Aussies have to catch up

Irsquom often asked ldquoWhy is Australian cricket so strongrdquoTherersquos no definitive answer but itrsquos a reasonable sentiment especially in Test cricket where Australia is comfortably in front on wins despite playing over 200 less games than England In ODIs the gap to the major nations is minimal However therersquos a glaring advantage to Australia in the ODI World Cup where theyrsquove won a mammoth six titles with West Indies and India next best on twoHowever in T20 matches Australia trail other major nations in particular India and Pakistan In the World Cup Australia is behind both the West Indies and England on two wins and will be looking to improve on their sole tournament 2021 victory in the upcoming eventHigh expectationsPublic expectancy is partly behind any Australian superiority Cricket is by far the most closely followed of Australiarsquos team sports and expectation is heightened during either a World Cup tournament or an Ashes series In recent years the rivalry with the West Indies has plummeted along with their ranking but Indiarsquos have dramatically increased as theyrsquove rapidly improvedTherersquos a bias in Australiarsquos cricket following If a series is lost overseas itrsquos quickly forgotten except in the case of an Ashes series However victories at home are loudly celebrated and hence Indiarsquos two superb series wins in Australia were a devastating blowThen therersquos the systemmdashitrsquos designed to produce good cricketers The firstclass system is no longer as strong as the one West Indies great Sir Garfield Sobers described in the sixties as ldquothe toughest competition in theworld outside Test cricketrdquoHowever itrsquos still a good one and ranks with Indiarsquos as best suited to produce long format cricketers The theory being a young player is thrown in the deep end to see if he can swim If he succeeds hersquos elevated until he either hits his ceiling or he reaches the topIf a young player reaches the top he has successfully navigated many difficult situations and is therefore well prepared for International level However dilution through a severely cluttered International schedule hinders the current system Therersquos also the problem that young talent is not always recognised or encouraged and older players stay in the professional system longer in order to earn a livingCaptaincy advantageThe old system had an automatic culling process Many players who werenrsquot going to reach international standard had to retire from firstclass cricket by their mid20s to concentrate on a business career in order to provide for the family Then therersquos the captaincy advantage At some point talented Australian cricketers get the opportunity to experience leadership and talent is thereby recognised In the firstclass arena a player gets to either experience or see captaincy at close quarters and if hersquos smart this is invaluable at International levelThe local media plays its part in this demanding approach and if Australia donrsquot win at home the team hear about it loud and clear Itrsquos often overlooked but Australia have a climate advantage that is often taken for granted Being able to play or practise skills year round is a privilege that is not always appreciatedAustralia also have a history of playing aggressive cricket which gave them an advantage in Test and ODIs However most teams now play with all out aggression because thatrsquos the T20 standard and so many advantages are disappearingThen therersquos the levelling of the playing field in T20s where the short game is renowned for regular upsets The T20 format has also swung dramatically towards a power game and this will be a feature in World Cup 2024 if the boundaries are on the short sideThe justcompleted IPL tournament gives chosen cricketers invaluable exposure to the T20 format and perhaps a slight advantage to IndiaNevertheless the T20 World Cup tournament is difficult to win and Australia canrsquot rely on any advantage to help them claim a second title