Sensational India, broken Australia and improving England tee-up intriguing Ashes series

HUW TURBERVILL: A fascinating week of Test cricket in Brisbane and Galle lays the platform for a stunning battle for the urn next winter. But which team is in better shape?

A victory founded on elegance, resistance and showmanship: This was Test cricket in all its glory

PLAYER RATINGS: Joe Root starts 2021 with a bang but England's openers endure tough introduction

If there was a bit of hyperbole about England’s first Test victory over Sri Lanka at Galle – "best win ever", "best innings by an England player (Joe Root) on the subcontinent" and so on – there was none needed about the Australia v India series. It was simply sensational.

For India to lose the first Test at Adelaide after being bowled out for 36, then see talismanic captain Virat Kohli depart on paternity leave, only to come back and win the four-Test rubber 2-1, was out of this world.

Shubman Gill’s thrilling, quintessentially wristy innings must go down as one of the boldest there has been, while Rishabh Pant was fearless and innovative.

Cheteshwar Pujara was in support all the way, wonderfully old-school, soaking up balls in true homage to the Test format, taking blows on the body like Rocky Balboa.

There were certainly shades of the 2000/01 series in India, when Australia won the first Test at Mumbai by 10 wickets, but lost the series 2-1, the highlight being that stand of 376 between VVS Laxman (281) and Rahul Dravid (180) at Eden Gardens in Mumbai. They were following on after Australia had opened up a first-innings lead of 274.

Sourav Ganguly was captain of that team, and he instilled inner steel in Indian cricket that has passed the annual construction inspection since.

This current unit, led by Ajinkha Rahane for the last three Tests, never knew when they were beaten, fighting until the final ball, which was so welcome to see, with modern tourists fading fast thanks to punishing schedules, the lure of T20 alternatives and the boredom of bubble life.

Rahane was an absolute hero for stepping in as captain and scoring a match-winning century at the MCG, and many are now saying that he would make a better captain than Kohli, who is still their king batsman of course and is returning to lead against England.

BCCI hand India squad cash reward for epic series victory over Australia

To be without Jasprit Bumrah for the final Test and Mohammad Shami for the last three and still win illustrates their strength in depth. Enter Mohammed Siraj! A fast-bowling production line now exists in a country that once relied almost entirely on Kapil Dev and then Javagal Srinath. Likewise with spin – Ravichandra Ashwin injured? Hello the wonderfully named Washington Sundar, a new ‘trump’ card.

India were once cannon fodder down under, although they did manage a couple of drawn series in the 1980s when Australian cricket was in the doldrums and Allan Border was rebuilding. They have beaten Australia in three successive series now, though.

In theory, this is one of Australia’s greatest all-round attacks, comparable to the ‘fab four’ Glenn McGrath/Jason Gillespie/Shane Warne/Brett Lee (or Andy Bichel).

And Pat Cummins was magnificent, deservedly man of the series. But Starc – 11 wickets at 40.72 apiece – and Nathan Lyon – nine at 55.11 – had disappointing times of it. The seamers looked pooped thanks to a chastening schedule with back-to-back Tests, although an obvious locum, James Pattinson, was injured.

Indian batsmen know how to play spin, of course, and Lyon still has a wonderful record – 399 wickets at 32.12 in 100 Tests. His second-innings average is a little high, though – 184 wickets at 30.42 (with 215 at 33.56 in the first innings).

Compare with Ashwin – 377 at 25.53 overall; then 195 at 27.53 in the first innings, 182 at 23.39 in the second. Or Graeme Swann – 255 at 29.96 overall, with 132 at 31.62 in the first innings, 123 at 28.18 in the second.

The only irritation from such incredible entertainment was the inane sledging from Tim Paine to Ashwin in the draw at Sydney. “I can't wait to get you to the Gabba.” Pride before a fall…

^{Rishabh Pant went on the offensive to inspire India on day five}

It is hard for Paine. I see that. Constantly being compared to illustrious predecessors like Warwick Armstrong, Bill Woodfull, Don Bradman (even if his leadership didn’t match his wondrous batting), Richie Benaud, the Chappells, Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh… talk about walking in the footsteps of giants. But his sledging has the wit of Donovan in The Inbetweeners, threatening to give Will a 'wedgie’.

He apologised to be fair. Let’s hope he gives it a rest now and concentrates on maintaining his adequate keeping and spunky batting (even if the centuries refuse to come).

Whether Paine is still in charge for next winter’s Ashes remains to be seen. You can see David Warner and Steve Smith’s egos are intact, after their silly referrals in the second innings at the Gabba.

