How the Australians fared in India

28 Mar 2017 Laura Jolly

A complete look at all the numbers after Australia's 2-1 series defeat on the Qantas tour of India

David Warner
Matches: 4 | Runs: 193 | Average: 24.12 | SR: 62.45 | HS: 56 | 50s: 1

No one will be more disappointed than David Warner with his return this series. His 56 in the first-innings in Dharamsala was his sole half-century for the four-Test series, but he was unable to follow up in the second dig, removed for six. In his six innings prior, Warner reached double figures on each occasion without kicking on with the job, looking sparkling touch during the first morning in Pune but fell for 38. Scores of 10, 33, 17, 19 and 14 followed, with Warner’s average of 24.12 the lowest by an Australian opener in India since 1979. He’s only averaged less in two series – 13 during last year’s tour of New Zealand and 23 during the 2013 Ashes.

Smith, Warner fifties lead Australia's day one push

Matthew Renshaw
Matches: 4 | Runs: 232 | Average: 29.00 | SR: 38.28 | HS: 68 | 50s: 2

While the 20-year-old will not walk away with fond memories of Dharamsala – where he scored 1 and 8 and dropped two crucial catches at first slip – his performances during the first three Tests repaid the faith shown in him by Australia’s selectors. Despite not having set foot in India prior to arriving for the tour, Renshaw demonstrated maturity in his half-centuries in Pune and Bengaluru, with his first innings overseas providing one of the tour’s most memorable moments when Renshaw retired ill – having put on 82 with Warner when illness struck – later returning to add another 32 runs to his tally before being dismissed for 68. No Australian has scored more Test runs before the age of 21 than the left-hander, who marks that milestone birthday today (March 28).

Renshaw's health woes in first Test

With centuries in Pune, Ranchi and Dharamsala, Steve Smith's tour of India was simply incredible. Smith had demanded his troops bat long and big and he led by example, his 499 runs for the series 267 more than Australia’s next highest scorer Matthew Renshaw. While his first Test ton in Pune had its fair share of luck – Smith dropped four times – his 178no in Ranchi was chanceless and practically faultless. When Smith scored his 20th Test hundred on day one of the fourth Test, he did something no other Australian has managed before, becoming just the second visiting captain to score three centuries in a Test series in India (behind England’s Alastair Cook).

Skipper's Indian epic steers Australia

Shaun Marsh
Matches: 4 | Runs: 151 | Average: 18.87 | SR: 29.20 | HS: 66 | 50s: 2

Marsh’s half-century under immense pressure to guide Australia to a draw in Ranchi proved why he is regarded as something of a ‘subcontinent specialist’. Batting with Pete Handscomb for four hours in a 124-run stand to save the Test, Marsh’s 52 was one of his best knocks in the Baggy Green. His other shining moment for the series came when he top scored with 66 in Australia’s first innings in Bengaluru, but the only other time he reached double figures was his 16 in Pune.

Magnificent Marsh helps keep series level

Handscomb made starts without going on in his first five innings in India, but his form and positive stroke play promised a substantial score which finally came when Australia sorely needed it: to save the third Test in Ranchi. Handscomb’s unbeaten 72 and his 124-run stand with Shaun Marsh, frustrated the Indian bowling attack, who failed to find a way to remove the stubborn right hander. Unfortunately, he couldn’t replicate that effort in the fourth Test, dismissed for 8 and 18.

Handscomb halts India with match-saving vigil

Marsh is facing a lengthy period on the sidelines, having undergone a shoulder reconstruction after being ruled out of the remainder of the tour of India following Australia’s second-Test defeat in Bengaluru. Marsh scored 48 runs in four innings and bowled just five overs – all in Bengaluru – prior to being sent home.

Glenn Maxwell the Test cricketer finally arrived in Ranchi. The allrounder packed away his trick shots, producing an emotional maiden Test century with a display of textbook technique. Single-digit scores following in the second innings and in Australia’s first dig in Dharamsala, while Maxwell seemed Australia’s best hope of pushing towards a defendable target in the second innings in Dharamsala, scoring an innings-high 45 from 60 balls. Maxwell’s off-spinners were used sparingly by Steve Smith, Maxwell bowling just six overs across his two Tests.

Maxwell celebrates emotional Test century

Wade scored his first Test half-century since the 2013 tour of India to help Australia post 300 in their first innings in Dharamsala, while he also made a handy contribution in Bengaluru when he brought out the sweep shot to score 40. He was one of the few to show resistance in the second innings in Dharamsala, finishing unbeaten on 25, while behind the stumps Wade has been solid, pulling off four stumpings to sit alongside his seven catches.

Wade stumping ends session on a high

Australia were dealt a massive injury blow when pace spearhead Mitchell Starc was ruled out of the series following the second Test in Bengaluru due to a fractured foot. The 27-year-old played a pivotal role in the first Test win in Pune, scoring a quick-fire 61 to lift Australia to a dominant first-innings total of 260, before silencing a billion people when he dismissed India captain Virat Kohli for a second-ball duck on day two.

Starc claims Kohli for second-ball duck

Pace, bounce and consistency were the hallmarks of Cummins’ long-awaited Test return in Ranchi, the paceman sending down 39 overs during India’s innings that lasted 210 overs. India opener KL Rahul became Cummins’ first victim upon his return, while he added the key scalps of Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Ravi Ashwin to finish with 4-106. He picked up another three in India’s first innings in Dharamsala and could have had more, had Matthew Renshaw not put down two chances at slip.

Cummins' fiery short-ball spell does trick

Hazlewood’s best performance of the four-Test series came in the second match in Bengaluru, where he struck with old ball and new as his relentless line and length brought career-best figures of 6-67 in India’s second innings. The Bendemeer Bullet was made to toil in the Ranchi heat, bowling 44 overs as Australia slugged it out for 210 overs in the field during India's first innings of 9-603 declared.

Starc, Hazlewood blow Test wide open

O’Keefe started the series in remarkable fashion, ripping apart India not one but twice to collect 6-35 in each innings and shatter countless records. But the left-armer took just seven wickets in the three Tests that followed, and sent down a record of 77 overs in India's only innings during the third Test in Ranchi.

Super SOK scales the heights with 12 in India

Lyon re-wrote the history books in the second Test in Bengaluru with an astonishing 8-50 on day one after India won the toss and elected to bat, the best performance by a touring bowler in India. Unfortunately for Lyon, a split callous on his right index finger hampered his variations during the second innings of that Test and in the third Test in Ranchi but in Dharamsala, Lyon roared again, overcoming a bout of stomach illness to spin a web around India late on day two, taking 4-21 during the final session.

Lyon tears India apart with eight-wicket haul

Did not play: Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Usman Khawaja, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson