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India vs Australia, 2nd Test at Brisbane: India’s tail tales

While Australia has an advantage of 25 runs over its oppositions, India has a disadvantage of 18.

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India’s tail woes continue © Getty Images
India’s tail woes continue © Getty Images

The Indian tail crumbled yet again at The Gabba, while they let the Australian tail flourish. How bad are they when it comes to the tail? Abhishek Mukherjee tries to find out.

It happened again at The Gabba. The Indian Nos. 9, 10, and 11 — Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron, and Ishant Sharma — scored nine, four, and an unbeaten one. Their Australian counterparts — Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood — piled up 52, 23, and 32 not out. If there had been a score-line, it would have read Australia: 107, India: 14. The difference is too stark (no pun intended) to ignore.

India have been doubly poor when it has come to the tail: their tail have not been able to score substantially; and they have been unable to take wickets on a consistent basis. But how bad are they? What do numbers suggest? On the other hand, how good have Australia been? Let us find out.

Tail-enders (Nos. 9 to 11) in Test cricket; past five years (updated to third day’s play at The Gabba and Centurion)

  R Ave Runs / team innings
Australia 2,972 19.42 58
New Zealand 2,086 16.17 49
South Africa 1,637 15.59 47
England 2,495 15.03 45
West Indies 1,623 12.48 37
Sri Lanka 1,462 12.39 37
Bangladesh 1,171 12.07 36
India 1,775 10.63 32
Pakistan 1,318 10.3 31
Zimbabwe 526 8.77 26

Australia is substantially ahead of any other team (their tail scores 58 runs per innings), whereas India is eighth on the list (32 per innings), marginally ahead of any other team. In fact, Australia’s numbers are not very far away from double of India’s and Pakistan’s (31). Indeed, while the Australian tail has managed to impose them significantly on the opposition, the Indians have failed.

But what about bowling? How have the teams fared against the tail over the past five years? Is the difference between Australia and India as substantial?

Bowling sides against tail-enders (Nos. 9 to 11) in Test cricket; past five years (updated to third day’s play at The Gabba and Centurion)

R Ave Runs / team innings
Australia 2,044 11.17 34
New Zealand 1,334 11.81 35
Bangladesh 691 11.91 36
South Africa 1,673 11.95 36
Sri Lanka 1,404 12.88 39
England 2,914 14.08 42
Zimbabwe 552 14.15 42
West Indies 1,550 15.35 46
Pakistan 2,325 15.71 47
India 2,578 16.63 50

To cut things short, India (having conceded 50 runs per innings) have been the worst side over the past three years. Australia have been the best. Bangladesh (36) have been the surprise: they rank only below Australia (34) and New Zealand (35) when it comes to cleaning up the tail.

Let us, then, combine the tables and check the performances.

Ave Runs / team innings Ave Runs / team innings Difference (ave) Difference (runs/team innings)
Australia 19.42 58 11.17 34 8.26 25
New Zealand 16.17 49 11.81 35 4.37 13
South Africa 15.59 47 11.95 36 3.64 11
England 15.03 45 14.08 42 0.95 3
Bangladesh 12.07 36 11.91 36 0.16 0
Sri Lanka 12.39 37 12.88 39 -0.49 -1
West Indies 12.48 37 15.35 46 -2.86 -9
Zimbabwe 8.77 26 14.15 42 -5.39 -16
Pakistan 10.3 31 15.71 47 -5.41 -16
India 10.63 32 16.63 50 -6 -18

The difference tells the story. While Australia has an advantage of 25 runs over its oppositions, India has a disadvantage of 18. So, when Australia plays India, the difference should be expected to be substantial. The Gabba was not an exception. Indian fans should ideally have more to worry as the series unfolds, and in future.

(Abhishek Mukherjee is the Chief Editor and Cricket Historian at CricketCountry. He blogs here and can be followed on Twitter here.)

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