Category Archives: Anatomy

Today sees the publication of Ram V, Mike Perkins, June Chung and Aditya Bidikar's Future State: Swamp Thing from DC Comics. Going forward thousands of years to a world that Swamp Thing either saved or destroyed, depending on your perspective. With a Swamp Thing who has solved problems that initially vexed him. And it goes back to that classic Swamp Thing issue by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and Rick Veitch, The Anatomy Lesson. The comic that changed everything for DC Comics. That looked at Swamp Thing's body and found problems.

Lungs made of vegetable fibre, too course to allow oxygen to flow. And all the plant-made human organs that had no function at all in his body, created to fill a mental rather than a practical need. A mocking initiation of human life revealed that Swamp Thing was not Alec Holland, but the memory of him, preserved in vegetation.

In Future State: Swamp Thing, we get another anatomy lesson, that seems to recall the original one as it seems that Swampy has learnt a thing or two over the millennia.

Both the lungs that caused so much confusion and the rest of the bodies which the Swamp Thing is creating.

To recall another line from another comic written by Alan Moore,

VEIDT: But you'd regained interest in human life.DR. MANHATTAN: Yes, I have. I think perhaps I'll create some

Future State: Swamp Thing #1 is published today.

FUTURE STATE SWAMP THING #1 (OF 2) CVR A MIKE PERKINSRetail: $3.991120DC047| NOV207047 | DCC20110047 | DC Comics(W) Ram V (A/CA) Mike PerkinsFrom the ashes of a terrible war, life blooms anew in Swamp Thing's image. The remnants of humanity lie in hiding, forever in the shadow of the green god who now rules the planet. When the new avatar of the Green uncovers a stray human, a rebellion is revealed! But this Swamp Thing is no stranger to violent ends, and neither are his creations. If it's war humanity wants, it will be at their doorstepand Swamp Thing will never be the same! This title is fully returnable at a later date.Due Date: 11/27/2020 / FOC: 12/6/2020 / In-Store: 1/5/2021UPC: 76194137117700111

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.

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Future State Swamp Thing Rewrites The New Anatomy Lesson - Bleeding Cool News

Although she hasn't been on the show as long as the other surgeons, Maggie Pierce has definitely become one of the most underrated characters.

The character of Maggie Pierce was introduced to the Grey's Anatomy universe at the end of season 10. Since then, she has become one of the central characters on the show. Coming in as the new head of cardiothoracic surgery which was Cristina's turf, and revealing herself to be Ellis Grey's biological daughter meant that she was immediately implicated in a lot of storylines on the show.

RELATED: Grey's Anatomy: 5 Ways Alex Was The New Cristina (& 5 Ways It Was Maggie)

Maggie is an incredibly talented and successful surgeon, who is passionate about perfection and doing things right. She takes time to think things through and makes very sensible decisions about everything. Here are some of Maggie's best moments from the show so far.

Viewers first meet Maggie when she's interviewing for the Head of the Cardio department. Cristina runs the interview and is annoyed by the fact that Maggie had completed both high school and med school early, and had already been the Head of the department at another institution for two years.

From the get-go, fans get a glimpse of how talented and successful Maggie is. And how that could be potentially seen as annoying by some people.

The first time that Maggie offers to babysit Meredith's kids is quite a cute moment. She lists all the ways in which she's qualified to babysit children, starting from being registered as a babysitter when she was a teenager.

Maggie tells Meredith that she's the sort of friend who you can lean on. Maggie's genuine excitement at the prospect of babysitting her niece and nephew shows what an incredibly sweet person she is.

When Sabi died due to complications from the surgery, Maggie just quit surgery and holed up in her house. No one was able to get through to her. Richard was the one who kept pushing her and explained how to be imperfect was to be human.

RELATED: Grey's Anatomy: 5 Times Richard Webber Was An Overrated Character (& 5 He Was Underrated)

Maggie realized that no one had told her this before and it was something that helped her a lot. Richard being able to get through a really upset Maggie was a nice bonding moment between the two.

