Massive lessons learned in loss

AUSTRALIA has been given an old fashioned hammering by India – but it won’t be wasted.

History tells us when you have tough assignments looming – such as this year’s World Cup and Ashes – it’s better to be knocked into shape by a world-class opponent than have an easy kill that makes you think that you are better than you are.

Humbling though it was, this series will be good for Australia in the same way that getting crunched in South Africa and England planed the rough edges off India before their quest for glory Down Under.

Australia can go to England knowing their batsmen must improve their patience and discipline and their fast bowlers need more tricks.

But at least Jasprit Bumrah has at least conditioned the batsmen to facing world-class pace bowling but ruthlessly exposing their weaknesses.

Had this series been against the West Indies, Australia may have toured England thinking Aaron Finch was a cherry ripe Test opener and Mitchell Marsh the perfect all-rounder.

Some issues have been solved. Many remain vexed works in progress.

This was meant to be a season of discovery for Australian cricket – of fresh talent, rising stars and a new beginning.

The worry is that the only things we discovered was that the initial fears were correct – Australia is a fragile team with little depth.

If you were handing out medals for the series to Australians, Pat Cummins would take the gold, Tim Paine the silver and Nathan Lyon the bronze.

The key disappointments were batsmen Shaun and Mitchell Marsh and Usman Khawaja who were asked to lift a gear in the absence of David Warner and Steve Smith but just couldn’t do it.

And the pace attack was out-bowled as well.

Australia was looking for a breakthrough player but never quite found one.

Marcus Harris is promising and looks a likely long-term player but despite a couple of 50s he is not there yet.

Marnus Labuschagne has spirit and zest which suggest suggests he is growing by the innings.

He will tour England as a reserve batsman and be given a chance to grow in the shadows of the frontliners.

Australia’s pace bowlers were out-bowled and outthought on home soil and the statistic that no Australian fast bowler got an lbw was a telling sign that Australia’s line and length were off the mark.