Whoever is Australia captain, it is going to be close, I feel.

The teams are similarly set up. Smith/Marnus Labuschagne v Root/Ben Stokes is where the quality lies – and Pat Cummins v Jofra Archer (with Josh Hazlewood and Stuart Broad in support).

Lyon’s superiority over Leach and/or Bess could still be key unless England’s spinners can keep improving rapidly, and there were some encouraging signs at Galle.

Both sides’ opening struggles continue. Warner’s uber-aggressive approach brought only 67 runs in four innings in the series, and we know how he struggles against Broad.

Siraj highlighted Marcus Harris’s problems against the short ball. Travis Head struggles to leave width. Will Pucovski and Cameron Green made promising starts, however.

^{Is Tim Paine the man to lead Australia in the Ashes?}

And now for England…

I don’t know what’s going off out there, Fred Trueman might have spluttered between tokes of his pipe.

I’m talking about run-outs. In Test matches. You have five days to bat, for flippin’ sake. Don’t run yourself out.

Lasith Embuldeniya, Bess and worst of all Root were all run out in the Test at Galle. The skipper’s needless dismissal thanks to a mix-up with Jonny Bairstow gave England a genuine scare after dominating the match.

It wasn’t just Sri Lanka v England. Go back to the third Test between Australia and India at the SCG and there was similar chaos. Smith perished for 131, while India lost Hanuma Vihari, Ashwin and Bumrah in their first-innings reply. That India still held on for the draw was in spite of, not because of, their running. 

It feels that there are more run-outs in Test matches than ever, so I asked my friend Ian Smith from Cricket Archive to check this out for me. 

"Hi Huw, the short answer is that the number of run-outs per Test is not growing, it's reducing. 1st 500 Tests to 30.12.1960 – 597 run-outs (1.194 per match); next 500 to 25.11.1984 – 558 (1.116); next 500 to 15.6.2000 – 505 (1.01); next 500 Tests 21.7.2011 – 488 (0.976).

"I also looked to see if there was a significant change in the last five years – there have been 221 Tests in that time (up to and including the last SA v SL Test) with 186 run-outs (0.84)."

Oh well, that’s my thesis out of the window!

I still think when you have all that time to bat it’s a remarkably daft way to get out, although you need to rotate the striker to disrupt the bowling, and modern fielding is exceptional.

As is the reverse sweep, although I know it’s the modern way – Kevin Pietersen v Graham Gooch, and all that. As Sri Lanka were tossing away the Test, failing to adapt from Lanka Premier League mode as they crumbled to 145 all out, Kusal Perera and Wanindu Hasaranga both fell reverse sweeping. On the first day! Of a Test match! 

Dan Lawrence played one early on day five when England were 38 for 3 chasing 76. He had a great debut, but that could have marred it.

And Sundar perished reverse-sweeping when he had nearly led India over the line.

I know it can be a handy shot. It can force a skipper to tear up fielding plans. But you cannot tell me it’s worth the risk in a Test.

Despite all the maddening run-outs and reverse-sweeps, it was a gripping match, at one of cricket’s most wonderful locations.

Root’s 228 was technically superb. People with short memories wonder if it was England’s greatest innings on the subcontinent, which was ridiculous when you consider the quality of Sri Lanka’s attack. It’s difficult to think of anything greater than Pietersen’s 186 against India at Mumbai in 2012/13. Or the double-centuries by Graeme Fowler and Mike Gatting at Madras in 1984/85. Or Graham Thorpe’s 113 against Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas at Colombo in 2000/01. 

But it was certainly one of the greatest displays of sweeping by Root. He nailed it almost every time.

^{Joe Root followed up a first-innings double century with a run-out in the chase (SLC)}

England’s attack did really well. The three seamers all offered something different, and Bess and Leach improved the longer that they bowled, which of course they will do. England’s incubation of Leach last summer was ludicrous.

The openers will pray for a better Test (same venue, starting Friday, January 22). Zak Crawley needs to show more patience. His first-innings dismissal was too desperate. That said, at 22 he’s not going to have faced an attack and conditions anything like as alien as that in his short, sweet career so far.

Lawrence looked great, playing it patiently off the pitch, using his long levers like, yes, KP. 

It will be an interesting conundrum when Stokes returns. 

I don’t like rotation. If he needs time off for personal reasons after the death of his father that’s absolutely fine. But England or any other country for that matter should not omit players for Test cricket for reasons of rotating. 

It’s the primary form of the game, the absolute pinnacle, trying to stay afloat amid a sea of short-form stuff. Best XIs, please!