Test Summer wash-up from my perspective...The State of Nation if you will...
I seriously do not think that Australian cricket is as far advanced post-Indian series, as the Channel Nine cheerleaders would have us believe. That said, the best things about this Summer for mine were:
Postives
The emergence of new players
Pattinson, Warner, Lyon, Cummins. Ridiculously small samples to date, however I really think these guys are genuinely Test-class and can really power an Australian Test revival over the next five years.
Michael Clarke
Just wow. The whole package (captaincy, batting, his committment to excellence, his recognition of how far we've fallen, his emphasis on playing for Australia rather than in T20 tournaments) has just been outstanding.
Staying undefeated
Rather than using the Indian throttling as a barometer as to how far we've advanced (which I think is way overblown considering their woeful and disinterested effort in England and on the road generally), I think a much more reliable measure is just our overall performances across the course of the last four or five months. From Sri Lanka, to SA, to NZ and then to India, not losing a Test series is a really good achievement.
Rejection of rotation
While it is talked about endlessly, when it comes to the crunch, there is simply no rotation for Test matches. The ultimate test of that was in Adelaide. If ever a guy was going to be rested it was Siddle (who had to that point played 8 or 9 consecutive Tests over the course of a short period). Heading into a dead Test, leading 3-0, that he was not rested and that he came out so forcefully against being rested, to me indicates that while it's much talked about, rotation for Tests is rightfully nonexistent. By all means if a guy is showing signs of wear 'n' tear, sit him out. But to rotate fully fit players just creates insecurity, uncertainty, and deprives them of something they value and something they've worked hard to secure (i.e. a place in the Test XI).
Hunger
The hopeless denial, under the Hilditch/Nielsen/Sutherland/Ponting reign, is gone and replaced by a hunger and a recognition of how far we've fallen.
Negatives
Of most concern for me was this Summer was:
Injuries.
The inability of our best young quicks to stay on the park - Pattinson, Cummins and Cutting
Top Order
There's no substantial figure in our top-three (Clarke should be at first-drop). Talk of inserting Watson back into the team in the middle order is so wrong. We need him up top (see below for more thoughts Re Watson).
Watto
I just don't think his body can handle a heavy bowling workload - that's what's caused his injury relapse. Putting him in the middle order is not the answer to his injury woes. It's his bowling that has to be restricted. He is in any case, with the emergence of some genuinely potent Australian bowling, now of far more value to Australia as a batsman than anything else.
Misleading?
Not really a concern as such, but I just sound a word of caution that our Indian win was really powered by guys who have been really exposed in recent times or who have very little Test cricket left in them(Hilfenhaus, Ponting, Hussey). Sorry, but I just don't believe that these guys are suddenly now as good as the Channel Nine cheerleaders are making out. Full credit to them, but I just don't think their up-surge is as pronounced as it appears. I would take more comfort if our Indian win was powered by our new top three, or by Pattinson or Cummins etc. This is not really a concern as more a word of caution.
Haddin
His overall game has really declined, and I think it's the perfect time to replace him with Wade in all forms.