the match, but I believe he is still a long way from his finest. By no means do I call for his dropping from the side, I merely mean to keep the journalists who praise these players so blindly, as honest as possible.

Furthermore, there are left-field calls for changes to the side. To play four fast-bowlers and leave out Lyon at the expense of Harris. While Harris should certainly be a walk-in back into the Australian team, a more appropriate player to leave out would be Siddle, or if the Australian selection panel are serious about their rotation policy, they should be brave enough to rest James Pattinson. After all, isn't the reason for their rotation policy, to protect the younger players from burnout?

There remains much to ponder, and that's without even mentioning the batting. While there is no question that the future looks up for the Australian side, there is far more room for improvement than the 'experts' are taking note of. Provided the Australian players, coaching staff and captain can see this, then the team will continue to improve and get on the move back towards number one.

A Peter Siddle short ball is upper-cut for six by Sachin Tendulkar

The big bash league so far

Stuart MacGill brought the intensity of his prime to the BBL

The Big Bash League has so far incited plenty of interest from myself. Originally I thought the BBL would be a flop and merely serve as a poor imitation of the IPL. However, I have so far been impressed. The matches have been exciting for the most part. Players have stood up and demonstrated some glorious performances with relevance to the state of the Australian side. Such performances have come in the way of Warner's hundred and Marsh's 99 not out. Let us also not forget the solid displays from some former greats. Warne, Hayden, Hogg, MacGill and co. have all shown glimpses of their prime and brought an intensity to the game many would not have anticipated.

So far I've enjoyed the exploits of the BBL. Hopefully it remains entertaining without it's Australian stars. 

What justification is there in calls for Hussey to go?

Talk of Michael Hussey being dropped are now rife following a less than impressive showing against New Zealand. The end of Hussey's career however, seems far away to me. Hussey was Australia's stand out performer in last summers Ashes, dominated in the Indian Premier League and not to mention his superb tour of Sri Lanka. 

In comparison to Ricky Ponting, who has only two notable scores of recent and no centuries this year, last year or the most of the year previous. What justification is there in calls for Hussey to go? Any cricketer will tell you that it's unfair to expect big scores all the time. A few short comings are far from proof that a batsman is past their best. 

Hussey has one of the best test records of any current Australian player and unlike Ponting, has scored five test hundreds in the past two years. The main thing that I believe separates Ponting and Hussey's cases, is the fact that when Ponting gets 'in', he still can't convert his score into a hundred. When Hussey gets going, he capitalises and can still score big.

I see no reason why Hussey cannot get back in his groove and continue to be one of Australia's best for the remainder of the summer, if not well into next year.