The Reverse Sweep

4th Test: Australia vs India - India marks out of 10

Gautam Gambhir - 3: Surprised by the extra bounce generated by Siddle after getting a start in the 1st innings and then fell early to his usual failing outside off-stump second time around. Has now gone 39 Test innings without a hundred and averaged just 20 in the series in England and Australia. Brilliant piece of quick thinking to run out Hussey from silly point. 

Virender Sehwag - 4: The captaincy failed to inspire him out of his form slump although his 2nd innings 62 was ferocious entertainment not least for its ending, which could yet go down in the annals of Test cricket as the most irresponsible dismissal ever from a captain. Like Gambhir, averaged just 20 in England and Australia and his run without a Test hundred has now extended to 26 innings.

Rahul Dravid - 2: Had his stumps rearranged for the sixth time in this series and then fell to a poor shot in the 2nd innings. Did a wonderful job of manning a burning bridge in England last summer but couldn't repeat it here. Will we see him again in Test cricket?

Sachin Tendulkar - 2: His form of the early part of the series deserted him and one wonders how much the interminable wait for the 100th hundred is weighing him down. Will get another chance in the ODI series but the torture and tedious hype has now lasted for 25 innings.

VVS Laxman - 3: Got a start in each innings but fell to atrocious shots both times - a probable sad end to a fabulous career. The purists won't be happy, but there is the bearded Laxman - Hashim Amla - to salivate over. The original has gone with a whimper averaging just 21 in England and Australia. 

Virat Kohli - 8: We saw the good, the bad and the ugly from India's leading run scorer in the series. The good was a splendid maiden Test hundred, the bad his foul-mouthed reaction to reaching this milestone and the ugly his brainless and grotesque run out in the 2nd innings. Is a wonderful talent, but could do with growing up a bit. 

Wriddiman Saha - 6: Was far more proficient and eager than the usual incumbent behind the stumps - he even dived for the ball on occasion. Batted well in unison with Kohli in the 1st innings and can be pleased with his contribution.

Ravichandran Ashwin - 4: Brought into the attack early in the 1st innings, handed the new ball second time around and did well troubling both openers each time. Needs to be more consistent but can be relatively pleased with his first overseas tour. 

Zaheer Khan - 5: Whilst India's whitewash will pain this passionate cricketer there will be some consolation that he has managed to get through the whole series. Considering the chasm between the sides, his 15 wickets in the series at 32 is a pretty good return.

Ishant Sharma - 3: Is he unlucky? Well, he does seem to go past the outside edge more than most, but perhaps his return of just five wickets for the series is more telling. Could do with a private session with Craig McDermott given how he has rejuvenated the Australian bowling attack.

Umesh Yadav - 2: He is young, so will learn from this chastening experience, but he has been far too expensive in this series - none more so than on the first day here in Adelaide. Definitely one to persevere with though.

Where next?

4th Test: Australia vs India - Australia marks out of 10

Virat Kohli points the way forward for India

3rd Test marks out of 10: Australia and India

2nd Test marks out of 10: Australia and India

1st Test marks out of 10: Australia and India

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3rd Test: Australia vs India - India marks out of 10

Gautam Gambhir - 3: Got out to a nothing shot having done all the hard work on the first morning and then got a snorter from Starc second time around. Run without a Test hundred now extends to 2 years, 19 Tests and 37 innings.

Virender Sehwag - 1: Upstaged comprehensively by his likely successor as cricket's master blaster batsman. In 11 Tests since the start of the tour to South Africa in December 2010 averages just 26 with a top score of 67. His record in this series is even worse: 118 runs at 19.66. 

Rahul Dravid - 5: Is unlikely to have played and missed more times in a single innings than he did second time around here, but typically he stuck at it in his usual dogged style. Hearing the death rattle five times out of six in this series is a real cause for concern.

Sachin Tendulkar - 2: After scores of 73 and 80 at Melbourne and Sydney there was to be no near-misses of that elusive 100th ton in Perth as the Little Master fell cheaply both times playing across the line. The hype and the wait has now reached 23 international innings.

