After two of the four Tests in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023 in India, the hosts have taken an unassailable lead. Having been winners from the previous edition, Team India will retain the trophy even if the Aussies manage to draw the series by winning the next two matches.

But even that looks a distant dream as of now and the most immediate priority for them, even if it might seem only theoretical, is to avoid losing a place in the WTC Final. If Pat Cummins and his men get whitewashed AND if (okay, even if it's a biiig IF..) ..if Sri Lanka can blank out New Zealand on their home turf 2-0, it could well be an India Sri Lanka final. But realistically, the odds of that happening are nearly as much as those of having no rains for a whole week in England.

Nevertheless, the Australians take a lot of pride in their Baggy Green and must be hurting after their disappointing outings in the first couple of matches. Especially in Delhi, where they ceded ground rather abjectly from a position of strength on two key occasions - first, while bowling when they couldn't break through Ashwin and Axar's partnership and only just got a lead by the most slender margin possible. And then, after still ending that day with a wonderful start to their second innings, they frittered away another commanding position by committing harakiri and collapsing within a session the next morning, most dramatically and mindlessly.

Don't go by the scoreline, the series has had riveting moments of quality cricket and intense competition. It's just that these moments have not been enough for any cricket fan's liking and have often been punctuated by poor cricket by the Aussies.

As the caravan heads to Indore, let's hope for some tough cricket and an even better contest in the next two Tests, as a dress rehearsal (albeit in vastly different conditions) for the WTC final at Lord's. Coming soon, this June. Jai Ho!