A cricket crazy nation waits with bated
breath as Team India;
the second ranked Test team in the world takes on a significantly attenuated
Australian side Down Under. Come this Boxing Day, the two sides will renew
their fierce rivalry on the haloed turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, going
head to head in a highly combustible four test match series. Pundits and
jingoistic fans are liable to pick the Indians as marginal favourites to clinch
their first ever test series win against a doughty opponent at home; a feat
they have failed to accomplish in over 9 visits, 36 Tests and 64 years!
However, one would be naïve to write off Michael Clarke and his wards just yet.
Team India
may have a tremendous amount of experience to bank on as compared to the
Australians, but games are never won on paper and words alone.
Riding high on a wave of moderate momentum
after having beaten the English in a 5 game ODI series and then subsequently
crushing a plucky West Indian side in a Test and ODI series, the Indians have
arrived with a spring in their step and the winds of confidence in their
sails. However, one must note that these
victories were all secured at home in batsman friendly conditions. Hence, there
is a need to remain grounded and guarded. The severe drubbing they received at
the unforgiving hands of the ruthless Englishmen on their last tour abroad will
remain a grating abomination, indelibly etched at the back of their minds.
Their away record may have undergone a gradual metamorphosis over the last few
years under the talismanic MS Dhoni, but form and confidence can desert you at
an alarming rate in alien conditions away from home (the Indians are no
strangers to this bitter truth). The incentive to rectify their away record and
that too in the backyard of a spirited adversary ought to propel them to rise
to the occasion and play some quality cricket. An opportunity such as this seldom
presents itself and it is imperative that Team India plays to its strengths and
simultaneously exploits the fissures in the vulnerable Aussie team.
India’s
strength indubitably lies in its batting line up that is capable of grinding
the best bowling attacks in the world to dust when on song. The opening
alliance between Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir will have to put its hands
up and counter the new ball effectively in an attempt to set the foundation for
sizable totals. The middle order lies in the reliable hands of Rahul Dravid,
Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and MS Dhoni himself. Young turks, Virat Kohli or
Rohit Sharma will fill the remaining specialist batsman’s spot. The pitches
will aid bounce, pace and movement. The Indian batsmen are well aware of that
fact and ought to know precisely what modifications to make to their existing
techniques to adjust accordingly. Handling the short ball, which is the weapon
of choice on these wickets, is of critical importance. The Indians’ frailties
against bounce and seam away from home against even mediocre attacks are well
documented. However, they need to bring all their experience into play against
a relatively inexperienced Aussie attack. There also needs to be an emphasis on
the rotation of strike and running between the wickets. These are cricketing
fundamentals that may appear inconsequential at times but against a quality
fielding unit, these minor elements can make a major difference in the
cumulative scheme of things.
The Indian bowling line up although wears a
forlorn look with the likes of Praveen Kumar, S Sreesanth
and Varun Aaron ruled out with injury. The wily Zaheer Khan will be back to
spearhead the attack; a palpable shot in the arm for the inexperienced bowling
unit. However, it remains to be seen whether his fragile body that has a
proclivity of often breaking down at the most inopportune of moments, is able
to withstand the rigours of high intensity international cricket. The likes of
Umesh Yadav, Abhimanyu Mithun and R. Vinay Kumar will have to step up to the
plate and make healthy contributions. Moreover, this being their first trip
Down Under, they need to make the critical adjustment in line and length as
soon as possible. It promises to be a fruitful albeit steep learning curve for
the young pace battery. Cricket aficionados the world over are eagerly awaiting
the lip smacking duel between Ishant Sharma and the under fire Ricky Ponting
which ignited during India’s
previous tour to Australia.
However, a plausible ankle injury may relegate Sharma to the bench, depriving India of some
much needed experience. The spin department lies in the hands of the ever
improving R Ashwin and the enterprising Pragyan Ojha. Ashwin is likely to get
the nod ahead of his left arm spin twin, given his additional batting
capabilities. On the whole, the bowling attack though low on experience does
have the requisite skill and temperament to unsettle a brittle Aussie line up. The
Indians also need to back their bowlers in the field and can ill afford to let
slip too many chances against an unforgiving opposition. Their fielding has
cost them dearly in the past and it is highly imperative that they lift
themselves in that department.
The Australians for the first time appear
to be grossly vulnerable at home. Gone are the days when they would dominate
and pulverize opponents into submission. After the departure of sterling
stalwarts such as Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist, Damien Martyn,
Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer over the last few years; the team is
undergoing a period of transitional rebuilding under Michael Clarke. The
batting line up is relatively inexperienced with an unsettled opening
combination. The poor form of senior pros such as Ricky Ponting and Michael
Hussey is a cause for concern. A spate of injuries to several players off late,
particularly their potent bowling unit, has also added to their woes. The
absence of upcoming talents such as Pat Cummins and Shaun Marsh is a major body
blow to the home team. All in all, the squad lacks experience and depth. Add to
that mix, low confidence fuelled by some horrendously inconsistent performances
and the concomitant pressures of playing at home against a difficult challenger
in India; and Australia’s job
becomes all that much tougher. However, they definitely have what it takes to
put paid to India’s
elaborate plans and come out trumps.
The verbal salvos have been fired, the mind
games are already underway and the stage is set for one humdinger of a series.
Only time will tell whether India
actually utilizes this priceless opportunity to drive home its advantage and
conquer the “Kangaroo Frontier” or
whether Australia redeems itself by
vanquishing the visitors in its own backyard…yet again. Who will walk the
“agnee” path?
Who do you think will be the most influential player in this series? Leave your comments.
Who do you think will be the most influential player in this series? Leave your comments.
Pradyut Hande
The Writer is presently pursuing his Bachelors in Business Administration at NMIMS, Mumbai. He attempts to address myriad issues of both domestic and global consequence, ranging from Business and Economics to Geopolitics...from Sports to Arts and Culture.
The Writer is presently pursuing his Bachelors in Business Administration at NMIMS, Mumbai. He attempts to address myriad issues of both domestic and global consequence, ranging from Business and Economics to Geopolitics...from Sports to Arts and Culture.
