India in Australia

 History and trend

As India embark on their full tour to Australia. We look at their recent success down under. Interestingly their recent success (this century) has been very similar to overall success in all format in Australia!!.viz very thin.

Here is India’s historic trend of 3 format in Australia

• Their overall(1932-2018) success in Test cricket is 11.36% win – their recent(2000) success has been 10.53 % win.

• Their overall(1974-2018) success in ODI cricket is 22.91 % win – their recent(2000) success has been 21.43% win.

• Their overall(2006-2018) success in T20I cricket has been 66.66% win – which happens to be played after 2008

If we compare India’s performance in non-Asia countries then Australia is their least successful place in Test and ODI cricket. They have done well in T20I cricket winning 4 out of 6 games.

Below table is India’s success rate in all format in non-Asian Countries since 1999.

Coming back to India’s performance in Australia, the last visit was a batting paradise for both teams as they each scored > 400 Runs in every Test match(Australia scoring 500 plus in every test match). That series featured 14 centuries(6 by Indians, of which Virat Kohli scored 4).  

Basic stats indicators for both teams ( in Australia 1999-2014/15)

Analysis

In Test cricket big scores keeps your opponent in arms distance for most time of the match. Hence 1^st innings lead of > 100 is key to winning.

Team’s score of 400 plus in Australia

(19 test matches)

• 10 times for India
• 15 times for Australia

Team’s low score of 250 or less in 1^st innings in Australia

(19 test matches)

• 5 times for India
• Only once for Australia

If a team can bat long, then it takes the game deep into 5 days allowing you to choke your opponent. In their last visit to Australia(2014-15), India manage to score 400 in every test match and apart from 2nd test all matches went till the last day – eventually losing 2 close games and drawing 2.

Interestingly only the 2^nd Test of that series finished with a day to spare. This compare to previous series where Australia dominated India with huge margin of victory of which 8 test matches got over with more than a day to spare.

Below table is margin of success test by test since 1999.

• Lead – in above table, the sign for minus is when Australia got a lead over India. 

Small scores keeps both teams marginally apart – and as a team you are never on top for long period of time.

For visiting teams – slip fielding will be a key part of their bowling. They need to be sharp and alert to anticipate. India on their recent tours of SA and England dropped too many catches (21) particularly in slips(12) effecting their bowling rhythm.

Here is a link to India’s tour to UK earlier this year – http://allthatcricket.com/527-2/

Factors India should consider

• For India to win the series – they need to post big scores(bat for 2 days) and while bowling get early break(with sharp catching/fielding) so that their spinners are bowling to middle-order with score-line below 200.
• Not allow Australia post big scores regularly.
• The surface is always good in Australia – the day five is not as bad it looks, and teams can save the game by batting out the entire 5^th

Stats nuggets

• Only once Australia(19 Tests) were dismissed for < 250 in 1^st inn at home v India.
• Out of 19 test matches against Australia, 8 got over with a day to spare.
• Across primary indices India is second best to South Africa since 1999. Their average, run-rate and balls/per wicket is much higher than other countries. They also are second to England in terms of scoring centuries.