Another Indian Summer Down Under?

By Gaurang
December 15 2007

Last time India defied the skeptics and managed to not only survive, but actually take the lead against the home team, and then returned with their grip on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy unbroken. This time around too the critics are quite skeptical. And why shouldn’t they be? Australia has an awesome record at home in Test cricket.

But India has been the only team to consistently challenge the Australians in Test cricket this decade. The question is will India be able to continue doing that?

India has a slightly better balanced team this time compared to 2003-04. The batting, at least on paper, has been bolstered by the inclusion of Wasim Jaffer in place of Aakash Chopra and Mahendra Singh Dhoni in place of Parthiv Patel, the later substitution also hopefully improving the wicket keeping. The addition of Yuvraj Singh to the squad has also strengthened the batting. Balanced against this is the fact that two of India’s key batsmen, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag, are currently in a slump. Also of concern is the fact that all of the main batsmen, except Yuvraj and Sehwag, are past the prime batting age of around thrity, so one does not know whether they will be able to perform like they did last time.

The Indian bowling though looks stronger this time with Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh, both fully fit, plus Anil Kumble and R.P. Singh, with Irfan Pathan and Ishant Sharma in the reserves. This is a much healthier situation than a bowling attack relying on Ajit Agarkar and Anil Kumble as the only fully fit and experienced bowlers, as was the case last time around.

Australia, on the other hand, is just as powerful in terms of batting as it was in 2003-04. Steve Waugh, Justin Langer and Damien Martyn have been replaced by Michael Clarke, Phil Jacques, Mike Hussey and Andrew Symonds. Arguably the batting has actually gotten stronger not weaker. The Australian bowling, especially the pace bowling, too has clearly gotten much stronger this time. Last time around Jason Gillespie was the spearhead, and though Brett Lee joined the team for the final two matches, he was coming back from a long injury lay off. This time Lee will be the spearhead supported by Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait. The availability or not of Stuart MacGill will not be an issue, not only because MacGill didn’t make much of an impression last time around against India, but also because it is unlikely that the pitches will be conducive to spin, given India’s significant advantage in that department.

Last time India’s pre-tour preparations were much better and India was a well rested outfit too coming into the series. This time the team arrives after almost non-stop cricket since May, and just days after completing a big home series versus traditional rivals Pakistan. Last time the Indian team played two matches before the first Test, compared to only one this time. Also, the amount of time between when the Indian team lands in Australia and when it plays the first Test match is ridiculously short this time. Add to this the fact that the only warm-up game is scheduled to be played, not at the MCG, but at a tiny club ground, against a Victoria side that is likely to rest its key bowlers, will add to the sense that India will enter the first Test half-baked at best.

However, this time the itinerary does offer some hope to India. India do not play a Test match in Brisbane, one of the fastest and bounciest wickets in Australia. Also, India don’t play in Perth, another fast and bouncy track, till the third Test, i.e. after playing in Melbourne and Sydney, two venues with lesser bounce, and some spin, where India has done decently in the past. The final Test is at Adelaide, is another venue that the Indian team will have fond memories of.

However to balance the favorable schedule is the fact that the BCCI failed to negotiate and sign a contract with a coach in time for this crucial series. The Indian team is also without a proper media manager, though they have the media savvy Chetan Chauhan as the tour manager. It is well known that in Australia the local media acts almost like a member of the home squad and attempts to pressurize the visiting team and captain. One hopes that the phlegmatic Chauhan is up to the dual task of communicating with the local media while shielding the team from unwanted pressure. from the local press. And while it is infinitely preferable to have no coach, rather than the wrong coach, Team India certainly seem to be flying into enemy territory with little more than the traditional “Sab Kuchch Ram Bharose” to fall back on.

However, at least the pilot in charge of the Indian team is a veteran of many such sorties. Dilip Vengsarkar and the selection committee took the somewhat unpopular but correct decision of handing Anil Kumble the Test captaincy, instead of burdening the popular but inexperienced Mahendra Singh Dhoni with it, after a hesitant Sachin Tendulkar wisely turned it down.

Australia love to target the captain of the opposition and really know how to go after him. If Dhoni was the captain the Australians would have targeted him with a vengeance and subjected him to a barrage of short pitched bowling, lots of on-field verbals, and all sorts of tactics on and off the field designed to rattle his confidence, and hence that of the team.

This time around it is going to be interesting to see how Australia try and put pressure on Anil Kumble. If they try to attack him, it could back-fire and he could become more effective, not less, as a bowler. As for targeting him with the ball, they will certainly not be able to pressure him with short-pitched bowling or verbals, etc., not only because he plays short-pitched bowling well, but because he is not a regular batsman, and such a ploy would only create sympathy for Kumble. The Australians may try to use the media to put pressure on him in subtle ways, but Kumble is not going to be easy to get after in the press either. He is clean, uncontroversial, and liked and respected by all, yet unafraid to speak his mind. In fact compared to the spoilt brat image that the Australian captain seems to project, Kumble comes across as the sensible adult in charge.

So, on balance Team India have more than a decent chance to do well in Australia this time as well. And if they do, not just Indian fans, but even Australian fans, will be glad to see a real contest in Australia for the first time since India last visited their shores.