Shudder to think what will happen to India in Australia next

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

London: As Bhuvneshwar Kumar edged a drive to second slip the scoreboard read 74/8. India's coach Duncan Fletcher dropped his head into his hands and didn't have the courage to stare at the laptop and analyse the pathetic display any longer.

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Bhuvneshwar Kumar

In the last five innings, his young batting brigade had failed to reach 200 runs. They were mentally scared and technically exposed. The bowling unit that caused their downfall consisted of one great bowler, one very good bowler and the rest that are average at best.

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Three months from now, the same bunch of players will confront a bowling unit that will contain names such as Johnson, Siddle, Harris, Pattinson, Starc and Cummins.

To put it simply, that attack doesn't have any tier two bowlers. It has greater depth and variance, so much so that they out-bowled the formidable South African attack of Steyn, Morkel and Philander easily.

India succeeded in the earlier part of the series because they found themselves playing on familiar tracks and were confronted with some ordinary bowling and fielding.

Tough times ahead
In Australia there will be no second comings. An edge will carry, just like it did in the last three matches in England. The Australian bowlers will be relentless and while the ball may not swing or seam as predominately, it will zip off the wickets.

Another department that India will be worried about when they travel Down Under, is captaincy. As things stand, MS Dhoni is likely to retain his place , as the other option of having Virat Kohli take over the reins is not going to materialise because of the latter's dismal run in England.