Testing Limits | in bio-­bubbles | Australia and India |

Australia and India have shared the honours so far, setting the stage for (आसान बनाना; to make it possible for something else to happen) the Test series

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It has been a long cricketing summer Down Under (it refers to Australia and/or New Zealand with reference to the position of these countries on the map/globe) for the Indian team and the current tour has another six weeks left. In these days of rush-­hour (व्यस्त समय; very busy time) cricket, the previous template of early arrival and languid (उत्साहहीन; causing a lack of energy or enthusiasm) warm­-up matches no longer holds relevance. 

But the need to be in bio-­bubbles (a safe and secure environment isolated from the outside world to minimise the risk of COVID-19 infection) during the pandemic demands that teams land a fortnight (दो सफ्ताह/पखवाड़ा; a period of two weeks) in advance, go through their mandatory health-­checks before being medically certified to play.

India arrived in Australia on November 12 and in the intervening (मध्यवर्ती; happening between two times or events) period played three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).

Australia seized the ODIs at 2-­1 and India responded with an identical scoreline (अंतिम अंक; the score achieved by the players in a game or competition) in the subsequent T20Is, the last of which concluded at Sydney on Tuesday with the host securing a 12­run victory.

Swept aside by the gargantuan (विशाल; very large) totals that Australia posted in the ODIs, Virat Kohli’s men slowly found their collective voice, which turned into a roar in the shortest format.

In a mixed-­bag first month out in Australia, India can cherish (संजोना; to love, protect, and care for someone or something that is important to you) the success of Hardik Pandya, specifically with the bat, and the steady exploits (लगातार कारनामे; continuous deed/performance) of left-­arm seamer T. Natarajan, hailing from Chinnappampatti, a village near Salem in Tamil Nadu.

However, connoisseurs (विशेषज्ञ; a person who has expert knowledge of something) would perhaps say that the tour begins only now as the series involving four Tests looms ahead.

Countering (मुकाब़ला करना; to defend against something) Australia in its backyard is an arduous (कठिन; difficult, needing a lot of effort) task. Starting its intermittent (बीच बीच में होने वाला; happening with periods in between; not happening continuously) tours of Australia in the 1947-48 season when Lala Amarnath led the troops (सैन्यदल/सेना/खिलाड़ी; soldiers-also used for players, on duty in a large group), India registered its maiden Test series victory (2­-1) only during the 2018-19 face-­off (सामना करना;  to begin a game/competition with two players facing one another).

But Australia missed Steve Smith and David Warner, who were benched (खेलने की अनुमति ना होना; not allowing someone to take part in a game as a punishment or because he/she is injured) following the ball­-tampering (गेंद से छेड़छाड़; the illegal way of making changes in to ball that one should not) crisis. The current Australian team includes them now though an injured Warner has been ruled out of the first Test commencing (शुरू होने वाला; to begin) at Adelaide on December 17, incidentally a day­-and­-night contest. But Smith is in ominous form (in a bad form) and in Marnus Labuschagne, Tim Paine’s men have their next batting star. 

India will have Kohli just for the first outing (सैर; a short trip, taken for pleasure or entertainment) before the skipper (कप्तान; the captain of a ship or boat, a sports team, or an aircraft) takes his paternity leave (पितृत्व अवकाश; a period of time that a father is legally allowed to be away from his job so that he can spend time with his new baby) and there is no clarity yet on Rohit Sharma’s return. When Kohli departs, the batting will lean on (आश्रित रहना; to depend on someone or something) Cheteshwar Pujara, stand-­in (की जगह लेना; to substitute or serve in someone's place) captain Ajinkya Rahane, K.L. Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Hanuma Vihari to counter Mitchell Starc and his snarling colleagues (गुर्राते हुए/चिड़चिड़े सहयोगियों; team mates making a fierce sound while showing their teeth). 

Pujara, all patience and the long­-vigil (लंबे समय तक सतर्कता के साथ; an act of being cautious for a long time), amassed (बनाना/एकत्र करना; to get a large amount of something by collecting it over a long period) 521 runs during the last tour and an encore (दोहराना; call for a repeated performance) would be most welcome.

The bowling rests on (आश्रित/निर्भर होना; to depend or lie on something) speedsters Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami besides R. Ashwin, if spin comes into play. Bumrah and Shami weren’t at their best in the limited­-overs clashes (संघर्ष; a battle or tense situation in sports competition) and they need to get their mojo (a quality that attracts people to you and makes you successful) back if India is to make a strong fist against a doughty (बहादुर; determined, brave) opponent.

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