Robert Craddock: England’s Bazball demolition of India could help Australia – but it might hurt them too

England’s stunning comeback against India and an even more remarkable statistic has sent a clear message to Australia … get ready, the door is opening.

The incredible fact that Joe Root has scored more runs than India’s new Test side combined has boomed out a message to Australia … get ready, the door is opening.

After being shock series losers twice in succession to India in Australia, the world champions are already casting an eye towards a five Test series against India next summer.

The series is shaping as the final supreme challenge for a distinguished Australian team tired of the fact that the only Australian who seems to get his hands on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy these days is Allan Border.

Like Australia, who have one player under 30, India have been chaperoned to the top of the world by a group of senior players so next summer’s series will be decided by who can keep Father Time at bay for longest.

Suddenly, and partly by accident, the Indian cricket team has changed shape for Friday’s second Test in Visakhapatnam after a mind-blowing loss to England in the first Test at Hyderabad when the hosts blew a 190 run lead.

India have won their last 16 series at home and normally roll along in their home summers to the euphoric rhythm of Jasprit Bumrah and the fast men chipping in the new ball before handing the match over to the twin strangulating forces of Ravi Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja.

Joe Root has more runs than the entire new Indian team combined. Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images

But India have lost the first Test and while they can be expected to rise again all sorts of questions are being asked of them.

Jadeja and KL Rahul have been ruled out of the second Test with injuries sustained in the first.

With Virat Kohli having one more Test off due to personal reasons, it has emerged that Root (11,447) has scored more runs than India’s entire squad (10,702).

Searching questions are suddenly being asked of debonair batsman Shubman Gill who has a massive reputation, huge personal sponsorships, and stunning white ball numbers … yet a feeble Test average of 29.

The swaggering Gill has the reputation as the coolest cat in Indian cricket yet quite often plays a dumb – or arrogant – shot when the pressure is at its greatest. He needs to find a way.

By accident India have found themselves elbowed into an era of generational change they thought may come against Australia next summer with their second Test team including fascinating new batsman Sarfaraz Khan who has a breathtaking first class average of just under 70 in India’ so-so domestic competition.

The big question is have England done Australia a favour or disservice?

There is a chance that a player like Sarfaraz, who might not have played this series had India won, will be nicely settled by the Australian tour.

Or will England, if they continue to play well, rock India’s confidence and leave them ripe for the pick in Australia next season.

India’s captain Rohit Sharma is also under mounting pressure in failing to set challenging fields to England’s battalion of Bazball reverse sweepers.

England have lost their senior spinner Jack Leach for this Test so India will probably bounce back.

But the mood is changing. Australia, this is your chance.

Originally published as Robert Craddock: England’s Bazball demolition of India could help Australia – but it might hurt them too