When Bailey's mother was close to her death because of Covid-19 complications, Maggie was able to relate very closely with her. Their interaction on the bench outside where they talked, not just about their mothers' deaths, but the things their mothers had inspired them to do was such a beautiful moment of camaraderie between the two.

They frankly spoke about the ways in which their schools and guidance counselors have very unsubtly tried to make them feel out of place, but how they would overcome all that.

Amelia and Meredith are two really strong personalities who, at certain points in time, were constantly at odds with each other. The three "sisters" lived together in Meredith's old house. Maggie had to be the mediator between them on several occasions.

Maggie has infinite patience when it comes to both of them, and she tried her best to smooth things over with them. It is quite funny to actually see Maggie try to keep Meredith and Amelia both civil.

Maggie Pierce and Winston Ngudu hit it off brilliantly at the conference. Their first date was a long one, and they both seemed so happy and excited to be with each other. It was incredible how they immediately got together so well, and Maggie's cute crush coming to fruition was wonderful to watch.

RELATED: Grey's Anatomy: 5 Characters To Invite Over For The Holidays (& 5 Who Would Be Terrible Guests)

Especially considering the tragic state of her love life. Her interactions with Winston on their first date was quite amazing to watch because of the intense chemistry between them.

Maggie Pierce was probably the first person in the hospital to find out about Teddy's pregnancy. The already complicated situation was made further complicated by the fact that Maggie was aware of Amelia becoming closer to Owen, and how Teddy's pregnancy would be a bombshell for them all.

Maggie had to keep it quiet because of doctor-patient confidentiality, but she was struggling to keep the secret and kept hounding on Teddy to tell Owen.

Maggie puts Amelia in her place when Amelia comes to her with questions about whether she had inadvertently given someone the impression that she was being racially biased.

Maggie tells Amelia that she's not a spokesperson for all Black people, and to always check and consider her white privilege. While it was a brief conversation between the sisters, it was thought-provoking nevertheless.

Maggie Pierce showed how you can be in a solid relationship, and even in love, during a pandemic. The cute dates between Maggie and Winston were adorable, to say the least.

RELATED: Grey's Anatomy: Why Meredith & Derek Are The Best Couple On The Show

They used technology in the best ways possible to keep their connection strong, and relied on each other for getting themselves through the day.

Maggie gives many impassionedmonologues in season 17 about how the effects of the pandemic are disproportionately affecting Black and other minority groups. She talks about how it was systemic racism that led to this condition, and it is quite a heartbreaking reaction to see how much this was deeply impacting her. It was also heartbreaking to discover that this systemic issue wasn't getting as much attention as it should have.

NEXT: Grey's Anatomy: 10 Things We're Looking Forward To In Season 17

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Vandana is a twenty-something student from Kerala studying in Chennai, India pursuing her Masters in English Studies. She prefers writing because she's no good at the talking business. You can read some of her other rants at : http://wheneverhoweverwhatever.blogspot.com

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Grey's Anatomy: 10 Best Maggie Pierce Moments From The Show - Screen Rant

A show thats been on the air for 17 seasons is bound to have a few characters that people dont like. Greys Anatomy has had a slew of unlikeable characters, from Perfect Penny (the doctor that missed beloved Dereks brain bleed) to the ruthless Erica Hahn to Meredith Greys own mother.

One character that seems to strive for people not to like him is Tom Koracick. The neurosurgeon seems pretty full of himself, but hes really a good guy on the inside. Fans have caught glimpses of the sweet side of him, and they want more

Tom Koracick is a phenomenal neurosurgeon at Grey Sloan Memorial. Before coming to Grey Sloan, he was the Head of Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins, where he met Amelia Shepherd. He was her mentor and taught her a great deal.

When she learned that she had a brain tumor, Koracick was the first person she turned to for help.

Koracick comes across as incredibly arrogant, and spends a lot of time praising his skill as a surgeon. He purposely puts up a wall so people cant get too close, and this makes it difficult for anyone to like him. Hes actually a very caring person underneath the tough guy show he puts on.

Fans have seen the softer side of Tom numerous times throughout the series. He once helped April during a rough patch, when she was doubting her faith. He consoled Bailey after a miscarriage, and he is always thoughtful and friendly toward the pediatric patients.

