When invincible Australia were too strong for India

In the winter of 1947, Australia were by far the leading cricketing nation in the world. Basking under the batsmanship of Don Bradman, they had over the previous decade and a half beaten England (more than once), South Africa and West Indies. Moreover in the post war period, they had discovered players like Lindwall, Miller, Johnson, Johnston, Toshack, McCool, Tallon, Harvey and Morris. With their help, Australia continued from where they had left off in the pre war period by routing England 3-0 in the first post war Ashes contest in 1946-47. India were to visit Australia during the 1947-48 season but from the beginning it had all the makings of an unequal contest.

India were very much the `babes' of international cricket and had played just ten Tests since their debut in 1932, all against England, losing six and drawing four. And on the eve of the tour, India were badly handicapped by the withdrawal, due to various reasons, of Vijay Merchant, already named captain, Mushtaq Ali, Rusi Modi and Fazal Mahmood. It was difficult to replace these four top players. In any case, the replacements were just not good enough and were selected in a haphazard fashion. So it was a rather emaciated Indian side that finally made the trip. It was obvious that much would depend on Lala Amarnath, who was selected captain in place of Merchant, Vijay Hazare and Vinoo Mankad.

In the run-up to the Tests, the Indians met with mixed fortunes, the highlight being a meritorious victory over the Australian XI, which was virtually the Test side. But it was obvious that there were chinks in the armour in that the fielding was poor, the bowling, in the absence of a fast bowler, could hardly be expected to contain the Australian batting machine and too much depended on three or four players.

Luck always goes with the stronger team and this well known adage was proved in the first Test at Brisbane. Australia led off with 382 for eight declared with Bradman getting 185. The Indians were then caught on a notorious Brisbane `sticky' and were dismissed for 58 and 98. Toshack finished with the remarkable analysis of 2.3-1-2-5 in the first innings and followed it up with six for 29 in the second. Only rain delayed Australia's bid for victory, which finally came about on the sixth and final morning by the huge margin of an innings and 226 runs.

Rain interfered even more with the second Test at Sydney in which only ten hours of play were possible. There was never a possibility of a result but the Indians had the satisfaction of not only taking the first innings lead but also dismissing Bradman for a low score. India scored 188 to which debutant Dattu Phadkar top scored with 51. The visitors then shot out Australia for 107 with Hazare bowling Bradman for 13 on his way to figures of four for 29. In the remaining time in conditions helpful to bowlers, India were 61 for seven. The match was also notable for Mankad running out non stiker Brown for backing up. He had done so earlier in the game against the Australian XI but on that occasion he had warned the batsman first.

In the third Test at Melbourne, Australia scored 394. Bradman top scored again with 132 while Hasset got 80. India replied with 291 for nine declared. Mankad (116) got the first century for India against Australia and shared a first wicket partnership of 124 with Sarwate (36). Phadkar bolstered the middle order with 55 not out. On a rain affected wicket, Bradman countered Amarnath's declaration by sending in his tailenders first. Australia were 32 for four but with the wicket improving, Bradman and Morris added 223 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket. Bradman got his second hundred of the match while Morris was 100 not out when Bradman declared at 255 for four. The Indians were skittled out for 125 runs in their second innings, leaving Australia winners by 233 runs.

The fourth Test at Adelaide was a high scoring contest. Australia led off by scoring 674, the highest Test score made against India, a record that stood for almost 40 years. Again Bradman led the way with 201 and other century makers were Barnes (112) and Hassett (198 not out). Barnes and Bradman put on 236 runs for the second wicket and Bradman and Hassett 105 runs for the third wicket and Hassett and Miller 142 runs for the fourth wicket. India lost five wickets for 133 but Hazare (116) and Phadkar (123) added 188 runs for the sixth wicket. India were all out for 381. Following on 293 runs behind, India lost six wickets for 139 before Hazare with his second century of the match (145) and Adhikari (51) added 132 runs for the seventh wicket. The last four wickets however fell for only six runs with Lindwall (7 for 38) in devastating form and Australia won by an innings and 16 runs to make sure of the rubber.

The final Test at Melbourne was notable even before it started because Bradman had announced that it would be his last game in Australia, prior to retiring at the end of the tour of England which followed. Bradman's contribution this time was restricted to 57 before he tore a muscle under his left ribs and retired. But 19-year-old Neil Harvey got his first Test century (153) and with notable scores from Brown (99 run out) and Loxton (80) Australia got 575 for eight declared. India, with Mankad getting his second hundred of the series (111) and Hazare chipping in with 74 got 331. But following on, the Indian second innings was a disaster and they were shot out for 67, leaving Australia winners by an innings and 177 runs, their third innings victory of the series.

In retrospect, the result could not have been any different. The weakened Indian side were no match for the invincible Australians, who went on to thrash England 4-0 in the Ashes battle in England. Hazare lived up to his reputation as the classiest batsman in the side and his Adelaide feat was an epic. He remained the only Indian to score a century in each innings for 23 years. Mankad came up with good performances with bat and ball. Amarnath, who was in blazing form in the first class games, was woefully out of touch in the Tests but his failure was offset by the success of Phadkar who shone with his all round skills. He was verily the find of the tour. But over reliance on three or four players could never achieve much against a supremely confident Australian side, then at the zenith of its powers. The supporting role was negligible which put a lot of pressure on the established stars. The result then was along expected lines but the Indians were among the most popular sides to visit Australia, thanks to the good rapport between Amarnath and Bradman, the cordial relationship between the teams and the excellent public relations work done by Pankaj Gupta, the manager.