Australia v India Test series: Steve Smith’s dressing room blow up after Delhi dismissal
As Australian wickets tumbled within minutes of each other, the Delhi dressing room became a “recipe for disaster”. Go inside the chaotic environment as tensions rose.
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If you’ve seen The Test you’ve heard bats bouncing off walls, observed Steve Smith in an ill tempered rant after being run out and got a glimpse of the dressing room when the high stake sweep stakes things went wrong in Delhi.
When they go really bad it is a hell of a place, during a collapse the dismissed batsmen can still be venting their anger as the next few prepare to play.
It’s a recipe for disaster.
Some batsmen can’t contain their anger when dismissed.
Ricky Ponting broke a television set once, bats have gone through doors, when Michael Bevan’s pads and gloves wouldn’t flush down a toilet he tried to force them down with his bat, Shane Warne’s bat bounced off a wall and hit coach Bob Simpson.
Even when the returning batsmen control themselves everything becomes frenetic as ill prepared team mates rush to put their gear on.
Smith was dismissed playing a sweep shot that was out of character and one that triggered a horrific eight wicket collapse.
He was not happy with himself as he walked from the field and made no pains to hide it when he got off it.
Coach Michael Di Venuto thought Smith’s self-criticism should have at least let those that followed know not to play the same shot.
“He was certainly disappointed when he got out and he made it known that it was a poor shot in the dressing room,” batting coach Michael Di Venuto said.
“I think most people would have heard that, they should have had a fair idea of what not to do. It was just one of those moments in the game when you’re under pressure from world class bowlers, things happen sometimes, it’s unusual for him.”
Di Venuto spoke about the panic that set in as wickets fell one after another after another. Batsmen behaving like a stampeding herd.
“It was a like a car crash in slow motion isn’t it?” He observed, admitting there is no real way to stop the chain reaction that sets in.
“I wish there was and generally it happens and it’s already happened and it’s like what has just happened there. You guys saw exactly what we saw. It’s just constant panic and people moving everywhere.
“You lose a wicket you never want to go bang bang and lose two. And in this country it’s easy to get knocked over early and then it’s just matter about trying to get that next partnership and calming the waters a little bit. The other day we lost four wickets on 95. Something like that. It just kept on happening.”
The respected batting coach conceded it would be nice to have a quiet place for batsmen preparing away from those grieving their demise, but the architecture of the game doesn’t allow that, he said.
“That’s part of the process of cricket. Some are good. Some will blow up. Everyone’s different. Some will go away and blow up. Others are quite open about,” he said.
“It’s a tough one in cricket and that’s been handed down throughout the ages. The blow ups, the guys are a lot better these days, I think the majority, you still get a few no doubt. It’s frustration. No one wants to get out and people want to perform. Tough game.”
Di Venuto defended the team’s plans and preparation.
“Plans certainly weren’t wrong, our plans were good, but if people go away from their plans they get in trouble as we saw. I think if we look back at the position we were in at 2-85 executing our plans very well in that second innings and ahead of the game and the wheels fell off after that,” he said.
“Guys under pressure moved away from their plans of what worked and you pay the consequence in this country.
“Batting is pretty similar analogy I think, you’ve got to swim between the flags in this country, if you go outside the flags and your game plan you are going to get in trouble.
“It was frenetic, it was panic, you saw exactly what we saw on the balcony. It was a procession of players going out and getting out. It is an easy place to get out early here. We are talking about two world class bowlers in their home conditions, you’ve really got to trust your defence, have good attacking shots but smart ones. We didn’t see too much of that in second innings.
“It’s frustrating because you know the work the coaches and players put in to get ready, they’ve worked exceptionally hard since we got over here and before. As we’ve seen the guys that got in looked as good as anyone. Go back to the Smith Marnus partnership in the first Test, Ussie’s played well, Pete Handscomb’s shown an excellent method in these conditions, Heady looked bloody good the other day. It’s not like they can’t play in these conditions. It’s about being better for longer. It is really hurting us that our partnerships have been 50 or 60 or 80 and not 150. And it’s hard work, lets not kid ourselves, wickets are challenging but what we expected ….”
HOW INDIA SHATTERED CUMMINS AND HIS PERFECT RECORD
Ben Horne
India has brought Pat Cummins back to earth with a thud familiar to many touring captains over the years.
Cummins has been a near faultless cricketer both as captain and fast bowler ever since he made his Test debut, but the skipper’s tactics and performance in India have been put under a microscope amid the disastrous ending of Australia’s Border-Gavaskar series’ hopes.
England players and their families were relaxing on the outfield of Mount Maunganui having routed New Zealand in their latest Test match triumph … knocking the top off a few cold ones while watching Australia’s catastrophic batting collapse unfold on the big screen.
Current scene at the Bay Oval: England drinking with their families in a marquee while Australia’s impending demise to India is being played out on the big screen #NZvEngpic.twitter.com/IZAYGoWJWO
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) February 19, 2023
Now that this Indian mission has failed, Cummins and the Australians must save face and urgently rebuild confidence for their shot at breaking up the English party.
The contrast of England’s cake walk in New Zealand and Australia’s humiliation in India has served as a sobering reminder that the Baz Ball threat is getting bigger by the minute.
The “keep calm” mantra Cummins has perfected in Australia and in Pakistan last year fell apart in Nagpur and Delhi.
Coming in at No.8, most of the damage had already been done by the time Cummins strode to the crease in the first session on day three – but his reckless first ball duck, trying to smash the cover off the ball, summed up the panic that had blazed through the dressing room.
Cummins has without question been an inspired choice as Test captain and the way he has taken to the role has made many question why he is the first fast bowler in Australian cricket history to lead the Test team on a full-time basis.
He is the man for the job, a profound leader of men with superb cricketing instincts.
But the hot, long days in sweltering heat in India were always going to be his greatest test.
There were signs that juggling his own bowling responsibilities with the unique demands of captaining in India pushed Cummins like he hadn’t been pushed before as skipper.
Test great Matthew Hayden questioned Cummins’ lack of impact on the game as a bowler when Indian lower-order batsmen Axar Patel and Ravi Ashwin put on a match-defining 114-run stand on day two. Hayden wanted more short-pitch bowling, more questions asked from a man who has a proven track record as the world’s most inspirational wicket-taker.
Former Test player Tom Moody was critical of Cummins more so for his lack of creativity with bowling changes and field placings as Australia let India off the hook from a position of crisis at 6-139 to essentially achieving first innings parity.
With India chasing just 115 for victory on day three following Australia’s capitulation, Test great Mark Waugh was at a loss to explain why Cummins’ wasn’t setting more aggressive fields given the death or glory nature of the match situation.
“I’m astounded at this field, honestly,” Waugh said on Fox Cricket commentary.
There are lessons to be learned for Cummins and Australia.
The main one being that Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor and Michael Clarke – for all their glory moments – know what it’s like to feel down and desperate in India.
Australia needs to accept it has failed to bring the game plan and temperament needed to conquer India in India, but not let this disappointment affect the team’s Ashes mindset.
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