When Bailey had the miscarriage, Koracick shared a story about his son. His son, David, died at 10 years old from a tragic accident with a baseball bat. It had been two weeks before Halloween, which was his sons favorite holiday. Fans saw the intense pain that Tom felt as he talked about his sons Luke Skywalker costume that he couldnt bear to put away.

Its clear that Greys fans would like to see more of that side of the prickly neurosurgeon. One fan on Reddit said, There was a time when Tom opened up to Bailey about losing a child. I think that softer side of him should be shown more. I really love how he actually cares about people around him but try to act cool. I think thats adorable.

RELATED: Will Teddy Altman End Up With Owen Hunt or Tom Koracick? Kim Raver Hints What Happens as Her Character Pick Her Person

Along with seeing more of Koracicks softer side, fans want to see more of him and Teddy. The two began getting to know each other when Koracick found her in the hospital lounge, massaging her feet after a long day. Teddy was pregnant with Owens baby, but after chatting, Tom learned that they werent a couple any longer.

Koracick fell for Teddy, but worried about her relationship with Owen. He became very involved with her pregnancy, and at one point, he found a house for her and the baby to live in. After Teddy had her baby, he went to the hospital to visit her, only to find out that she and Owen had reconciled. He told her he would be there waiting when things fell apart with Owen, because he loved her.

Although Koracick had promised to always wait for her, the latest encounter contradicted that. When Teddy tried to buy him a coffee and explain why she hadnt spoken to him much over the past few months, Tom asked her to leave him alone. He said he had been hurt so much and just needed to get over her.

So it doesnt seem too promising for Tom and Teddy, no matter how much fans are hoping for them to end up together One Reddit post summed up a lot of what the fans are feeling, him and Teddy had more chemistry in one episode than her and Owen ever had. But I feel like the show has been treating him like hes garbage, especially this season. Im not sure I want him to be with Teddy because she hurt him a lot, but I really hope he finally gets a happy storyline soon.

Things werent looking great for Koracick this season. Hed apparently given up on the woman he was madly in love with, and has COVID. However, in the last episode, he seemed to be looking in better spirits when he wheeled himself into Merediths room (who also has COVID) to chat.

The two joked around about who was a better surgeon, and it looked as if both were recovering well.

Most fans thought that one of these two surgeons hit with COVID would die this season. Killing off Meredith Grey would almost certainly mean the end of the series, while having Koracick die wouldnt change the show that much.

So for a while, many of us though that he would be the one to go. The winter finale might have people singing a different tune, however

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'Grey's Anatomy': Fans Want to See More of Tom's 'Softer' Side - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

While much of the doctors' lives are realistic on Grey's Anatomy, this medical drama has a ton of over-the-top plotlines taking place in the hospital.

Fans ofGrey's Anatomyinvest in the relationships and personal problems that the main characters deal with in each episode, but the series is definitely known for its wild and surprising episodes. While the hospital setting is realistic in some ways, as the doctors do work long hours, care about their patients, and try to innovate, heal, and save, there are some things that seem a little over the top.

RELATED:10 Most Questionable Parenting Choices In Grey's Anatomy

Fromthe confusing Jackson/April romanceto some of the season finales, there are some parts ofGrey's Anatomy that don't always add up. While many plotlines make sense, others don't seem like they could occur IRL.

Meredith doesn't know that Derek has a wife when they first start seeing each other in season 1. But that's not her main problem with their budding relationship.

Meredithwants to hide the fact that they're together as she doesn't want the others at the hospital to think anything problematic is going on. Even though they're both adults and it would probably be fine, it makes sense that Meredith would have those feelings, as she cares about her career andshe wants to be respected as a doctor.

The second season episodes "It's the End of the World" and "As We Know It" are famous toGrey's Anatomyfans, as this storyline involves a patient with a bomb in their chest.

Fans enjoyed watching these episodes as they featured Kyle Chandler, the beloved actor known for playing Coach Taylor on Friday Night Lights, a moving show in its own right. But despitehow juicy and entertaining this storyline is, it doesn't feel realistic. Instead, it feels very over-the-top and intense.

