Beleaguered India face uphill task (Preview)

Venue: Western Australia Cricket Association Ground, Perth

Start Time: 02:30 GMT (08:00 IST)

The lightning fast pitch at WACA has been Australia’s favourite weapon to floor touring sides especially those from the sub-continent. Indian teams have been no different, on most occasions they surrendered without a fight. That was till the indomitable Anil Kumble-led team landed here in 2008. They had just been beaten in the acrimonious Sydney Test. Trailing 2-0 a visibly hurt India proved that a team desperate for success can turn the tide at any point of time. They put up a superb fight to snap Australia’s record-equaling streak of 16 straight Test wins.

Four years later, India have come to Western Australia with the same score-line. A relatively close game at Melbourne was followed by a totally lop-sided affair at Sydney. And, this time there were no umpiring blunders. They have been completely outplayed so far with both matches ending inside four days. With no one else to blame, MS Dhoni and his men are culpable for failing to compete against what was dubbed as the “weakest” Australian team.

Actually, India’s performance on overseas tours in the last year or so has been dismal. The team that started 2011 as the world’s number one Test side has lost six away matches on the trot. While many defended them on the pretext that the team missed many of its first choice players during the 4-0 hiding in England, the tour down under has seen a full-strength India crumble and collapse.

As far as the last match is concerned, India had no answer to Australia’s discipline, dedication and above-all fighting spirit. While the much-vaunted batting line-up was once again found wanting against a relentless Australian attack, home skipper Michael Clarke led from the front with a sublime triple-ton. Old warhorses, Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey also dug in their heels and scored centuries. The Indian ‘fab-four’ can take a lesson or two from the way the Australian seniors contributed to the team cause.

In the bowling department, a startling statistic sums up India’s problems. Despite having reduced Australia to 37 for 3, they conceded 622 runs for one wicket at SCG. The lack of incisiveness from their bowlers has cost India. On the contrary, the Aussies have made the ball talk. Ben Hilfenhaus has made a roaring comeback with successive five-fors. Peter Siddle and James Pattinson have combined aggression with immaculate line and length to knock the stiffing out of India.

Given the vulnerability of Indian batsmen against pace, Australia may select an all-pace attack for Perth. Injury to James Pattinson means Ryan Harris is an automatic selection where as, Mitchell Starc will replace Nathan Lyon if the hosts decide to go without a spinner on a surface that is expected to be fast with a tinge of green.

To counter the rampaging Aussies, India will have to show some fight. While the temptation to overhaul a losing side is always there, the team management would want to give the batsmen one more chance. That been said, R Ashwin in all likelihood will have to pave way for Pragyan Ojha.

Not long ago, Dhoni’s side was known for its dogged pursuit of success. The trend of throwing in the towel with possibilities of comeback still alive is a recent one. Although, the achievement of the same team four years ago would serve as a source of inspiration, it remains to be seen if they have any strength-mental as well as physical, left to rise from the ashes once again.

Australia Squad: David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke (c), Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin (wk), Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Ben Hilfenhaus, Ryan Harris.

India Squad: MS Dhoni (c & wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, Ajinkye Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, Zaheer Khan, Abhimanyu Mithun, Vinay Kumar.