Australia In India: Questions in the middle of the BIG series

Where is the series headed?

It pretty much looks like humiliation for Australia and unlike when India lose, Australia don't even get into denial mode, so there's that much less to make fun of. If Gautam Gambhir were in the Australian team, he would have issued the 2015 threat, right after the first test and we would have known David Warner and Shane Watson's average strike rate in the IPL.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is now the winning-est Indian captain. Is he also the best?

When Sachin Tendulkar was approaching his 50th Test 100 and later his 100th International, he kept saying 'Its just another 100'. His celebrations on reaching  his 50th 100,in  a Test which India lost was pretty revolting and betrayed the 'just another 100' remark. Similarly, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has suggested that the team does not think in terms of wins by captains and that this is all hype. 

It is quite disappointing that India's cricketers themselves are incapable to putting in perspective their own achievements. One can only wonder and speculate why they do that. Why is a Dhoni incapable of giving a coherent response to what he thinks his achievement means in the context of Indian cricket?

All of them approach questions thinking that there is a right and wrong answer and they don't want to get into trouble with anyone by giving a wrong answer, so the strategy they employ is to ridicule the question. Its worked for decades; so why change?

Who is a better bowler Vernon Philander or Ravichandran Ashwin?

ESPN takes a unwarranted dig at
Sachin Tendulkar

If you judge them by their wicket taking ability then clearly there is reason to get excited. No other pair in history has started their careers in such prolific manner. Between them they average 5.7 wickets per Test with not much separating them. However, neither has dismissed Sachin Tendulkar even once so neither can be considered much of bowler anyways. 

(If you are wondering what we are blabbering check out the image)

Has India turned the corner with these 2 Tests?

Most certainly. At Hyderabad, two young Indian batsmen scored 100s. No one from the media sought them for questions on Sachin Tendulkar. In the Indian sports setup, to achieve something and not be asked questions about Sachin, not having Sachin congratulate them, not thanking Sachin for his role in influencing those achievements had never happened before Hyderabad. I think its a big step in the right direction for India

Is this the worst Australian Team to visit India?

Yes. Ravi Shastri has said so without his ego being under the influence of IPL induced intoxication. So it must be true. Kim Hughes Australian team that visited in the late 70s/early 80s might come close.

And what of Ravindra Jadeja?

If any team thinks that they absolutely need to have a player like him in the side like India does, I would say, the ICC should revoke the team's Test status. But India is winning and he is taking wickets and the ICC is in subservience to the BCCI. So we will just shut up and grin and bear. Not before suggesting however, that once India finds a performing batsman at number 4, they won't need a Ravindra Jadeja. 

Is there any way for Australia to come back?

India's template to win is always based on scoring runs. Their bowlers, however strong, have always needed the cushion of runs to win matches, home or away. Australia will have to find a way to get India out, more than they need to find a way to look less bemused against spin, which also undeniably is a tough ask. I think, in short, based on evidence its a 0-4 wash with another 10 Tests against England. Things don't look good for Australia.

Can anything go wrong for India?

Yes, if the selectors expand the reservation quota for seniors from 33% to 50%. India can carry Sehwag and Sachin and still win but if Gambhir walks in then it will be tough. 

Does this series add anything to the legend of the Border-Gavaskar trophy?

I think, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's double hundred does add a dimension to it. It was one of a kind, certainly. It also adds to an already rich set of achievements for Dhoni. In a land of batting captains, it took a wicket keeper to become the only Indian captain to score a double hundred in a winning cause. And even when you  consider other teams, no wicket-keeping captain has won a Test match for his country with a double hundred.