Owen and Cristina have a long-term romance that is pretty heartbreaking to watch. They really love each other but have many obstacles to cross, from Owen's PTSD to the fact that he wants to start a family and she doesn't want children.

RELATED:Grey's Anatomy: Meredith's 10 Most Emotional Quotes, Ranked

The fact thatthe trauma and tragedy that Owen has seen in the past affects his current love life is very realistic. This happens to so many people, and it's never a short and easy road to recovery.Even if viewers haven't had this exact same experience,this is something everyone can sympathize with.

At the end of season 12, Alex punches DeLuca and hurts himvery badly, as he thinks that something is going on between DeLuca and Jo.

Alex is more sensitive than fans originally think and so it doesn't make much sense for him to put his career and life at risk like this. He has grown up a lot and isn't one to jump to conclusions anymore, so it seems odd that he would get so angry without even knowing the true story. This isn't a very realistic storyline and even veers into melodrama.

Losing a child is devastating and it can also take its toll on a marriage. It makes a lot of sense that Jackson and April's relationship would become strained after they lose their baby Samuel, and it's not something that they can get past and move on from so easily.

While there are many melodramatic moments onGrey's Anatomy, especially involving the main couples, this is one that paints a logical picture of what could really happen in a situation like this.

After meeting him because he's a patient at the hospital, Izzie falls for Denny and then watches him die. She even thinks that she's becoming intimate with his ghost. This will forever be known as one of the wildest things to happen onGrey's Anatomy.

RELATED:Grey's Anatomy: 10 Most Memorable Patients, Ranked By Likability

While this love story could be viewed as sweeping and epic, this is definitely an unrealistic storyline. It's hard to picture another character on the show believing this, and while Izzie is grieving and having a difficult time, it's just not possible for this to really happen.

Meredith has a tragic life, no doubt about it, and things get even worse for her in the 17th and current season when she gets COVID-19.

In a recent episode, Meredith's condition worsens and she is hospitalized. Meredith even thinks that she sees her late husband and love of her life, Derek, and it's a very emotional bunch of episodes. This is definitely one of the more realistic storylines thatGrey's Anatomyhas done, since this is a real battle that many people have faced, and the pandemic has affected everyone around the world in 2020.

When Alex says goodbye toGrey's Anatomyin season 16, he surprises viewers by going to live with Izzie and their twins.

While these two did have a dramatic love story earlier on in the show, it doesn't make much sense for Alex to leave Jo, whom he supposedly loves and even married, for a woman he let go years earlier. It also seems like if Izzie really was raising Alex's kids, wouldn't he have known? Wouldn't viewers have learned about it sooner? Thisfeels like a strange and unrealistic storyline.

There are many characters who could have datedand there are also some people who tried but found that it just wouldn't work out.

RELATED:Grey's Anatomy: Meredith's 5 Best Pieces Of Advice (& Her 5 Worst)

Izzie and George are close friends from the start and they try dating, but realize that they're better off staying friends. This is realistic as many people develop crushes on a good friend, classmate, or co-worker, and then it becomes clear that things become too messy once they attempt a romance.

Before leaving the show, Stephanie has a pretty wild storyline: she gets caught in a fire in the season 13 finale "Ring Of Fire."

One of the patients, who turns out to be a rapist, has kidnapped Stephanie and a young girl, and she manages to help the girl get away after he lights the stairwell on fire. One of these storylines would have been enough, but the fact that Stephanie is running away from a rapist, saving a kid, and not dying in a fire? This becomes a super unrealistic episode and it's just too much to take in.

NEXT:Grey's Anatomy: Derek's 10 Most Emotional Quotes, Ranked

Next 5 Best Episodes of Superman: The Animated Series (& The 5 Worst)

Aya Tsintziras writes about travel and pop culture. She loves coffee, barre classes, avocado, and watching TV. She lives in Toronto with her husband.

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Grey's Anatomy: The 5 Most (& 5 Least) Realistic Storylines - Screen Rant

What did he say? Huh?

