Australia rewarded for going back to basics
Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson have played a major part in Australia’s revival to the top. (Source: Reuters)
Australia were the subject of ridicule worldwide two years ago. The then coach Mickey Arthur had earned a lot of flak for sending players, including all-rounder Shane Watson, off from the Test tour of India. Australian cricket appeared to be in complete tatters. A 0-4 whitewash in India only further raised questions about Australian cricket. An early exit from the Champions Trophy followed more. (Full Coverage| Points table| Fixtures)
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Australian cricket needed a fresh approach. Cricket Australia (CA) then took the dramatic step of sacking Arthur just before the Ashes series and replacing him with Darren Lehmann. Australia lost the Ashes series but Lehmann had laid the foundation for once again regaining lost glory. An ODI series loss in India did not halt Australia’s march. The Ashes series that followed in 2013-14 gave first indication of the Aussie re-emergence. Lehmann wanted the side to play old fashioned aggressive cricket. For that he brought back Mitchell Johnson to hit England with his pace. The Australians won the Ashes 5-0 and exposed the faultlines in the English camp. The Aussie side then won a Test series against South Africa in their backyard to lay claim to being the best Test team in the world. A loss in the desert to Pakistan only proved to be a blip on the radar.
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Australia have continued their forward march unabated with series wins over India and the title triumph in the tri-series before the World Cup. Lehmann’s approach had been to re-install the experienced players in the line-up like Watson, Johnson and wicket-keeper Brad Haddin.These players add value with their experience and that is proving handy to the side during the World Cup. Lehmann too has done his bit by cutting the flab in the support staff thereby avoiding complicating issues for his wards. He has Craig McDermott and Michel Divenuto to support, but there are a number of former stars who drop in from time to time to speak to the squad. Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne and Steve Waugh have made regular visits to the squad’s training sessions, apart from the presence of Muttiah Muralitharan during the UAE tour.
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The only problem in the march towards yet another World Cup title was the constant injury breaks of regular skipper Michael Clarke. His back and hamstring have troubled him over a period of time. But his presence acts a glue in a side full of top-class players. Now the Australian side in both Tests and ODIs have players who are specifically suited for the format. If Glenn Maxwell destroys bowling in ODI cricket, Chris Rogers blunts attacks in Test matches. Similarly, Ryan Harris destroys batting line-ups in Tests, while James Faulkner strikes at the death in an ODI.
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Above all, Australia, unlike England and India, are not fixated at doing well in only one format. That is the reason why Australia have been in all finals since 1987, barring 1992 and 2011. It is a tribute to the Australian system and their sustained planning towards retaining their pre-eminent status as a cricketing nation. This is a lesson for all cricketing nations with far greater might in financially.
Source:: Indian Express
