The Australians are here to play one more test series against India and the two teams will compete for the Border Gavaskar trophy once again in what we hope will rival some of the epic contests in the Australian bid for the final frontier in the recent past. Steve Waugh retired from test cricket without climbing the final frontier while Ricky Ponting who is probably playing his last test series in India was able to climb it vicariously (being sidelined through injury} as Australia won the last time around under the captaincy of Adam Gilchrist. Will this series hold the same thrills and excitement that encounters between the two sides have been arousing in the last few occasions? Will it be the last hurrah or a painful farewell to some of the ageing stars in both sides? We will know soon enough.
Australia who?
Several of the Australians who made their team such a dominant force in world cricket are no longer around. The pugnacious Langer, the metronome McGrath, the legendary Warne, the aggressive Gilchrist and the graceful Martyn, not to forget Jason Gillespie’s who had the unique feat of scoring a double century in his last test, will not be in display this month, making this series likely to be definitely less watch-able than the ones we have witnessed earlier. Only four of the present lot have played test cricket in India and Ricky Ponting has been a real bunny here rather than the raging kangaroo that the rest of the world knows him as. And yet despite the relatively new look to this Australian team, it has its fair share of champions like Hayden who loves Indian curry and Indian conditions, Brett Lee who with his speed and newly acquired reverse swing could upset more than one Indian batsman, not to forget the Husseys and Clarks of the world. Australia as always will compete and for once may savour the underdog status that media is conferring on them.
What about India?
Normally what should have been a cake walk for India against this depleted side is now assuming a fair degree of uncertainty as the fab four as we know them are in their last year of test cricket if not on their last legs .Ganguly is living on borrowed time while Tendulkar’s injuries are always a cause for worry though he has just announced himself fit. Laxman despite his tremendous talent is never a certainty in the side while Dravid seems to be searching for that sublime touch which was his for the asking for years on end though he soldiers on manfully. Kumble too seems to be showing his bowling age. Of course Sehwag is in the form of his life, Gambhir is waiting to explode while Harbhajan (in case he does not lose his head) can run circles around the opposition. Nor can we afford to forget the old head on young shoulders, Dhoni, waiting in the wings for the captaincy of the test side. Yes we have the capability to win despite a new selection committee and lack of co-ordination within the BCCI as one never knows how the pitches will turn out to be.
Preparation the key
One of the key things that one can learn from the Australians is perhaps the seriousness with which they have approached India and the tour. They have come to India a week earlier than originally scheduled, have roped in Greg Chappell and the Rajasthan cricket association even as their A team has just left the shores of this country after winning the tournament. Throw in the IPL experience that people like Shane Watson have got, then one can see that Australia have put their best foot forward and if they are found wanting then it cannot be put down to lack of preparation. Maybe the cash rich BCCI should remember all this when we tour England, Australia or South Africa the next time around. Yet a word of caution is probably relevant here. The series despite all the media hype could turn out to be a damp squib if either of the two teams fails to live up to its potential.
The last hurrah for test cricket?
Rivalry between India and Australia has now assumed enormous proportions and the Australian players compare it with the rivalry of the Ashes which has a rich heritage of over a hundred years. The tests between the two countries have in recent years thrilled audiences in both countries and have had phenomenal viewer ship. Yet the whole environment has gone through a sea change in the last year or so with the increasing attraction of players for IPL which has been India centric. Test cricket may no longer be top dog for players and most certainly for spectators in this part of the world who are hooked on to the shorter version of the game thanks to its brevity and our new found success in it. So in many ways this series can be far more important than merely throwing up a victorious team, it could be a make or break exercise not only for the ageing stalwarts on both sides but for the venerable institution of test cricket. Who will win?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Australia who?
Several of the Australians who made their team such a dominant force in world cricket are no longer around. The pugnacious Langer, the metronome McGrath, the legendary Warne, the aggressive Gilchrist and the graceful Martyn, not to forget Jason Gillespie’s who had the unique feat of scoring a double century in his last test, will not be in display this month, making this series likely to be definitely less watch-able than the ones we have witnessed earlier. Only four of the present lot have played test cricket in India and Ricky Ponting has been a real bunny here rather than the raging kangaroo that the rest of the world knows him as. And yet despite the relatively new look to this Australian team, it has its fair share of champions like Hayden who loves Indian curry and Indian conditions, Brett Lee who with his speed and newly acquired reverse swing could upset more than one Indian batsman, not to forget the Husseys and Clarks of the world. Australia as always will compete and for once may savour the underdog status that media is conferring on them.
What about India?
Normally what should have been a cake walk for India against this depleted side is now assuming a fair degree of uncertainty as the fab four as we know them are in their last year of test cricket if not on their last legs .Ganguly is living on borrowed time while Tendulkar’s injuries are always a cause for worry though he has just announced himself fit. Laxman despite his tremendous talent is never a certainty in the side while Dravid seems to be searching for that sublime touch which was his for the asking for years on end though he soldiers on manfully. Kumble too seems to be showing his bowling age. Of course Sehwag is in the form of his life, Gambhir is waiting to explode while Harbhajan (in case he does not lose his head) can run circles around the opposition. Nor can we afford to forget the old head on young shoulders, Dhoni, waiting in the wings for the captaincy of the test side. Yes we have the capability to win despite a new selection committee and lack of co-ordination within the BCCI as one never knows how the pitches will turn out to be.
Preparation the key
One of the key things that one can learn from the Australians is perhaps the seriousness with which they have approached India and the tour. They have come to India a week earlier than originally scheduled, have roped in Greg Chappell and the Rajasthan cricket association even as their A team has just left the shores of this country after winning the tournament. Throw in the IPL experience that people like Shane Watson have got, then one can see that Australia have put their best foot forward and if they are found wanting then it cannot be put down to lack of preparation. Maybe the cash rich BCCI should remember all this when we tour England, Australia or South Africa the next time around. Yet a word of caution is probably relevant here. The series despite all the media hype could turn out to be a damp squib if either of the two teams fails to live up to its potential.
The last hurrah for test cricket?
Rivalry between India and Australia has now assumed enormous proportions and the Australian players compare it with the rivalry of the Ashes which has a rich heritage of over a hundred years. The tests between the two countries have in recent years thrilled audiences in both countries and have had phenomenal viewer ship. Yet the whole environment has gone through a sea change in the last year or so with the increasing attraction of players for IPL which has been India centric. Test cricket may no longer be top dog for players and most certainly for spectators in this part of the world who are hooked on to the shorter version of the game thanks to its brevity and our new found success in it. So in many ways this series can be far more important than merely throwing up a victorious team, it could be a make or break exercise not only for the ageing stalwarts on both sides but for the venerable institution of test cricket. Who will win?
Your guess is as good as mine.