To say this analyst has a unique style may be the understatement of all understatements. Bill Walton is unlike anyone else. He certainly is one of a kind with analysis that sometimes is from out of left field. Its kind of what makes him as popular as he is. Even people who dont necessarily like him, cant help but watch because of what he might say. Its remarkable really. Walton truly is an original.

Before he got into the TV game, he was a standout high school basketball player in the San Diego area. From there hed go on to UCLA where he became part of college basketball history. Walton, under Coach John Wooden, won 2 national championships and was part of a program that won 88 consecutive games. That included two seasons with a 30-0 record. After UCLA, Walton was taken with the first overall pick in the 1974 NBA draft by the Portland Trailblazers. His first two seasons were marred by foot injuries, but he would continue to play. In 1977 his Blazers won the NBA title in 6 games over the 76ers. Walton eventually landed in his home town, signing as a free agent with the then, San Diego Clippers, then it was on to the Celtics. In Boston he was part of a team that won the NBA Title over the Rockets. Walton would eventually retire as a player after a comeback attempt in 1990. He was inducted into Basketballs Hall of Fame in 1993.

FROM THE COURT TO COURTSIDE

It wasnt a slam dunk that Walton would get into the broadcasting arena. He had a stuttering problem that he was able to overcome at age 28 with the help of legendary NBA announcer Marty Glickman. Before that he told stories about how he wouldnt speak to anybody and that he was incredibly shy. Not the case anymore.

Walton embarked on his successful and sometimes controversial career as an analyst with CBS in 1990. Hed work NBA games and the NCAA Tournament. From there hed move to NBC to call NBA games, normally alongside Steve Snapper Jones. They provided a good counter balance and were entertaining to watch. After NBC it was on to ABC/ESPN in 2002. Hed stay until 2009 when he left as a result of back problems from his playing days at UCLA. He came back on the national stage when ESPN and the Pac-12 Network announced Walton would return to full-time broadcasting as a game analyst. Hes been with the ESPN family ever since.

STYLE, STREAMS OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND ANTICS

Waltons style is sort of fly by the seat of your pants or t-shirt sometimes. Im not saying he isnt knowledgeable about basketball, because he is, but sometimes it gets lost in the shuffle. Walton is definitely entertaining and he doesnt seem to let the game get in the way of sharing whatever may pop into his head at any moment. You want examples? There are far too many to quote individually, so here are a few.

In February 2019, working with Dave Pasch, there was a birthday to celebrate. The duo was given cupcakes with a single candle on them. Walton was dared to eat the pastry, candle (lit) and all. He obliged. Seriously? Pasch lost it and Walton threatened to face plant the cupcake on Pasch.

Back in 2017, the Grateful Dead follower and tie dye shirt wearer, somebody gave Walton a new shirt during the game and broadcast. He put it on in the middle of the telecast. A sight that few wanted to see, but well, we couldnt look away.

Also, in 2017, we got a glimpse into how the mind of Walton works. Streams of endless segues about all things, starting with basketball then going off the tracks. He was calling a Michigan State game when this happened.

Michigan State hasnt even needed Miles Bridges, who is not, Im told, related to Lloyd or Beau or Bill, the Bridge School, the Bridge Benefit Concert, the St. Johns Bridge, or the Golden Gate Bridge. I love bridges, Walton said. The bridge is the ultimate tool, because it allows you to get some place you cant get, on your own.

Waltons wit even extended to his own family. Back in the day when calling a game featuring Arizona, it was pointed out that Luke Walton, Bills son, was coming into the game. To paraphrase the announcer said something to the effect you know a little something about him dont you Bill?. Walton fired back, yeah, hes a 68 forward from the University of Arizona.

THE BASEBALL GAME

What do you get when you put Bill Walton, a man who thinks so far out of the box, into a baseball broadcast booth? Depending on your perspective, the answer could be chaos, hilarity, stupidity or complete and total enjoyment.

It happened August 16, 2019. The Chicago White Sox were in Anaheim to play the Angels. The regular analyst, Steve Stone, was off for the series. Jason Benetti who is employed by the White Sox and ESPN suggested that Walton be one of the guest analysts. It came about when Benetti and Walton were working together at the Maui Invitational. Benetti threw it out to him and the hall of fame basketball player accepted.

