Australia’s humiliation in Perth has been a year in the making

The signs were ominous from last summer, as two inexperienced bowling attacks made a mess of the top-order. The dramatic run-chase in Christchurch helped paper over some of the cracks.

“Where do they go from here.”

It’s one of the most poignant statements ever made on TV cricket commentary. Courtesy of the late, great Tony Cozier after the West Indies had been blown away for 51 at the Queens Park Oval in Trinidad by the rampant Australians in the first Test of the series in 1999. It was the raw despair and the anguish in the longstanding voice of cricket in the Caribbean though that made it so indelible, and memorable at the same time.

I could hear my old friend Tony’s voice on the radio waves here on Monday, at least in spirit, as Australia began reacting to the imminent threat of a comprehensive Test defeat on home soil.

To be precise, they came through the text messages from listeners as I hosted a one-hour breakfast radio show before the start of play on Monday. “Where does Australian Test cricket go from here,” or something to that effect, being the riding theme of most of the correspondence. The doomsday predictions only got stronger as the calls came in.

If one elderly listener was certain that Test cricket itself would come to an end in two years’ time in Australia, the other echoed the thoughts of pretty much 90 per cent of the others, in terms of wanting to throw a virtual flamethrower through this current playing XI and bring in replacements en masse.

It was firstly a window into how little Australian cricket fans are used to seeing their team be beaten on these shores. But even more to the shellshock that results from their Test team being humiliated on their own turf.

For, let’s face it the 295-run loss at the Perth Stadium on day four after having bowled out India for 150 in the first innings is more than just a comprehensive loss.

It’s a thrashing. It’s a hammering worthy of the level of outrage from the cricket fans around the country. More so in the wake of just how defeated the Australians looked at the end of day three, a day that will go down in infamy in many circles, for the complete lack of challenge posed by them against the unrelenting assault by the Indians with both bat and ball.

To be worn down to the ground by a young tyro playing his first Test match on Australian soil, before being blown away by an inspired Indian captain who already seems to have developed an aura of indomitability with four Tests to go.

Alex Carey is stuck by a bouncer by Harshit Rana Picture: Getty Images

The signs were ominous from last summer. In consecutive series, two inexperienced bowling attacks from Pakistan and the West Indies had made a mess of the top-order and left the home team teetering on the edge before either Mitch Marsh or Travis Head had to bail them out.

You do wonder whether the dramatic run-chase in Christchurch this year helped paper over some of the cracks that had started to develop around this much-vaunted batting group.

A victory then may not have been the best result in the bigger picture for this Test team.

Also considering that was the last Test they played before taking on India some nine months later.

The fact is that this is a batting line-up in decline. Some might say in steep decline.

Steve Smith’s run without a Test century has now gone to 23 innings, the longest drought of his career. Usman Khawaja, after a stellar show throughout 2023 on the road, has now scored just two half-centuries in his last eight Tests.

Marnus Labuschagne’s average has now slipped to 48, which though still very impressive overall, is a far cry from when it was in the 60s and when he was ranked the No.1 Test batter in the world.

Head was a bright spark to an extent on the final day but to take many positives from Australia managing to bat seven extra overs in the second innings than they did in the first would be a sign of greater desperation than trying to find some solace in the way they’ve gone down here.

The opinions coming through from India are how this Australian team looked defeated at times on the field, which isn’t in keeping with the way they perceive Australian teams to be. It is a telling observation.

The fact that this famed bowling attack at times looked hapless and toothless against Jaiswal and later against Virat Kohli. The fact that their top-order looked to have no clue against Bumrah at times.

The fact that they don’t have anyone outside the current squad to really turn to.

The fact that this defeat could well be an ominous sign of things to come.