Australia's Achilles Heel: Their frailties in the Indian subcontinent

#2 Test of Temperament

The Aussie batsmen struggled throughout the Test series

Batting in the subcontinent is not merely about proper technique but also about the right temperament. Elsewhere, batsmen see through the initial nervy moments and capitalise once the ball gets older. On a dry turner, the possibility of dismissal is always relentless.

A batsman is never ‘in’ on such a surface and has to be alert in defence and judicious in attack. The brisk scoring Aussie batsmen often try to take the attack to the bowler in order to unsettle his rhythm. However, batting on the subcontinent is more a test of patience than assertive stroke play.

Batsmen who revel here are those who patiently bide time and seize the right moment to attack. Yet, many of the younger generation Aussie batsmen seem to trust their defence lesser and when cornered, employ the sweep or try to step out as a counter-attack, only to play around the wrong line and length of the ball.

Even Steven Smith was guilty of the same when he ran down the pitch to a wide, flighted delivery from Herath in just the 2^nd over of Day 2 of the 1^st Test at Pallekalle, only to miss a wild heave and be stumped.