What followed was the general craziness you might expect from Walton. Heres some random quotes from that August evening.

I remember talking to Benetti for a past column about the game and asking him if he had a blueprint as to how things would go.

The blueprint for Bill Walton is there is no blueprint. I mean if you try and build any specific house on that lot it will be haunted. The doors will swing open and start to creak. The rattling of the China in the cabinet will begin at about one in the morning, when you know, no one is down there (laughs)., said Benetti. Thats how it works. Thats the fun of it. Sports is supposed to be different every time you watch it, he is different every time you encounter him, except for one constant he has a gloriously kind heart. I want that, I want that in the person next to me, following the paces of the game with me, whatever that is, thats a key component.

WHY HED BE GREAT TO WORK WITH

I think working with someone like Walton tests the skill of a play-by-play announcer. How can you keep it all together while hes going off on a tangent? For all the times he seems unhinged and going rogue, I get the impression that he is actively trying to get a reaction from his partner.

Walton appears to be ok with the banter that goes back and forth during the broadcast and falls under the category of being able to dish it out and take it too. Thats an admirable quality. I think its also a subtle reminder for us play-by-play types not to take ourselves so seriously all the time. We need that nudge every now and then.

CONCLUSION

Walton is certainly not everyones cup of tea. He annoys some sections of the audience. Seemingly for every one viewer that doesnt like or get it, there are 5 or 10 that really get a kick out of the nuttiness. Polarizing perhaps, but good for television and for the game of basketball.

Andy Masur is a columnist for BSM and part of the Chicago White Sox radio broadcast team on WGN Radio in Chicago. He also teaches broadcasting at the Illinois Media School. During his career he has called games for the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs. He can be found on Twitter @Andy_Masur1 or you can reach him by email at Andy@Andy-Masur.com.

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Anatomy of an Analyst: Bill Walton - Barrett Sports Media

For the white ball leg of Indias current outing in Australia, the Indian team donned a kit that resembled the one from early 1990s.

The pleasantly surprising move allowed the fans to indulge in a nostalgic drive while witnessing some quality cricket. During the first one-day match however, Sanjay Manjrekar on commentary remarked that along with the kit, Indias fielding standards too were reminiscent of those the team was known for back in the 90s. Manjrekar is somewhat infamous for having a few sarcastic swipes at the Indian team from time to time and few would have raised their eyebrows over it.

In fact, India finished the limited overs leg with fairly respectable returns. But for a few fielding lapses in an odd game, nothing about the teams effort would bring back the less than pleasing memories of the 90s. Nothing for the fans to lose sleep over. Well, not yet anyway. Except that the horrors of the 90s were reserved for the 3rd innings of the opening Test at Adelaide. The humiliating capitulation on Saturday morning that saw India register its lowest total ever in a Test innings was not a sight entirely unfamiliar to a generation having lived through the ordeals from Durban to Bridgetown and from Hamilton to Ahmedabad.

But with the constant emphasis in the media on this teams superior pedigree to those in the past, the fans could be forgiven for thinking those tribulations were something theyd never be subjected to again. And even if one accounts for an odd aberration that isnt thematic of the teams quality, this Test had no business being one of the occasions considering the position of authority that Virat Kohlis men had secured at the end of the second days play.

Also read: Naming Names for the Massacre at Adelaide

India went into the third innings with a handy 53 run lead, though it could have been a much more substantial one with neater catching. India had lost opener Prithvi Shaw late on day 2 but Shaw hasnt inspired much confidence of late and with the experienced senior pros in the middle order still in the dugout, India looked at building a solid ground to defend, perhaps even batting Australia out of the Test. But that obviously didnt go according to plans.

Nightwatchman Jasprit Bumrah succumbed to Pat Cummins in the second over of the day. That was on expected lines. Bumrah had already played his part. In walked Cheteshwar Pujara. Opener Mayank Agarwal was just looking like he was ready to see out the new ball despite having had a lifeline the previous night. This was the critical partnership India was counting on. Agarwal and Pujara had to bat long and wear the Australian bowlers down to provide a platform for Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, and Hanuma Vihari to capitalise on later in the day.