VVS Laxman - 3: Like Gambhir did all the hard work in the 1st innings before giving it away with a dismal poke outside off-stump before registering a duck second time around. The batsman who has proved Australia's nemesis in the past now has just 102 runs at 17 in the series. Will it be au revoir VVS?

Virat Kohli - 7: This Test could well prove the making of Kohli as amidst the numerous plays and misses he exhibited some of his wonderful shot making. Threw it away in the 1st innings when well set and needs to control his emotions better but definitely worth persevering with.

MS Dhoni - 1: Another horror show on a horrific tour for the skipper. Fell cheaply to poor shots in both innings and if that wasn't bad enough is now banned from the Adelaide Test due to a poor over-rate. 

Vinay Kumar - 1: Makes his namesake Praveen look lightning quick in comparison and seems set to join the one Test cap club. Smashed for six from his fourth ball in Test cricket and had many wondering if their televisions were showing everything in slow motion when he was bowling.

Zaheer Khan - 4: Taken to the cleaners by Warner just like everyone else but at least got the upper hand over Haddin by dismissing him for a third ball duck.

Ishant Sharma - 2: Should be smarting after a hiding from Warner and being handed the ball AFTER Vinay Kumar. His figures for the summer tour to England and x-rated: 15 wickets at 64 with a strike rate of 104 - maybe Vinay may get another Test after all.

Umesh Yadav - 7: Bounced back impressively after Warner's initial pillaging to spark a brief Indian fightback and was rewarded with his first five wicket Test haul. Also took a difficult catch to finally rid India of Warner.

Where next?

3rd Test: Australia vs India - Australia marks out of 10

2nd Test marks out of 10: Australia and India

1st Test marks out of 10: Australia and India

David Warner blasts a 69-ball hundred as euthanasia becomes a serious option for India

India: Tigers at home; pussies away

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Annus Orior Oriri Ortus: The breakthrough Test XI of 2011

Well, we’ve already picked our best and worst Test XIs of 2011 at The Reverse Sweep and with (for once) perfect timing our final XI of 2011, which was published yesterday on All Out Cricket features those who made their bows in Test cricket and made an instant impression.

Why perfect timing, you may ask? Well, it may have escaped your attention that David Warner yesterday made the joint fourth fastest Test hundred in history and the quickest by an opener. Clearly though his inclusion in our XI is the biggest milestone he has yet achieved in his short Test career.

To see who else joins him in our XI having appeared for the first time on the Test stage and enjoyed an annus orior oriri ortus (the closest we could find in Latin to 'breakthrough' if you were interested) please head over to All Out Cricket to read our Breakthrough Acts XI of 2011.

Where next?

Annus mirabilis: The best Test XI of 2011

Annus horribilis: The Worst Test XI of 2011

Who are cricket's likely future greats?

Read our Cricket Review of 2011

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India: Tigers at home; pussies away

Whilst Brad Haddin would do well to look at his own form before casting aspersions on the fragility or otherwise of India he may have a point - albeit a crass and clumsily made one. Just by crunching a few numbers it is plain to see that whilst India have been the fiercest of tigers in the subcontinent over the past couple of years they are the meekest and most submissive of pussy cats when they play overseas.

 

When India ascended to the number one spot in the Test rankings many said that the tours to South Africa, England and Australia would tell us whether that lofty status was justified. Whilst they emerged with a creditable draw against the Proteas they have lost six out of six thus far in England and Australia. Here are a few numbers that illustrate why:

 

263

India's average total in their last 21 completed or declared innings in overseas Tests taking in tours to South Africa, West Indies, England and now Australia. During this time they have only reached 400 twice - in the second innings at Centurion and Sydney - and both ultimately proved futile as India still lost by an innings each time. Their overall record in these 12 Tests is won two, lost seven (including four by an innings) and drawn three and they have lost the last six by heavy margins. 

 

461

By contrast, India's average total in their last 19 completed or declared innings on the subcontinent taking in home series against Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand and West Indies plus trips to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is almost 200 runs higher. They topped 700 twice (both against Sri Lanka) and fared much better in these 16 Tests with 11 wins, 1 defeat and 4 draws. 

