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 Brisbane,
Dec 3: Desperate to prove their critics wrong, a
determined India will go into the first cricket Test
against Australia tomorrow with the belief that they can
outperform their almost invincible rivals with the
potential that they have. Skipper Sourav Ganguly, already
a target of some pre-match intimidatory tactics, sought to
put up a brave front and looked to the first match with
guarded optimism. "It is definitely important to win
in Australia. It is a test of our abilities. If we do well
here it will take our cricket another step forward,"
said the Indian skipper.
"They
know India is the only side that has beaten them recently.
They know at their back of the mind that we can throw up a
challenge," he said. But all the brave words of the
Indian skipper could fly on the face of Indians who have
not won a series outside the subcontinent in 16 years,
only three games from 27 Tests in Australia and only six
of the past 67 Tests. India suffered routs of 4-0 and 3-0
on their two previous tours to Australia and have not
bowled out an Australian side twice in a match Down Under
for as long as 17 years.
 Besides
history, statistics also is not on their side. Rahul
Dravid averages 15.50 in Australia and has a highest score
of 35 from six innings. Ganguly has taken his batting
lessons and grinded himself on the nets on the tour so far
but the figures of 177 runs from three matches at 29.50
from the last tour inspire little confidence nor does the
common knowledge of his dislike for the short-pitched
bowling. VVS Laxman played a benchmark innings against
Australia in Kolkata in 2001 and on the previous tour, hit
a sublime 167 in Sydney but he still averaged only 36.83
from the series. Even the otherwise aggressive Virender
Sehwag has been unable to find his feet against the world
beaters.
 India
do have a Sachin Tendulkar in their line up but that is
little consolation in the face of as daunting an
opposition as Australia. Despite the balance tilted
heavily in his side's favour, Australian skipper Steve
Waugh, playing his farewell series, showed little
ruthlessness and did not put it beyond the Indian batsmen
to stand up to home bowling on a quick wicket at Gabba.
"They are world class batsmen and to me, world class
batsmen can handle most situations," said the
38-year-old Waugh who will play his last Test in Sydney
starting January 2.
"It
is an important tour for Indian cricket and they see it as
an opportunity to address the situation." "They
also have bowlers who can swing a cricket ball and not
many bowlers can do it. If you include the two spinners
and Agarkar, they have five bowlers we know who could take
wickets." Waugh may have been modest in his praise
but the Indians know bowling would be their weak link when
faced with the likes of Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer and
Adam Gilchrist to name a few.
 India's
coventional strength in spin also looks debatable this
time around. Anil Kumble, only five wickets at 90.00 on
the previous tour; it seems difficult how he could do
better now that he is no longer younger or fitter than
1999-2000, having undergone a major shoulder surgery three
years ago. Harbhajan Singh emerged as a 'Turbanator' for
the Australians after his heroics in India in 2001 but he
has looked off-colour of date. The tale of India's
fast-bowling department also does not look bright. Javagal
Srinath has retired and the baton has passed on to Zaheer
Khan and Ashish Nehra who are averaging over 50 for their
spare returns against Australia in one-dayers. Their Test
baptism against the world champions do not promise the
dawn of a new era.
 But
Waugh jumped to the defence of the left-arm duo saying
Test cricket would be a different ball-game and they could
prove themselves in the longer version of the game.
"One-day cricket is rushed. Test cricket always gives
you time to settle in. In a longer game there are a lot of
moments when you could come back and make up for it. In
one-dayers it is all over before you know." Ajit
Agarkar suffered both the best and worst moments of his
Test careers on the last tour when he did pick up Steve
Waugh thrice and 11 wickets from three Tests but suffered
a nightmare of five ducks from six balls!
The likes
of Akash Chopra, Laxmipathy Balaji, Parthiv Patel, Deep
Dasgupta and Irfan Pathan have never before toured
Australia, a tour which chaffs men from boys, and it could
well be the defining next few weeks of their careers. The
opening pair is perhaps the key to Indian batting this
summer and it is learnt Sadgoppan Ramesh will come out to
bat with Sehwag at the start of the innings. Ramesh will
thus return to the side after two years and look to
rectify the mistakes of last tour when he made 60 from two
Tests before fracturing his right middle finger in the
second Test in Melbourne. It is also learnt that Zaheer
Khan, Ashish Nehra, Ajit Agarkar and Harbhajan Singh would
be the bowlers for the team. Anil Kumble, despite his fine
show against Queensland Academy of Sports, may have to sit
out.
Indians
have rightly moaned that they have played only two Tests
before a gruelling four-Test series. The Australian
batting line-up of Hayden, Langer, Ricky Ponting, Damien
Martyn, Simon Katich and Steve Waugh are unlikely to make
it any easier for the Indians and there is always an Adam
Gilchrist at number seven to take a heavy toll of a tiring
attack. Australians are missing their frontline bowling
attack of Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Shane Warne for the
first time in many years but Jason Gillespie and Andrew
Bichel are Test regulars while Nathan Bracken and Brad
Williams are ready for Test recognition. Then there is
leg-spinner Stuart MacGill who seems to have come out of
shadow of Warne finally. (Agencies)
Published:
Wednesday, December 03, 2003
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