Not beating India since 2014 is a blot on their record, though. It is extraordinary that Australia failed to win the last series at home, especially after they bowled India out for 36 in the first Test. It was more understandable that they lost in 2018-19, when David Warner and Steve Smith were on the naughty step.
It is difficult to read too much into form because Australia have not played a Test since March, and India cancelled their warm-up match.
But Australia’s batting has been shaky for a while, and is likely to struggle against Jasprit Bumrah and, when he is back, Shami, so a lot hinges on how they manage their bowlers. Last year, they backed the big three quicks to play all five Tests. In the fifth, West Indies’ Shamar Joseph ran riot. Everyone was talking about him, but Australia’s problem had actually been that the bowlers looked tired and could not bowl the West Indies out. They have to be smarter this time, and rotate. I would like to see them throw in Spencer Johnson, who has that ‘wow’ factor and looks a natural left-arm replacement for Starc.
Kohli prepares for last hurrah
For India, Kohli is surely on his last tour of Australia, and is likely playing his last series against Australia. He has been such a big part of this rivalry. He scored four hundreds in a losing cause in 2014, then captained them to a win in 2018-19, before going home after one Test of another famous series win in 2020-21 on paternity leave.