 

30.23

Combined batting average of India's top seven in the last four overseas series (see full list). The tale of woe is stark with Gambhir (average 32), Laxman (31), Dhoni (29), Raina (23), Sehwag (21) and Kohli (13) all failing to justify their talent and high billing. Only Tendulkar (52) and Dravid (45) can hold their heads high and these two are also the only centurions with Dravid hitting four and Tendulkar two. The other batsmen who have filled the top seven positions for India on these four tours have failed to record even one century in their combined 122 visits to the crease.

 

40.58

The combined bowling average for the aformentioned four tours with only Zaheer Khan (23) and Praveen Kumar (26) registering averages below 36. The rest of the bowlers have been practically rendered impotent with Ishant Sharma (37 - despite a successful tour of the Caribbean), Harbhajan (36), Sreesanth (51), Amit Mishra (62), Umesh Yadav (43) and Ravichandran Ashwin (75) all registering averages that their batting colleagues would yearn for. The collective strike rate is even more staggeringly bad with each wicket coming at a crippling 72 deliveries. Opposing batsmen have feasted on pickings this easy with Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell and Jacques Kallis all registering double hundreds and in Michael Clarke's case a triple hundred.

 

33

The number of Test innings since an Indian opener other than Dravid (who scored tons at Trent Bridge and The Oval as an emergency opener) last scored a hundred. You have to go all the way back to the 1st Test at Ahmedabad at the start of November 2010 when Sehwag struck a characteristically brutal 173 off 199 balls against New Zealand. Since then Sehwag has gone 22 Test innings without reaching three figures whilst regular partner Gambhir's famine is a positively biblical 35 innings.

 

0

The number of Test series India has won In Australia, a statistic that will remain unchanged for at least another four years following defeats in Melbourne and Sydney. 

 

As such it would be hardly surprising if confidence is not high in the Indian camp ahead of the 3rd Test on a fast and bouncy WACA track tomorrow.

Where next?

Annus mirabilis: The best Test XI of 2011

Annus horribilis: The Worst Test XI of 2011

2nd Test: Australia vs India - India marks out of 10

2nd Test: Australia vs India - Australia marks out of 10

Read our Cricket Review of 2011

India's batting line-up and Goebbels's big lie

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

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2nd Test: Australia vs India - India marks out of 10

Gautam Gambhir - 6: Predictably tentative dismissal to the third ball of the match before finally looking like the batsman that once scored 8 hundreds in 10 Tests in the second. Run without a Test hundred now extended to 35 innings.

Virender Sehwag - 4: Looked edgy in the first innings and fell to a stunning catch by Warner second time around. Now without a hundred in 22 Test innings and hasn't reached three figures in a Test outside the sub-contintent since June 2006.

Rahul Dravid - 3: A disappointing match for the leading run-scorer in Tests in 2011. Fell to a poor shot in the 1st innings before being bowled through the gate in the second just when his side needed one of his trademark rearguard knocks. 

Sachin Tendulkar - 7: Looked well set on both visits to the crease but that hundredth hundred continues to elude the Little Master. The manner of his dismissal in the 2nd innings may leave him wondering whether he will ever get off 99. Average at the SCG still a monumental 157.

VVS Laxman - 5: Finally got his first boundary of the series after 61 balls in his fourth innings and then proceeded to a typically stylish 66 before being beaten by a gem of a ball from Hilfenhaus. Has now passed fifty 73 times in Tests, which makes his tally of 17 hundreds a tad disappointing. 

Virat Kohli - 3: There's no doubting Kohli's talent as the two boundaries he hit in the 2nd innings ably demonstrated. But in six Tests he only averages 21, which with Rohit Sharma breathing down his neck could mean an early curtain call for the series.

MS Dhoni - 5: Brave but foolhardy decision to bat after winning the toss and was then let down by both his batsmen and bowlers. At least Dhoni showed what could be done on this wicket with his defiant fifty on the first day.

Ravichandran Ashwin - 5: No wickets but after his first five Tests averages 38 with the bat and 31 with the ball. Bowled better than his 0/157 suggested and has scored more runs in the series than any Indian bar Tendulkar.

Zaheer Khan - 6: Bowled wonderfully well to reduce Australia to 37/3, but lack of game time probably told as his menace faded after that. Entertaining knock in the 2nd innings.

Ishant Sharma - 3: Looks a pale imitation of the bowler who impressed so much on his trip to Australia four years ago. A case of too much, too young?

Umesh Yadav - 3: A chastening experience for the youngster after his impressive performance at Melbourne. At over five runs per over he was more expensive than Prada, but this should be a character forming experience for one with his talent.

Where next?

2nd Test: Australia vs India - Australia marks out of 10

The best Test XI of 2011

The redemption of Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting hundreds just a sideshow for Channel 9

India's batting line-up and Goebbels's big lie

Read our Cricket Review of 2011

1st Test: Australia vs India - Australia marks out of 10

1st Test: Australia vs India - India marks out of 10

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

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1st Test: Australia vs India - India marks out of 10

Gautam Gambhir - 2: Looks completely out of sorts, which is maybe not a surprise given he has now gone 17 Tests and 31 innings without a Test hundred - he had hit eight tons in his 10 Tests before that. He averages just 29 during this barren run and it was easy to see why with his angled bat and problems outside off stump condemning him in both innings. May need to find another wedding to attend as he clearly needs a break.  

Virender Sehwag - 6: Looked somewhere close to his best in the 1st innings where another hour at the crease could have seen him take the game away from Australia. That made his soft dismissal all the more galling. 2011 has not been a vintage year for Sehwag as far as Tests go: 384 runs at just 29.5.

Rahul Dravid - 7: Whilst the focus was on Sehwag and then Tendulkar at the other end, The Wall did what he does best at the other and skilfully accumulated yet another Test fifty. Was unfortunate to be undone by absolute jaffas in each innings. The leading scorer in Tests in 2011 where Dravid dazzled at and away from the crease.

Sachin Tendulkar - 7: The quest for that elusive 100th international hundred now stretches to 19innings, but it cannot be long in coming if the Little Master continues his scintillating form from this Test. He looked at his majestic best before Siddle got one through first time around. Onto Sydney.

VVS Laxman - 2: His inexplicably dismal record at Melbourne worsened (it is now 114 runs from eight innings at just 14.25) with just three scratchy runs from 36 balls faced. Will hope for better at Sydney where he has three hundreds in five innings at 96.

Virat Kohli - 2: Undone by the movement of Hilfenhaus in each innings and as talented as he is, Kohli will need to do better with Rohit Sharma breathing down his neck. India's problems at number six continue.

MS Dhoni - 3: Woefully poor dismissal in the 1st innings, but at least showed some application second time around. Uninspiring defensive captaincy when trying to dismiss the Australian tail in each innings. Form with the bat in Test cricket is a concern with an average of just 29.6 from his last 22 Tests. Is the responsibility of captaincy affecting his batting?

R Ashwin - 7: Hugely impressive with bat and ball. Picked up four wickets and bowled economically on a pitch that didn't aid his off-spin and reached 30 in both innings. Harbhajan who?

Zaheer Khan - 8: India's attack looked far better from having its most potent force back at the helm. The full box of tricks was on display and seven wickets was the least he deserved. The ball to finally snare Hussey was magnificent. 

Ishant Sharma -6: No seamer has taken more than his 43 Test wickets in 2011, but an average of 37 and strike rate of 68 is probably a more accurate reflection of his inconsistency. Actually bowled well in the 1st innings without reward and the ball to dismiss Clarke was arguably the ball of the match.

Umesh Yadav - 8: Was more expensive than Prada in the 1st innings but crucially also bowled several superlative wicket-taking balls. Proved to be a quick learner in the 2nd innings when he was handed the new ball and took the first three wickets to fall. Took seven wickets in all in his first Test in Australia and was genuinely quick throughout. An immensely promising cricketer.

Where next?

1st Test: Australia marks out of 10

Cricket memories of 2011: MS Dhoni wins the World Cup with a six

Michael Hussey is not dead

Ed Cowan makes Geoffrey Boycott happy (probably)

Australia v India - Who will win?

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Ed Cowan makes Geoffrey Boycott happy (probably)

When we championed the selection of Ed Cowan for the Boxing Day Test we suggested that his call-up was a victory for the underdog promoted after years of hard yakka.

