Finally, the Aussies arrived in India amidst lots of hype and hoopla. Their once termed final frontier, is fast turning into their fave destination.
The initial indications for Australia (their practice match against Board President’s XI) ad their overall team build up is nothing to write home about. There is good reason why the Indo-Aussie series that begins today is considered cricket’s premier contest. Since the mid-1990s, Australia has been consistently better than all other teams. The only team that has run Australia close and tested them on several occasions is India.
Over the last seven years in 15 Tests, Australia holds a thin advantage. India has defeated Australia in two of the last three series played in India. But more importantly, India is the only team to have matched the Aussies in Australia. India drew 1-1 with Australia in the 2003-04 series. In 2007-08, India lost to Australia 1-2 in a hard-fought series. No other side has managed to win even a single Test match in Australia since 2002.
This series has an added edge because it would be the last time that India’s famed middle order will be seen together. Sourav Ganguly has announced that the Australia series would be his last. The stage is set for a farewell series, a rarity in Indian cricket. The other members of the quartet - Sachin Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman - as well as Indian captain Anil Kumble would be feeling the heat. They know that a poor run would leave the door ajar for young guns like Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma and Piyush Chawla.
Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has already upped the ante by saying that the Fab Four would feel the extra pressure. But he, too, would be feeling the pressure to better his dismal performance in India where he averages 12.28 in the eight Tests that he has played in the country.Australia captain Ricky Ponting has already said that his team will target India’s aging batsmen, including star Sachin Tendulkar, when the opening match of the four-Test cricket series starts Thursday. “That’s what we’re trying to achieve, to put their older guys under immense pressure,” he said. “We know if we do that, and make little things stand out, their whole media over here will just jump on them, especially if they lose an early game.”
The Australians have arrived in India with a fresh looking spin attack, but Ponting was confident his bowlers will do well to turn the tide in their favor. “Our spinners are young and inexperienced at Test level, but if you look at our fast bowlers, those guys are very skilled and talented,” Ponting said. “There’s no reason why our fast bowlers alone can’t win us this Test series.” The Aussies so famous for playing mind games have already found an issue to bonker on. Ganguly, who has scored 6,888 runs in 109 Tests, added some extra motivation for the home side when he revealed plans to step down at the end of the series. Ponting said the decision would ensure extra scrutiny on Ganguly’s top-order teammates.”By him making that announcement, it will take a lot of pressure off him,” he said. “He’s not playing for the next Test or next series. A lot of their senior players will be in this series. If you look at Laxman, Sachin and Dravid, they’ll all be so wrapped up to get runs in this series to give them another opportunity.”
Another aspect to be noted in this context is the way the Aussie media treats the opposing teams, when they are touring Down Under. The mind games start not only from the players’ camp, but even the Australia press and media play deft mid games to leave the opposition perplexed. This had been an important and decisive factor in the Australian dominance at home series for the past 2 decades. Of course, India, clever enough, not to be affected by such tactics played the 2007-08 series Dow Under pretty well. The Indian media too probably has started realizing that it needs to throw its weight behind the home team when a home series approaches, and as a result for the past two years or so have seen India been consistently touted to start as favorites for their home series ( ODI’s and Tests).
Overall, it won’t be wrong to term that the fire in the India-Australia rivalry on-field and off-field is fast eclipsing the magic of Ashes or Indo-Pak matches.
It remains to be seen if this works in India’s favor or not but the spice in the whole series, garnished with Ganguly’s retirement’s announcement has surely taken expectations to an all time high.
