SIX KEY QUESTIONS AFTER AUSTRALIA'S 2-1 TEST SERIES DEFEAT TO INDIA
1) Where was the series won and lost?
Australia tested the hosts throughout all four matches. Momentum shifted frequently throughout the six weeks but two lopsided sessions stand out. In Bangalore, India took control during a wicket-less session that ended day three and never looked back. In Dharamsala, the game was in the balance at lunch on day three before the tourists suffered a collapse of 5-82. The top-ranked Test side generally lived up to their mantle by batting and bowling exceptionally well, with the exception of the series-opening boilover in Pune.
2) How poor are relations between the sides?
Exceptionally. There could be some awkward moments during the Indian Premier League (IPL), when Steve Smith, David Warner and Glenn Maxwell will each captain their respective franchise. It was one of the most spiteful series of the modern era. India captain Virat Kohli has declared he will never be friends with any member of the opposition.
3) When and where is the next clash between Kohli and Smith?
If Kohli recovers from a shoulder injury in time it will be during an IPL match on April 17 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, scene of the skippers' fierce showdown during the second Test. Australia's next Test tour of India is likely to come in 2021, but they'll return to the world's second most populous nation for an ODI tour later this year.
4) Have Australia truly conquered their subcontinent slump, and when will they return to Asia for a Test series?
Smith's side snapped a nine-Test losing streak in Asia when they triumphed in Pune. They also came close to achieving a series win in India, something no team has achieved since England in 2012. There was a clear change of mindset from the tourists, which was instilled during a pre-tour training camp in Dubai, but ultimately they fell short against a very good team. If a proposed tour of Bangladesh goes ahead in September, that will be a golden chance for Australia to win their first Test series in Asia since a successful trip to Sri Lanka in 2011.
5) What's next for Australia's cricketers?
Many members of the touring party will either remain in India or rush back for the lucrative Twenty20 league that starts next week. Their next major assignment, apart from negotiating pay talks with Cricket Australia, is the ODI Champions Trophy that starts in June.
6) What will Australia's XI look like for the first Test of the 2017-18 Ashes?
It's hard to crystal ball this far in advance but there are likely to be a few good headaches for selectors. Top of the list will be finalising an attack if Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and James Pattinson are all fit. Such a scenario would fuel talk of England being welcomed by an all-out pace attack at the Gabba. Spinners Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe both performed well in India, while Glenn Maxwell made a strong claim for the No.6 spot that has been so vexed in recent years.
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