Cowan is also what Geoffrey Boycott would doubtless call a proper Test match opener - someone who is prepared to dig in, take the shine off the new ball and stick around for as long as possible.

It doesn't get much bigger for an Australian cricketer than a Boxing Day Test match at the MCG in front of 70,000 odd people.

Cowan faced this challenge down with real grit and did so in seam and swing-friendly conditions after Michael Clarke had made his latest adventurous move as captain by opting to bat after winning the toss.

Cowan did it the old fashioned way by barely scoring a run before lunch and waited patiently for the inevitable loose spell that Umesh Yadav (who like Steve Finn in last year's Ashes series bowled some superlative deliveries whilst being more expensive than Prada) obligingly delivered at the start of the second session.

Even then he had only just registered his half-century by tea. No wonder Simon Katich has already given Cowan his seal of approval.

It was only last year that Australia were beaten in their own backyard by an England side boasting a similarly obdurate opening batsman. Alastair Cook's runs set up a series win and Cowan's selection suggests that Australia's selectors have belatedly decided to follow suit in voting for solidity at the top of the order.

It's all very well having a Virender Sehwag or David Warner, but you don't need a whole team of them. There is room for a Cook or Cowan in Test cricket. I can hear Boycott voicing his agreement at Cowan's 68 off 177 balls. He'd also probably agree that he didn't get a thin edge either.

Where next?

Australia v India - Who will win?

Cricket memories of 2011: England retain the Ashes in Australia

Ed Cowan's selection for the Boxing Day Test is a victory for intellect and common sense

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Australia v India - Who will win?

Twelve months ago it was the Ashes and now this year the schedule has thrown up another fascinating battle down under with India this time the visitors. 

Much of the talk leading up to the 1st Test in Melbourne has been the woes of Australia's batting line-up, which saw them skittled for 47 in Cape Town and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory against New Zealand in Hobart.

But another way of looking at it is but for these inexplicable collapses, Australia would have registered 2-0 series wins in South Africa and at home to the Black Caps, which would have been mighty impressive results and would have followed on from the series win in Sri Lanka.

Those three contests have been the first under Michael Clarke and we have been mightily impressed with his skilful, thoughtful and adventurous captaincy. He certainly looks an improvement on Ricky Ponting as skipper.

What about India? Their batting line-up with a man as talented as Virat Kohli at six and Rohit Sharma not even able to get into the XI looks immense, but so it did in England when Rahul Dravid apart they struggled in seaming and swinging conditions against a strong England attack.

Australia's bowling attack is not as good as England's but James Pattinson and Nathan Lyon have made promising starts to their international careers, Peter Siddle seems to relish being the senior member of the attack and Ben Hilfenhaus is reportedly back to his best after disappointing in the Ashes last winter. Then there is the teenage sensation pat Cummins to come back in once he is fit.

India's hopes with the ball rely heavily on the fitness of Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma. Both are struggling with ankle problems and it is hard to see an attack shorn of either or both being able to take 20 wickets. Umesh Yadav looks a good prospect as does Varun Aaron, but asking them to lead the attack at this stage of their careers would be risky to say the least.

So Australia's brittle batting line-up could be set to get some respite and with the selectors picking an opener in Ed Cowan who can actually bat against the moving ball, also recalling the resolute Shaun Marsh and with Shane Watson in reserve from the 2nd Test onwards, it looks set to be a fascinating contest.

So who will win? On paper it looks too close to call. India have drawn their two previous series in Australia and the easiest option here would be to predict another spare of the spoils. But we've got an inkling that Australia will prove the fittest and hungriest side and with Adelaide likely to see a draw, we go for the home side to win the series 2-1. But we've been wrong before...

Where next?

Ed Cowan's selection for the Boxing Day Test is a victory for intellect and common sense

Chasing Sachin by Adam Carroll-Smith | Book Review

Australia - The Great Entertainers

Sachin Tendulkar or Donald Bradman - Who is the greatest?

