The recent India-Australia Test Cricket Series was literally a great clash. The Australians, and that included Suderland and the top journos chose to target Kohli. Their game plan was simple. Attack the top player and skipper and you will floor the Indians. And they successfully did. On a doctored pitch that suited O'Keefe more than a tired Ashwin-Jadeja combine, they beat India in three days at Pune. Except for Rahul, no one showed any temperament to 'wall' the Aussie attack.
The win emboldened the Aussies, even leading to Steve Smith's famous 'brain-fade' at Bengaluru. But when Kohli questioned the cheats - Smith and Handscomb, it was a return to the 1976-77 Bedi's expose of Lever using his vaseline-soaked handkerchief used as a headband to polish the ball. The Aussie media including the ACB supremo were aghast. How dare a brown man question the post-truth that Smith wanted, if not the world, but the Indians to believe? That triggered the ugly Aussie way which continued to plague the rest of the series. But Kohli, as is his wont, had the last word - that he had 'unfriended' some of his 'mates'. As a postscript, the new post-truth has found Rahane a better captain than Kohli. To prove the Aussies right Rahane has after all a 100% record as Test captain! But Rahane did not rise to lead the side just because Kohli hurt himself at Ranchi. More than two seasons ago when the BCCI chose to rest senior players including Kohli, Rahane was chosen ahead of Ashwin to lead the team in an ODI series in Zimbabwe. So what do the Aussies want. By their own measurement method - captain who wins 100% or someone who loses sometimes. Kohli chose to lose than draw in Australia twice in his first series as Test captain in 2014-15 where he hit centuries in each of the four Tests.
The 2018-19 Test series in Australia will see sparks fly as India will be given a more than warm reception. What would the Australians prefer - a captain who will give them a mouthfull even if he has to lose by taking risks or someone who has a 100% record till date?
The win emboldened the Aussies, even leading to Steve Smith's famous 'brain-fade' at Bengaluru. But when Kohli questioned the cheats - Smith and Handscomb, it was a return to the 1976-77 Bedi's expose of Lever using his vaseline-soaked handkerchief used as a headband to polish the ball. The Aussie media including the ACB supremo were aghast. How dare a brown man question the post-truth that Smith wanted, if not the world, but the Indians to believe? That triggered the ugly Aussie way which continued to plague the rest of the series. But Kohli, as is his wont, had the last word - that he had 'unfriended' some of his 'mates'. As a postscript, the new post-truth has found Rahane a better captain than Kohli. To prove the Aussies right Rahane has after all a 100% record as Test captain! But Rahane did not rise to lead the side just because Kohli hurt himself at Ranchi. More than two seasons ago when the BCCI chose to rest senior players including Kohli, Rahane was chosen ahead of Ashwin to lead the team in an ODI series in Zimbabwe. So what do the Aussies want. By their own measurement method - captain who wins 100% or someone who loses sometimes. Kohli chose to lose than draw in Australia twice in his first series as Test captain in 2014-15 where he hit centuries in each of the four Tests.
The 2018-19 Test series in Australia will see sparks fly as India will be given a more than warm reception. What would the Australians prefer - a captain who will give them a mouthfull even if he has to lose by taking risks or someone who has a 100% record till date?
