Aussie Backlash Imminent

"So what's your reading of Australia's terrific form?"

It is too good a side to be floundering but three successive defeats at the hands of Somerset, Bangladesh and England have caused myfriends to bounce such questions at me. Try as hard as I could, there was no escaping the inquisition after this weekend. As someone who hasadmired Australia's preparation and its attitude, it was inevitable that the string of defeats would spark a debate.

Bangladesh can draw a lot of satisfaction from its famous victory over Australia in Cardiff. I had escaped the heat of Delhi and was inBhimtal, a six-hour drive, and even though the small town has cable TV, I was unaware of the upset until the following morning whenthe local newspaper provided the news. It was a throwback to the days when the newspaperbrought home much of the news.

I was driving back to Delhi when England caught Australia on the downswing and did not let the old rival stage an early recovery. It isprudent to hold back comment on something I haven't seen, but it is obvious that Australia's preparations for the NatWest Trophy serieshave come under the scanner now. The break from the game has not really done the side much good.

Of course, Australia is in a situation it has not been familiar with for some years now. Few may remember it having such a poor weekend inrecent times as it did in Cardiff and Bristol. Coming in the wake of the defeats in the Twenty20hit-about against England and the one-day game against Somerset, the losses in the NatWest Trophy seriespaint a stark scenario – something that the Indians face from time to time.

A side that has dominated world cricket for some years now can expect flak when it falls flat on its face, unable to raise big totals ordefend the modest ones. Critics who have been waiting to use their vitriol-filled pens havegot the chance to run Australia down. "Time to press the panic button," they are saying in unison. It is a price thatAustralia has to pay for its consistent showing.

For all that, I believe that Australia can – and will – bounce back before long. By all accounts, coach John Buchanan has identified a keyproblem – lack of rigorous cricket – and will ensure that his players do not let these losses force a defeatist approach into their cricket.

In an interview with The Independent, he has said the danger was of the players over-analysing when things are not going well."We have to make sure that we don't get caught up in the emotion of what is going on," he told the newspaper. "We have to concentrate onthe process that has made us a good side."

This is something that I often heard Indian vice-captain Rahul Dravid say in the last season when the team's slide was palpable.

Over the years, Team India had developed the uncanny knack of bouncing back from trouble but we did not get to see India achieve that with anyconsistency last season. Dravid kept telling us "We have to go back and do the things right as we did on our way to becoming a competitiveside."

India and its cricketers have learnt a great deal from the Australian side. The time may be at hand for the world to get ready to see theart of staging a comeback from Australia. It won't take long in coming. And the world willbrand it the backlash. World cricket better brace itself up.