Beware of the backlash

In two years, they’ve lost all of four Tests: to England at Leeds in 2001 during a 4-1 win; to South Africa at Durban in 2001-02 en route a 5-1 double series win; to England at Sydney last winter while winning the series 4-1; and now.

In the same period, they have won 20 Tests. Usually with lots to spare. Usually under four days.

Usually ruthlessly. And usually, significantly, without riding on the shoulder of one particular player.

The team bit is significant. Yes, some of them are getting on a bit. But they are as old when they won the World Cup a couple of months back. Yes, that was a limited-overs tournament — not the same as the ‘‘real thing’’ — but they did it with an average age of 31+, despite not having Waugh in their line-up and being led by the younger Ricky Ponting.

They’ve maintained more or less the same line-up for the past few years, with perhaps one change every season (Lehmann for Mark Waugh, and now MacGill and Hogg fighting over Shane Warne’s vacancy).

But the key to their success is in not relying heavily on one player; if Ponting doesn’t score — or play — after three successive centuries, Hayden steps up. Without Warne around now, the wickets are usually shared by McGrath, Lee, Gillespie, Bichel. And they remain as hungry for success ever – as they prove over and over. Their success rate prompts parallels with the German footballers (22 men go out and play football, the Germans always win) but a comparison with the Brazilians is more like it.

The Aussie game is far from boring; they score their runs at over four an over, they pick wickets every 20-25 runs. Surely, their domination has as much to do with planning and strategising, as with a level of game that no country has come close to matching.

They aren’t machines, but class players capable of bouncing back from any reversal. So heaven help the Bangladesh and Zimbabwe teams, scheduled to visit them next.

It won’t be a pretty sight. For India, the hope is that by the time their December tour starts, some of the hunger will be sated.