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 India to rely on spin trick to trip Aussies
 Mumbai, Nov 2: The beleaguered and battered Indian squad is hoping to spring a three-strong spin web and trap high-flying Australia and score a consolation victory in the fourth and final Test commencing at the Wankhede Stadium here tomorrow. The hosts have left the final decision on whether to play all three frontline spinners for the morrow after another look at the wicket, but enough indications have been given by coach John Wright yesterday that this strategy may be adopted. India have decided to leave out newcomer Dheeraj Jadhav, the Maharashtra opener, and Bengal pacer Shiv Sunder Paul out of the 12 which they announced today.
Delhi opener Gautam Ghambir and Tamil Nadu keeper Dinesh Kartik are all set to make their Test debuts, though both have already appeared in one-day internationals. The last spot seems to be a toss-up between left arm paceman Ashish Nehra and left arm spinner Murali Kartik. "We will decide on the final eleven after a look at the wicket tomorrow," stand-in captain Rahul Dravid told reporters today. Australia have already made sure to take home the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead by overwhelming India by a whopping 342 runs in the third Test at
Nagpur.
 But still "there's lot to play for all our team members. There's no need to motivate anyone for a Test whatever may be the status of the series," Dravid said after the team's extensive practice session lasting three hours. The Indians are desperately trying to rediscover the batting form they showed in Australia and Pakistan but which seems to have deserted them totally in the ongoing series. "We know that we will be thrashed unless we play well. We competed well in Chennai. We have to play good cricket. That's our focus. We are all keen to do well," Dravid said. The hosts were outplayed in the first and third Tests, losing at Bangalore and Nagpur by huge margins with the top-order failing to click. The second Test was well contested before rain washed out the entire fifth day's play at
Chennai.
 India, without the services of skipper Sourav Ganguly whose thigh strain has resulted in him skipping the last two Tests, would be hoping for some let-up in the intensity shown so far by the visitors in the first three Tests. Australia, by far, have been the superior side in the series with their three-strong pace battery of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz relentlessly attacking the star-studded Indian batting line-up without any let-up. Only Virender Sehwag, who was having a poor run with the bat in one-day internationals coming into this Test series, seems to have played the ball on merit without allowing the state of the wicket or the reputation of the rival bowlers to get to him.
India are not only hoping for Sehwag to continue to fire on all cylinders, but also for the other three top stars - Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and V V S Laxman - to get into the groove. (Agencies)
Published: Tuesday, November 02, 2004
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