Nothing is going right for Australia and Australian cricket at this momentum. The delta variant of CORONA is playing hell in NSW and Victoria. Australian cricket has nosedived in all formats. The five times ICC champions had a very poor ICC World Cup 2019. In ICC test championship they failed to qualify for the final.
In T20 their experimental team lost miserably to West Indies and Bangladesh by identical (1-4) margin. With morale at its lowest level it will require a boost boost turning around and getting into winning momentum. Aussie reputation is at stake. T20 World Cup 2021 will be acid test for Aaron Flinch and his Kangaroo squad.
Australian T20 World Cup Squad:
Aaron Finch (c), Pat Cummins (Vice Captain), Josh Hazelwood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
Cricket world has witnessed exclusive dominance of Australian cricket for over two decades from mid 1990s following the fall of West Indies Empire. But since the ball tampering scandal by David Warner and Steve Smith Australian cricket is in a steady decline. They do not appear to be the same formidable force in any format. Despite of very organised KFC Big bash T20 tournament and several Australians performing admirably in IPL Australians did not look like a winning squad in any Men’s ICC T20 World Cup. Their women’s team looks all right.
It is not understood what psychology drove Australian management sending a very weak unbalanced squad for playing against West Indies and Bangladesh? The (1-4) hammering the got in 5 matches T20 series against both must have hurt their image. In international cricket winning momentum matters. Why all the top players were given choice for not touring at the same time? Now in the squad for World Cup all has returned. Can they lead the team bouncing back against opponents who would be much better prepared? With England, West Indies and South Africa in their group Australia may struggle going past the group stage. In international competitive cricket even the top players need actual match practice for brushing off rusts and getting into strides. Off course the main stream bowling attack got useful practice. But batting looked awfully poor and spineless. We know Flinch, Warner, Smith, Maxwell and Stoinis would add value. But will some matches in IPL bring them back into full rhyme?
Prospect Of Australia in T20 World Championship 2021
None can ever deny the potential of any Australian cricket team in any global tournament given the very well organised cricket structure of Australia. But given the recent form and inappropriate strategy of Cricket Australia in the preparation leading up to the Championship Australia would be the least prepared teams among the top guns. Why Australia sent a team with very thin batting resources to West Indies and Bangladesh? The team can win any match or even a series. But the manner it lost series against Bangladesh raised many questions. World cricket has never seen any Australian team in any sports surrendering matches without fight. In Bangladesh the team not only batted poorly, the fielding was atrocious, body language was poor. The bowlers kept it tight. But the batting unit failed to deliver in all five matches. None other than Mitchel Marsh appeared to adjust with the condition.
The success of the team in World Cup would depend on how the top order Flinch, Warner, Smith and Maxwell get tuned and deliver. They are out of active cricket for a while. Authorities have done it right retaining the bowling unit. The bowlers performed admirably in both the series at West Indies and Bangladesh. Late middle order batting apart from Stoinis and Marsh are bit of worry. On UAE wickets most of the matches would be high scoring. Australians would need to score about 200 runs in every match to compete against England, West Indies and South Africa. Inclusion of two leg spinners Zampa and Swepson is a right decision. Ager has to produce his all round skills as well. The pace attack of Starc, Cummins and Hazelwood would be the key. Hope leading players would brush off the rust in matches they appear for their respective franchise in the IPL. Hope Justin Langer gels well with the senior players when they return to the fold.
World cricket must not conclude watching the Australian struggle in West Indies and Bangladesh. The Kangaroos can still kick strongly by their hind legs. But they have their reputation at stake and lot to prove. But the task would not be easy. I would not consider Australia going beyond the group stage. Hope Flinch and his men prove me wrong.
BDST: 1314 HRS, AUG 24, 2021
SMS
