Australia’s batting collapse in the first Border-Gavaskar Test in Nagpur came while trailing badly with no realistic route back. It was not ideal but broadly made sense. In Delhi, their collapse was the second surrender of ascendancy in the match. In the second innings, they allowed India’s last three partnerships to reduce Australia’s three-figure lead to a single run. In the third innings, the visitors were 66 ahead on a pitch where 180 might well have been enough only to lose their last nine wickets for 59.
Over the previous year and a half, as Australia prepared for and undertook a multi-series Asian odyssey to Pakistan, Sri Lanka and now India, there has been a formula to questions about batting preparation. The paraphrased answer was like this: “Everyone is different, so guys will be coming up with their own plans. Whether that’s the sweep and reverse sweep, or whatever it may be.”
