Away Test Series : How important is it for touring teams to arrive early?

[Princejain191]

Two of the most competitive test series in the last 2 years have been:

• Australia vs. India - 2017
• Pakistan vs. England - 2016

Australia and Pakistan weren't really expected to compete well, but they did. This brings me to my main topic, how important is starting early preparations?

Both Australia and Pakistan had one thing in common, they started to prepare for the tour more than a month before the first test. Australia set camps in UAE and prepared on slow and turning tracks. Similarly, Pakistan - not being a part of UAE - set camps in Pakistan first and then, had two full tour matches in England and about 15 days prep time there (they even had a tour match between the test matches).

To strengthen my hypothesis - without the same prep, Australia seemed mediocre against a side that is relatively inferior (Bangla) to India.
Similarly, Pakistan without the same camps and tour matches didn't fare well against Aus and NZ.

Of course, the resources to take wickets and to score runs are crucial to win, but I wonder how much of its translation into performance depends on prep time.

For this reason, though I think India currently has as good a team for away matches as it has had in the last 8 years (given its fast bowling and all-rounder options), I am not sure it can win away when it arrives in a country like SA just 7 days before the first test and that too after a soft series against SL.

 

[Abdullah]

Very

 

[Princejain191]

two of the most competitive test series in the last 2 years have been:

• australia vs. India - 2017
• pakistan vs. England - 2016

australia and pakistan weren't really expected to compete well, but they did. This brings me to my main topic, how important is starting early preparations?

Both australia and pakistan had one thing in common, they started to prepare for the tour more than a month before the first test. Australia set camps in uae and prepared on slow and turning tracks. Similarly, pakistan - not being a part of uae - set camps in pakistan first and then, had two full tour matches in england and about 15 days prep time there (they even had a tour match between the test matches).

To strengthen my hypothesis - without the same prep, australia seemed mediocre against a side that is relatively inferior (bangla) to india.
Similarly, pakistan without the same camps and tour matches didn't fare well against aus and nz.

Of course, the resources to take wickets and to score runs are crucial to win, but i wonder how much of its translation into performance depends on prep time.

For this reason, though i think india currently has as good a team for away matches as it has had in the last 8 years (given its fast bowling and all-rounder options), i am not sure it can win away when it arrives in a country like sa just 7 days before the first test and that too after a soft series against sl.

*ipl

 

[R0H1T]

Two of the most competitive test series in the last 2 years have been:

• Australia vs. India - 2017
• Pakistan vs. England - 2016

Australia and Pakistan weren't really expected to compete well, but they did. This brings me to my main topic, how important is starting early preparations?

Both Australia and Pakistan had one thing in common, they started to prepare for the tour more than a month before the first test. Australia set camps in UAE and prepared on slow and turning tracks. Similarly, Pakistan - not being a part of UAE - set camps in Pakistan first and then, had two full tour matches in England and about 15 days prep time there (they even had a tour match between the test matches).

To strengthen my hypothesis - without the same prep, Australia seemed mediocre against a side that is relatively inferior (Bangla) to India.
Similarly, Pakistan without the same camps and tour matches didn't fare well against Aus and NZ.

Of course, the resources to take wickets and to score runs are crucial to win, but I wonder how much of its translation into performance depends on prep time.

For this reason, though I think India currently has as good a team for away matches as it has had in the last 8 years (given its fast bowling and all-rounder options), I am not sure it can win away when it arrives in a country like SA just 7 days before the first test and that too after a soft series against SL.

It also depends on how well the players make use of the conditions, generally over the last 15 years we've done well on away tours when we haven't lost the opening game. Not always, not a pattern but more of an observation. Our Aus tour of 2003, 2007 & England tour in 2002, 2007 & SA tour of 2006 & 2010 all were mostly based on our performance in the first test. I don;t think we started early in any of these, yet the results were slightly below expectations to above par, especially Sydney 2004 & 2008.

The point is with a good team starting early is not a prerequisite, you must perform in the first game though because that almost always sets the trend for the rest of the series, for us.

 

[Princejain191]

It also depends on how well the players make use of the conditions, generally over the last 15 years we've done well on away tours when we haven't lost the opening game. Not always, not a pattern but more of an observation. Our Aus tour of 2003, 2007 & England tour in 2002, 2007 & SA tour of 2006 & 2010 all were mostly based on our performance in the first test. I don;t think we started early in any of these, yet the results were slightly below expectations to above par, especially Sydney 2004 & 2008.

The point is with a good team starting early is not a prerequisite, you must perform in the first game though because that almost always sets the trend for the rest of the series, for us.

Disagree, yes India arrived late in Aus in 2007 and consequently also lost the first two test matches (though Sydney was controversial) but they had a good 14 day gap after that second test which included a tour match.
In 2003 Aus, we were in part lucky to face a depleted Aus team (without McGrath and Warne) and were also lucky that pitches were flat instead of having that high bounce.

As far as England tours are concerned, our players had had plenty of county experience by then.

When we face SA, we will face a tough bowling attack, our players wouldn't have had much experience of playing there and also, we won't get tour matches and long delays between tests.