Australia v India: Having drunk in the last chance saloon all summer, it’s closing time now for Joe Burns

Australia has doggedly stood by Joe Burns this series, but the tension of trying to snatch at form which simply isn’t there has overwhelmed him.

Australia's batsman Joe Burns walks off after his dismissal on the third day of the second cricket Test match between Australia and India at the MCG in Melbourne on December 28, 2020. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP) / --IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE--

Australia has steadfastly held the line this summer it would be cruel to drop Joe Burns. Suddenly it seems cruel to play him.

Years after being dropped from Test teams, players will occasionally reveal they were secretly relieved the agony was over.

You wonder whether poor Burns might feel this way if, as seems likely, he loses his place to David Warner (if fit) or Marcus Harris for the third Test against India after his agonised innings of four on Monday brought his summer’s return to 125 runs from 11 innings.

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Joe Burns is stuck in the middle of a monstrous form slump.

Australia has doggedly stood by Burns this series in a bid to show what loyalty really means, but the tension of trying to snatch at form which simply isn’t there has overwhelmed him.

Burns did manage a second innings half century in Adelaide and in some way Australia’s loyalty to him was admirable. But as the slump deepens, Australia must now heed the message that while loyalty is great, defying such poor form is like trying to defy gravity.

There are few things in sporting life more uncomfortable to look at that a Test batsman so out of form that his bat suddenly resembles the width of a beer stick.

Burns would have known he was batting for his career on Monday and the tension was palpable and you could sense there was enormous goodwill and encouragement for him from the crowd.

Burns flirted with dismissal more than once before he was put out of his misery.

He had three of the closest shaves imaginable and somehow escaped … only to make four.

It was hard to watch, especially for the many cricket fans who could sense Burns’ anguish and were willing him.

When Burns got off the mark he dived to make his ground when a direct hit from Ravi Ashwin from short mid-on would have claimed him for a pair.

Soon after he was struck flush on the toe by Jasprit Bumrah but escaped a raucous lbw shout on an umpire’s call and also had to weather a shy at the stumps after leaving his crease.

Then came the dismissal to a world-class away seamer from Udesh Yadav, which he feathered behind, the eighth time this summer he has fallen this way.

Curiously, he motioned towards his pad and moved down the wicket before almost sheepishly calling for a review he deep down must have known was doomed.

Cricket can be a cruel game.

Originally published as Australia v India: Having drunk in the last chance saloon all summer, it’s closing time now for Joe Burns