After Australia defeated India in Adelaide in the first Test of the series, there were plenty of experts and former players suggesting that the writing was on the wall for the Indian team, especially given that they were going to be without Virat Kohli and had also been dealt the body blow of an injury to Mohammed Shami. Not just that, the manner of defeat also played it’s role in forming such opinions.
The likes of Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Mark Waugh had predicted a possible whitewash by Australia after their thumping win in Adelaide while Michael Vaughan had said that India will get hammered by the hosts.
Nonetheless, a determined India picked themselves up and responded in style beginning the turnaround from the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne, then following it up with the escape at Sydney and finally with the record-breaking win at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Understandably, this left the former players in awe and in praise of India whereas the criticism was now being targeted at Australia for their surrender.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting said, "I'm quite shocked that Australia weren't quite good enough to win this series."
"Considering everything the Indian cricket team has been through in the last five or six weeks, with the captain leaving, all the injuries they've had – they've been through 20 players – (Australia) have been at full-strength all bar Davey (Warner) missing early on, so it's really hard to comprehend. But having been there you can see how it's happened, because (of) how resilient they've been,” Ponting told cricket.com.au.
"They've played really good, tough, hard Test match cricket day-in and day-out and won all the big key moments through the series.”
Mark Waugh, who had said there was ‘No Hope’ for India after Adelaide, pointed out that the series might make it difficult for someone like Matthew Wade to hold on to his spot. “Batting’s all about numbers ... he’s left the door open for the selectors to move him on,” Waugh said on Fox Sports. “He’s a gutsy player, played some good innings for Australia, but this series he’s let himself down with some poor dismissals. I think he’s in trouble, moving forward, hasn’t got the weight of runs.”
Another Australian captain, Michael Clarke had said India without Kohli were in deep trouble, acknowledged that the approach from the hosts wasn’t the best.
"I thought we might have been a tad negative at certain stages throughout because we were scared to lose versus attack hard and look to win the game," Clarke said on Big Sports Breakfast. "I sort of feel we should have approached the first ball of that game to the last ball of that game with a bit more of that attitude."
Meanwhile, former England captain Michael Vaughan had predicted a 4-0 win for Australia said there is "no problem" in being proved wrong when the quality of cricket on display was as high as it was in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
"I predicted Australia would win the series 4-0 after Adelaide, and with good reason. India looked shot after that match and with all the selection issues they had, even India's most one-eyed fans would not have predicted a comeback. Well, they have left me with egg on my face," Michael Vaughan wrote for The Telegraph. "But honestly? I don't care. When you have cricket that good, and remarkable performances from rookie players such as Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur, I have no problem in being proved wrong."
Australia’s head coach Justin Langer, who had said he was glad that India were the ones tensed over the Christmas break, acknowledged that the visitors had taught them quite a lesson.
"It was an incredible Test series and in the end there is always a winner or a loser. Today Test cricket is the winner. It's going to hurt us big time. India deserved full credit. They have been outstanding but we have learnt lessons from it," Langer told Channel 7 after the Brisbane Test.
"First, you can never take anything for granted, second never ever, ever underestimate the Indians. There are 1.5 billion Indians and if you play in that first eleven you got to be really tough, don't you? I can't compliment India enough. They haven't gone away after that first Test match which we won in three days, bowled them out for 30 odd. For them to fight back like they did is amazing, credit to them. The big lesson for us is that you can't take anything for granted. India never got away," he said.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)