India in form but Aussies can break streak record
Steve Waugh should be a worried man.
Ricky Ponting’s Australian’s need to knock over the Indians in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth to surpass the world record mark of 16 consecutive wins, set by Waugh’s class of 1999-2001. The Indians will probably beat Pakistan in the first test of their series. Might even get themselves a whitewash, but with each gut-wrenching test comes the certain fatigue that will follow.
The first test in Delhi has been a low scoring, high-intensity contest, played on a pitch that a super-ball wouldn’t bounce on.
Very un-Australian.
The very notion of an Indian/Pakistan series demands a certain level of emotional investment. The most important contest in cricket, it’s hardly the type of series that will leave the Indians mentally fit and ready for Australia a fortnight later. The fact that runs are at a premium and a leg bye is being celebrated like a grand final win is only adding to the pressure.
The pitch in Delhi is typical India. Low and slow. The signs were ominous when Mohammed Yousuf was trapped by a Saurav Ganguly delivery so low it would have made Trevor Chappell blush.
That was on the first day.
The trap for teams touring Australia is the hit and run mission. Problem is it’s becoming a necessary evil in the new world order of congested scheduling. The usual format is a game at Allan Border Oval, before the inevitable first test trouncing at The Gabba. Been that way for 20 years. The Indians might have avoided Queensland, but their fate is eerily similar. A three day match at the benign Junction Oval, before the first examination, the bouncy drop in pitch at the MCG.
India will bring out the familiar names. Tendulkar has pedigee in Australia, as does Laxman. Dravid and Ganguly do not. The openers, Jaffer and Karthik, are Down-Under rookies with mediocre averages anyway.
Teams that take on Australia with anything less than a decent 1-2-3 punch at the top of the order usually die a quick death.
The bowling is volatile as well. Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh all have averages in Australia of above 40.
The stats don’t read well.
Despite those numbers, the Indians did do well here last time. Very well. A 1-1 draw in the 03/04 four-test series could have easily been a victory, if for a more courageous attitude.
The Indians weren’t playing Pakistan though the month before, though.
Australia has gone 26 straight home series without losing. There’s a reason they are so invincible on their own turf. To compete against Australia, the preparation has to be ideal. Finishing an emotional series two weeks prior and having a grand total of three days practice is not.
Subscribe to The Serve by Email
No comments yet.