The 30 Greatest Batsmen Ever: Part 1 (30-21), Part 2 (20-11), Part 3 (10-1)

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Rohit Sharma: The Artist formerly known as Nohit

But for naivety and the compusure of last wicket pair Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron, West Indies would have accomplished in one game what England couldn't manage in five by beating the World Champions in their own backyard.

The catalyst for India's triumph was the increasingly impressive Rohit Sharma, who skilfully anchored what had appeared to be a forlorn chase with 72 before he fell with just 11 runs required.

For a while it seemed that Sharma, famously dubbed Nohit by his detractors, was going to be a talent unfulfilled. A lack of consistency, a seeming love of the celebrity afforded by the IPL and perhaps a touch too much arrogance all contributed to the man who Shane Warne described as having "all the talent in the world" to be left on the fringes of the Indian side.

But a pair of hundreds in an obscure one-day tournament in Zimbabwe in 2010 hinted that there was some substance to go with the style and his first-class average of 63 tells you that there is talent in abundance. 

Although he missed out on the World Cup squad, his curve has continued to go upwards since thanks to a strong performance in the Caribbean in June and perhaps a defining knock yesterday.

He is in the Test squad for the tour to Australia and along with Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane forms a quartet of immensely promising young Indian batsmen. 

It seems that the man Bored Cricket once amusingly called The Artist formerly known as Nohit, has a chance of becoming a Prince amongst batsmen.

Where next?

India have found some bowlers

Sachin Tendulkar's 99.94

Virat Kohli - The (Little) Master's Apprentice

Who are cricket's likely future greats?

Heroes: VVS Laxman

Zeroes: Vinod Kambli

The best Indian test XI of the last 30 years

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India have found some bowlers

As India stumbled from heavy defeat to even heavier defeat during a traumatic summer in England one thing seemed very clear: the bowling cupboard was emptier than the contents of Wayne Rooney's head.

With Zaheer Khan injured, Harbhajan way past his best and Ishant Sharma even more inconsistent than usual, it was left to the wholehearted but lacking in pace Praveen Kumar to lead the attack. 

But after three Tests against an improving but brittle West Indies despair has turned into optimism as suddenly the cupboard is filling up faster than the supermarket shelves at Waitrose ahead of Christmas.

Harbhajan has finally been put out to pasture and Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha collected 42 wickets at 23 between them in the three Tests against the boys from the Caribbean.

They've also discovered that rariry of rarities in a country of over a billion souls - not one but two promising fast bowlers. The emergence of Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron means that the likes of Sreesanth and Munaf Patel will be able to concentrate on the IPL and that RP Singh can return to the beach from whence he was summoned during the English expedition.

With Praveen returning from a well-earned rest, Zaheer (hopefully) from injury and Ishant fired up by the prospect of finishing Ricky Ponting's Test career, India suddenly look a different proposition.

The series against a transitional Australia under its new regime looks a thrilling prospect.

Where next?

Mumbai's thrilling final ball draw shows the true value of Test cricket

Sachin Tendulkar's 99.94

Virat Kohli - The (Little) Master's Apprentice

Who are cricket's likely future greats?

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Delhi stun the favourites in Bangalore

Before the match I wasn't confident. My adopted IPL side Delhi Daredevils had lost three on the bounce after a decent start.

They were playing the Bangalore Royal Challengers (or should that be Royal Challengers Bangalore?) who had been the standout side in the IPL so far.

And they were playing in Bangalore where the hosts had not lost. To make matters worse, Delhi lost the toss and were asked to bat; both their victories to date had come when Delhi had chased.

But the real Delhi turned up yesterday. David Warner batted like a daredevil at the top of the order to give his team a good start before AB De Villiers consolidated in the middle and Kedar Jadhav exploded at the end.

183 was a good score, but Bangalore had chased down over 200 only a week before. But Dirk and Umesh Yadav kept it tight at the start, Jacques Kallis was finally proved to be mortal and then Amit Mishra showed his class. Even Andrew McDonald stepped in with two wickets.

So yesterday was a good day to be a Delhi Daredevils supporter and as I have compared before, the synergies with my beloved Liverpool FC are becoming incredible. Perennial underachievers, inconsistent but able to beat the best team in the league on their day.

It's going to be a bumpy ride for the next few weeks.