Published: Feb 01, 2016, 08:00 AM (IST)
Edited: Feb 01, 2016, 10:27 AM (IST)
Despite their gradual dip towards the end of the last decade, Australia have once again regained their dominance in Tests and One-Day Internationals (ODIs). Not only are they ranked No.1 in ODIs and No.2 in Tests, but Australia have dominated these formats thoroughly for a very long time now. Legends have come and gone; Australia are going through a transition phase once again; and like every previous occasion, there is no doubt they will emerge on the top. However, the same nation which hosts one of grandest T20 leagues— the Big Bash League (BBL) — have never exhibited similar skills in T20 Internationals (T20Is). The likes of David Warner, Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner, Mitchell Starc and others stars of Indian Premier League (IPL) and other T20 leagues are yet to scale the same heights to raise the bar for Australia in T20Is. The inevitable whitewash against India in three-match T20I series was another result for the Australians in this format, writes Sakshi Gupta. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs Australia, 3rd T20I at Sydney
Try saying that Australia never take their T20Is seriously, and you will probably face the argument that they host BBL, one of the biggest T20 leagues across the globe. BBL features some of the best cricketers from all countries (barring, of course, India). Three of the top five run-scorers of BBL 2016 played in the series against India. Australia’s T20I skipper Aaron Finch was the third highest run-scorer of BBL with 1,207 runs from 32 matches. The other huge names in the league are Shaun Marsh (1,127 runs from 25 matches) and Chris Lynn (1,103 from 39).
Did their form in BBL help Australia in series against India? Barring Finch, the other two did not make an impact with the bat. Talking about bowlers who bagged their T20I debuts this series on the basis of their recent BBL performances, neither of them was effective at international level. Both India and Australia had inexperienced bowling attacks, and eventually it was proved that Australia’s was the weaker one!
Scott Boland, who made news for his spells for Melbourne Stars in BBL, went wicket-less in the two T20Is he played against India. Andrew Tye was another example. He had 29 wickets from 29 matches for Perth Scorchers, and was a part of their title-winning squad. Tye was included in the final two matches for Australia in Melbourne and Sydney. After bagging the crucial wicket of MS Dhoni at MCG, he went wicketless in the final match and got hit around by the Suresh Raina and others. READ: Yuvraj Singh exorcises the ghosts of ICC World T20 2014 final
Cameron Boyce had 37 scalps for Adelaide Strikers at of 19.59, and yet failed miserably in this series. His Indian counterparts, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, were key to India’s success in the series. While the Australians have fared well in the T20 leagues, it is difficult to understand why they cannot create the same impact in the international level.
Since 2005, Australia have played a total of 81 T20Is, where they have registered only 40 wins, lost 38 and tied 2. In terms of win-loss percentage, Australia are only above West Indies and Bangladesh. These figures highlight the miserable situation of Australia in the T20Is. They have won the 50-over World Cup a record five times and are yet to win a World T20 since its inception in 2007. Of the five World Cups played so far, Australia have managed to make it to the semi-final only once, in 2010. Australia even made it to the final thanks to Michael Hussey’s heroics, but eventually England defeated them in the final to take the 2010’s ICC World T20 in West Indies.
Of 25 matches played in the World T20, Australia have finished on the winning side only 14 times (mind you, this includes matches against minnows). In the last three editions, they have not even made it to the semi-final. READ: India have found their ideal T20I combination ahead of ICC World T20 2016
The worst part about the 0-3 defeat to India is the fact that it came at home. It did not come as a shock. Australia have played 27 T20Is at home, winning 17, which is nowhere close to what their numbers in Tests and ODIs have been.
Australia are yet to win a T20I in India, the country which is set to host the T20 World Cup, the only trophy which Australia does not have it on their team cabinets. It is surprising that a side that boasts of the likes of Warner, Smith, Faulkner, Starc, Finch, Maxwell and many other T20 specialists does not dominate T20 cricket at the highest level.
(Sakshi Gupta, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a sports fanatic whose mantra in life is “do only what you enjoy.” Her Twitter handle is @sakshi2929)