The next thirty odd minutes proved to be Indias death knell as Cummins and Josh Hazlewood delivered an exhibition of peerless fast bowling reducing Indian batsmen to mere spectators resigned to fate. From being only one down for 15 runs at one point, India lost 8 more adding another 16 runs to the scoreboard. Cummins and Hazlewood ran in, consistently hit the three quarter length, exploited bounce, and ensured the seam movement was just about enough to take the batsmans edge almost every single time.

Virat Kohli walks off the field after being run-out by Australia in the first innings during the test match at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide. Photo: PTI/AP

Pujara found himself playing the wrong line, Rahane and Agarwal got caught in the crease, Vihari played with hard hands, and Kohli not for the first time in his life chased a wide one after committing himself on the front foot. The pitch too played quite visibly quicker than it did for the first two days. The bounce was true and the ball carried above the keepers shoulders. The edges were no longer carrying short to the slips. Add to it, two of the worlds best bowlers extracting nasty seam movement constantly threatening both the edges of the bat.

These were not the most conducive of conditions for batting. The Australian batsmen themselves found it incredibly tough to find any rhythm on this pitch against an attack slightly less potent than their own. But that does not explain away a chink in the armour that India has refused to address for a while now that this batting unit is not quite as good as it is often made out to be.

Also read: A Softened Up India-Australia Rivalry Is a Sign of Where The Power Lies

That Indias bowling attack is the most potent one in the world across conditions is no longer an opinion now. The claim has demonstrable evidence. But the same cannot be said about batting. Earlier this year, India played two Tests in New Zealand in daunting conditions and threw in the towel rather easily. It must be clarified India lost the toss in both Tests and therefore had to bear the brunt of a green seaming wicket first up. But interestingly, it is the second innings on both occasions that the Indian batting got skittled out rather cheaply the phase of a Test match most batting friendly in New Zealand.

On their 2018 South Africa tour, India conceded the Test series under similarly testing conditions. In the two Tests they lost, India lost seven wickets for less than 100 in three out of four innings. Things didnt change much later that year in England either as India similarly found themselves wanting against the moving ball be it at Edgbaston, Lords, or The Oval. And when one views Saturdays debacle at Adelaide under the weight of this recent historical context, things suddenly do not seem all that shocking. In fact, the showdown from Cummins and Hazlewood mustve painfully reminded the Indian fans of their teams travails at Old Trafford in 2014 when James Anderson and Stuart Broad kept pitching the ball up and the Indian top order kept guiding everything to the slip cordon. Three out of Indias top six have remained the same across the six years between these two Tests but the demons have not been put to rest yet.

Now, no team in the world is comfortable batting against sustained quality of fast bowling when the conditions assist the bowlers so much. And despite some glaring technical problems with Indias batsmen, the scorecard from this innings does not fairly appraise the teams bating reserves. It was one of those freakish passages of play where everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong. It is entirely possible Cummins and Hazlewood will bowl even better at some point in the remainder of the series than they did today without coming anywhere close to replicating the same returns. And at the same time, Indian batsmen too will at some point get away with playing more profligate shots outside off stump.

Having said that, Indias batting woes outside the subcontinent very much continue to remain and are unlikely to go away any time soon. Indias fast bowling stocks are stronger than ever though and that allows the team to produce results from time to time that flatter to deceive. Over the course of Test crickets history, rarely have teams thoroughly cracked what would qualify as alien conditions. It is perfectly normal for teams to take a beating down when odds are so heavily stacked against them.

The current Indian team is no exception. They still remain an extremely formidable force in their own backyard and that enviable home record is something that deserves to be written about much more. But away from home, contrary to what the fans have been led to believe, this batting unit is hardly any stronger than the ones India has produced since the turn of the century and remains just as vulnerable as ever. No amount of boisterousness in front of press by Ravi Shastri is going to change it.

Parth Pandya is an Ahmedabad-based freelance sports writer.

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Anatomy of A Collapse: Indias Batting Woes Are Not Entirely Shocking - The Wire