India's overseas Test journey ends with renewed concern over its bowling

There is a gulf between India's bowling and what is acceptable Test quality. 

It is about time to look back and mull over India's performances as their year-long campaign away from home ended in a tense draw against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. From South Africa to New Zealand to England to Australia, the Test team has seen more downs and ups and with their regular captain retired mid-series, it was a fitting end to a series that, although has set the blueprint for a new team, remains overly dependent on a few individuals.

Draws in Melbourne and Sydney put forth a renewed vigour in this young team not willing to give up like it did in the early stages of this tour, as well as this year. The signs were there even in South Africa and New Zealand where they could have won Test matches, but the lack of a bowling unit capable of sparking collapses rather than suffering one all the time was glaring, and has hurt them often.

In many ways then, it was the fourth day of the Sydney Test that explained, nay exaggerated, how India's campaigns overseas have panned out. Unless they can put together four bowlers who look remotely capable of causing trouble to batsmen, results away from home would continue to look like the ones they have endured all this year.

The results in South Africa and New Zealand, while they were encouraging despite the 0-1 returns, didn't explore the possibility of how longer duration series would end. England and Australia ended that doubt. While the batsmen were exposed in England, they fared better in Australia, in both series the bowling remained pedestrian more the majority of the series.

Melbourne and Sydney were draws, but in giving away 500 runs in each of Australia's four first innings and failing to bowl them out twice in any game, the new year has begun with renewed concern over India's bowling. Assistant coach Sanjay Bangar's assertion that this was the best bowling attack India had assembled "in years" was well off the mark. But whether they look beyond the wayward tearaways or stick with them, only time will tell.

With the last overseas assignment before a long home leg of international cricket approaching in the form of the tri-series in Australia and the World Cup thereafter, it was India's batting that came out largely unhurt. That Virat Kohli led from the front, with his bat for 692 runs, indicated how this Test team will continue to play its cricket.

Much like the famed middle order of the previous generation, the combination of Kohli and Ajiinkya Rahane in the middle order, and the discipline of Murali Vijay at the top, will form the core of India's batting. The emergence of KL Rahul as a reliable opening batsman to accompany Vijay lends assurance to the opening spot that had begun to look extremely fragile with the presence of Shikhar Dhawan.

Amidst all positives, though, emerged uncertainty over two important batting positions. Batsmen make up for lack of technique with application and temperament, and Cheteshwar Pujara became vulnerable on that account, as did Rohit Sharma, who never seems to be troubled by the pace or bounce on a pitch, and yet finds a way to be despite being well-set. Whether Suresh Raina - with a new life in one-day cricket and the backing of team director Ravi Shastri - finds his name in a Test team after his pair at Sydney should be a foregone conclusion. Pujara continues to be the best bet at No 3, but India's struggle at finding a reliable No 6 - either a pure batsman or a bowling allrounder - continues.

Another knee-jerk reaction to India's overseas performances has already begun with the domestic calendar being re-jigged, but until the time pitches in Indian conditions are not prepared to Test condition standards, India's bowling will continue to suffer overseas. That only two spinners figure in the top-20 wicket-takers this Ranji Trophy season should be reason enough to do away with green tops that make average medium-pacers look like, as Harbhajan Singh said, Malcolm Marshall.

The cracks in India's batting that crept up in England were somewhat papered over, but there is a gulf between India's bowling and what is acceptable Test quality. Bowling wins you matches. The last time India won overseas, they bowled England out twice at Lord's.