Prophets of doom beat hasty retreat after India’s big win in 2nd Test

Melbourne, Dec 29 : Prophets of doom — including former captain Ricky Ponting of Australia and England’s Michael Vaughan, and Aussie Mark Waugh, who all have predicted India’s 0-4 mauling by Australia in Tests — are already beating a hasty retreat, after the visitors made a grand comeback in the second Test on Tuesday and level the four-match series 1-1. And, now, a gung-ho India are eager to rub salt to Australia’s injury.
By winning the second Test by eight wickets here, India drew parity, after losing the first one by a similar margin in Adelaide. Captain Virat Kohli has returned home after the first Test to be with his wife who is expecting their first child while Ajinkya Rahane is captaining it in the last three matches.
India have defied predictions of several former players by winning the second Test and thus preventing a whitewash. The return of Steve Smith and David Warner and India’s dismal show in the first Test had led to pundits predicting a clean sweep for Australia considering India were without talismanic Kohli for the rest of the series.
However, the visitors, led by stand-in skipper Rahane, were dominant in the Boxing Day Test.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan had predicted a 4-0 whitewash in Australia’s favour before the series started and reiterated the claim after India’s defeat in the day-night Adelaide Test played with the pink ball.
After India’s win on Tuesday, Vaughan seem to be beating a hasty retreat. He corrected his prediction to a 3-1 win for Australia. “If the pitches are similar for the Ashes as they have been for the Indian series it gives England a great chance… If Melbourne replaces Sydney for this series it also gives India a chance but I still think the Aussies will bounce back and win 3-1.. #AUSvIND,” Vaughan tweeted on Tuesday.