Coming on the back of a series win in Pakistan and a dominant win over Sri Lanka in the first Test, the Aussies were subjected to a thrashing by an innings and 39 runs in the second game. Captain Pat Cummins thinks this loss was a reality check to the Australian team aiming to improve in Asian conditions.
“Some batters went out with a really clear plan, and you just get a ball with your name on it earlier than you would’ve liked. It’s a good reality check for people touring over here that it’s really hard. So many positives out of last week, that we did find methods that work,”
he said, as per ESPNcricinfo.
Australia were served with two different pitches in two matches. While the first one turned from the day one, ending the match in two days, the second one was a more traditional wicket. Cummins stated that some of the inexperienced players in the team will take lessons out of it.
“I think half our batting line-up and half our bowling line-up hasn’t played a lot over here in the subcontinent.
So the experience on these two vastly different wickets [in the two Tests], I think we got a lot of lessons out of it to take to India next year.”
Cummins rued the missed opportunity in the morning session of day two, where Australia collapsed from 298/5 to 364 all-out and lost the last five wickets for just 35. Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith registered hundreds in the innings, but the Aussies missed out on a big total due to the collapse.
They were significantly worse in their second gig, getting rolled over in two sessions inside 41 overs. The opening duo of David Warner and Usman Khawaja put on a 49-run stand, but the floodgates opened soon, eventually getting bowled out for 151.
Australia have a Test series lined up in India in February next year. As for the World Test Championship, they sit at the second position with 70% points win percentage.
ICC World Test Championship 2021-2023
| # | Team | % | Points |
| 1 | South Africa | 71.43 | 60 |
| 2 | Australia | 70 | 84 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka | 54.17 | 52 |
| 4 | Pakistan | 52.38 | 44 |
| 5 | India | 52.08 | 75 |
| 6 | West Indies | 50 | 54 |
| 7 | England | 33.33 | 64 |
| 8 | New Zealand | 25.93 | 28 |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 13.33 | 16 |
