When can India be a true champion?

The path to qualify for the World Test Championship 2025 is a challenging one for the Indian cricket team. India, have reached the final of both the earlier editions, however, they have been unsuccessful in winning the trophy.

On both occasions, one felt they fell short in their preparations, especially, as the deciding factor is just a one-match encounter. One has to be mentally and physically ready to hit peak performance and India lost their way, both against New Zealand and Australia. The Indian team, however, has shown to be far more consistent than any of the other International sides and it would be deserved justice if India win the title this time around. India play two Tests versus Bangladesh and three against New Zealand at home but the toughest challenge will be their 5-match series against Australia Down Under. India are at present leading the Test Championship table and have a good chance of qualifying for the final once again.

The concern that one has is because India is the reigning T20 champion, the commercial angle comes forcefully into play. The future Indian cricket itinerary is riddled with unimportant T20I matches, which are financially more beneficial for all concerned. Sunil Gavaskar, one feels, has rightly pointed out that the Indian team for the Australia tour needs more time and side matches to get acclimatised to the conditions over there. Furthermore, he has also questioned as to why the senior players have been exempted from playing in the Duleep Trophy matches.

The longer, conventional format of the game requires a completely different mental make-up. That’s precisely why it is called “Test Cricket”. It challenges you in all respects, like your skills, patience, resilience, mental and physical stamina and sustainability. A 5-match series in a huge country like Australia is an arduous prospect and should not be

taken lightly.

The Indian players have enjoyed playing and winning in the shorter T20 format against Sri Lanka recently. However, they lost the ODI series to the hosts. The latter was a good indicator and a wake-up call for not being in the zone in the longer 50 overs version of the game. One, therefore, is worried that some of our champion players may not be fully prepared to play a 5-day Test match, especially, as the last one was played nearly six months ago. India’s premier batsman, Virat Kohli, last played a Test match in the beginning of the year and one hopes and prays that he can get into groove from the very first match against Bangladesh.

A stint in the Duleep Trophy for Virat would have definitely helped him in his tune-up to the 10 important upcoming Test matches earmarked for India to qualify for the big prize and the gauntlet that still eludes them -- ‘The World Test Championship trophy’.

A similar worry also haunts one on the fitness and form of Jasprit Bumrah. One does not grudge his deserving rest, however, bowling in the nets is hardly a preparation for a gruelling 5-day Test match. Bumrah is presently the best pace bowler in the world but taking one’s skill for granted has been the downfall of many great players in the past.

The selection of the Indian Test side should be interesting. The likes of young Indian stars Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel and Devdutt Padikkal shone out against England in the last series. One wonders whether they will be continued with. A failure in the Duleep Trophy for any one of them could become an excuse to drop them from the Test side.

One is looking forward to seeing how Yashasvi Jaiswal, the twice double century-maker against England, will fare in Australia. The talented opener has the makings of a Brian Lara, however, the steep bounce will need him to adjust to the conditions quite rapidly. The Australian thinktank, as one can read, are already on a preparation drive to plan a victory for their side. They have not won a series against India in the last 10 years and have been beaten at home on two occasions. Their captain, Pat Cummings, is gearing himself up for the long and strenuous series that he can foresee against India, whereas, their main strike bowler, Mitchell Starc, has endorsed it as a series that is as important as the Ashes. Nathan Lyon, their star off-spinner, is focused on planning Yashasvi’s downfall. All these are mental games of warriors ready to take on a battle and remove the scar of defeat that hangs over them.

One is a little bemused about India’s approach to the Australia tour. They go in directly into a Test match in Perth, without a serious practice game and then move to Canberra to play a 2-day warm-up match. This sounds bizarre, as although the Australian pitches are now all dropdown strips, the one in Perth is still a fast bouncy one. Indian batters as well as the bowlers have failed to adjust to the conditions in the past. One may rejoice at the victory that India had in the T20 World Cup, however, it is only after a World Test Championship win that one can truly be called a champion side.

(Yajurvindra Singh is a former India cricketer. The views expressed are personal).