AUS vs IND 2020-21 Test Series

 It's been 2 years. 2 long years have gone by before the Champions of World Cricket met again. It may not be wrong to call them that. These two teams have produced some of the finest, to ever play the game. It's back. The series takes place where we left 2 years ago as India, take on the WTC toppers, The Mighty Australians, on their home turf once again.

This blog shall update you on the standings of each test, each day of each test, as the World of Cricket holds its breath. The winner shall have reclaimed the WTC, while the loser shall fall out of the top 3. The series has not begun yet, so, this blog will attempt to define the strengths and weaknesses of each team, while also listing and describing the players to watch out for.

India

The might Indians have been one of the best test teams over the last 5 years. From the 2015 India-Sri Lanka test series, India has won the next 15 out of 18 series it has played till now. Most of these wins have come with Captain Kohli at the helm. Several of them have come out of the subcontinent, further lowering the claim that India cannot win on fast bouncy pitches. 

Players to watch out for:

Mayank Aggarwal: The most impressive Indian test opener in the current side, Mayank Aggarwal's temperament and attacking spirit will do him well in the Australian conditions. Always a stroke maker, Aggarwal has an impressive record in the brief time he played in Australia. Featuring in 3 innings on the 2018-19 tour, Aggarwal grabbed the opportunity with both hands and scored an impressive 195 runs at an avg of 65. His quality strokeplay and his ability to attack no matter what the situation will prove helpful against a fiery Australian attack that likes to take control of the game. He has an impressive Test record, with over 5 centuries, and 2 double-hundreds in his 11 tests. At an avg of 58, Mayank provides stability and consistency at the top of the order.

Cheteshwar Pujara: Dubbed as the successor of "The Rock" Pujara has done well to hold his place at the top of the order. Just like his predecessor, Pujara likes to weary the opponent by constantly being patient and playing long innings. His record in Australia is impressive, with over 1600 hundred runs as well as being the top run-scorer on the last tour of Australia. He has a habit of playing the waiting game, with Pujara playing over 1258 balls on the last tour, a world record which was first held by his predecessor. He can be the ideal no.3 with Virat Kohli leaving after the first test and has the ability to become "The Wall" of this current team. 

Jasprit Bumrah: One of the current best Indian fast bowlers, Bumrah has the whole package. Speed, Accuracy, Guile, you name it and he has it. Expected to flourish in Australia, Bumrah will be delighted as the Australian pitches are fast and bouncy, while usually having something in it for the seamers. He will be hoping to replicate his last tour fortunes, where he was the wrecker-in-chief with 21 wickets in 4 tests.

Australia: 

Over the last few years, Australia has had one of the best home records, winning almost all their test series, with the exception of the 2018-19 IND vs AUS. A well-rounded squad, mixed with experience and youth, this Australian side could give India a run for their money as India looks to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Containing some of the current best players of world cricket, there's a lot of difference between this squad and the one from 2018 with the inclusion of Labuschagne, Smith and Warner.

Steve Smith: Arguably the best test batsman in world cricket, Steve Smith will be hoping to assert dominance on India to take home the Border-Gavaskar trophy. On the back of an extraordinary 2019, Steve Smith has the potential to single-handedly take away the game from the visitors. An avg of 74+ in the last calendar year should do him a world of good as those runs have come on fast pitches like those at home. 

Marnus Labuschagne: Very similar to Mayank Aggarwal, this young lad has proven to be one of Australia's finest find over the last two years. Having played only 14 tests, Marnus is relatively new to the test circuit but, has made ripples already. He made 353 in the Ashes series last year while walking out as a concussion substitute for Steve Smith. With those runs coming at a handy avg, Marnus further justified his case as a part-time leg-spin bowler, who can chip in with a few wickets. With Smith as a mentor for the young lad, this series will give him a chance to showcase his potential on the big stage and prove that he can bat under pressure.

Nathan Lyon: Certainly, the most amusing name on the list, Lyon's record against India is outstanding. Ironically, Indians are considered good players of spin, with Lyon being an offspinner with rip and guile. Lyon is quite successful on home turf, having taken 191 wickets in Australia. Adding to that, Nathan Lyon was also the joint leading wicket-taker on the 2018-19 tour with 21 wickets in 4 matches at an avg of 30.43.