Crushing losses suffered by strong teams

[Spark]

No I remember it well. A lot of people said that it was a great chance for India to win a series on Australia soil, which obviously got very wrong later.

Yeah it should be remembered that no one exactly trusted that Australian side in 2012 to be much good. The attack was still built around a few of the same bowlers who had been so dismal against England the previous summer (Siddle and Hilfenhaus, basically) with some unproven tyros in Starc and Pattinson thrown in, whilst the batting had just dropped a Test at home against NZ mere weeks after being rolled for 47 to cap off two years of utter refuse under Langer's fine stewardship. Sure Clarke was in good touch but that seemed to be just about the only thing going for Australia at that point; a ton of inexperience together with experience that had proven faulty under pressure over and over. I don't recall if people thought India favourites but everyone gave them a good shot on that basis alone.

Turned out, Clarke was in really, really good touch and the new bowlers were actually quite good. And India were way over the hill.

 

[Calm_profit]

Yeah it should be remembered that no one exactly trusted that Australian side in 2012 to be much good. The attack was still built around a few of the same bowlers who had been so dismal against England the previous summer (Siddle and Hilfenhaus, basically) with some unproven tyros in Starc and Pattinson thrown in, whilst the batting had just dropped a Test at home against NZ mere weeks after being rolled for 47 to cap off two years of utter refuse under Langer's fine stewardship. Sure Clarke was in good touch but that seemed to be just about the only thing going for Australia at that point; a ton of inexperience together with experience that had proven faulty under pressure over and over. I don't recall if people thought India favourites but everyone gave them a good shot on that basis alone.

Turned out, Clarke was in really, really good touch and the new bowlers were actually quite good. And India were way over the hill.

And also gave a false hope that Ponting regain his form ?

 

[Bolo.]

**** me that bowling attack looks grim though. Gavin Robertson and Paul Wilson!

No excuses for that collapse though.

It's weak even by a lot of inferior bowling country standards. Warne alone would be usually be enough to lift this attack to being solid in a way no quick (or at least arguably no quick could), but they are playing in India.

With that in mind, when have AUS ever fieled anything worse? Horses for courses, I think I probably prefer Siddle 'led' attacks.