WACA Test - A preview

Indian cricket team is going into the WACA test once again conceding a 2-0 lead to the Australians, just like 4 years ago. The Indian batting line which looks very impressive on papers have once again proved to be disappointing and inconsistent, with the likes of Dravid, Laxman, Sehwag having some serious problems facing the Australian pace attack. The bowling has put the team back in the game couple times at MCG and SCG, but still were not able to capitalize and exploit the situation. On the other hand, Australians are not as strong as they were 4 years back. Now, their top order looks fragile and were not able to put up a good show at the MCG and the SCG. The middle order which was prone to a lot of criticism before the start of the series has come up good, with Ponting, Hussey and Clarke making impressive scores and helped Australia take a convincing 2-0 lead.

Indian celebrating the wicket of R Ponting, after being dismissed by Ishant Sharma at the WACA in 2008

If Indians intend to stay alive in the series, it is very important for their batsmen to show a lot of temperament and change in technique to approach the Australian pacers on a "green top" at WACA. It will be interesting to see the team that Dhoni picks for this test. If Dhoni decides to go with an all pace attack, he is left with very little options having to select from A Mithum or Vinay Kumar. Both being inexperienced campaigners, it will be a tough call for Dhoni to go with one of them. It would not be a bad idea to go with Ashwin, as the WACA pitch will offer him good bounce of the pitch and if Ashwin is brave enough to toss and flight the ball in the air, he could provide a lot of variety to the bowling line and be impressive. Though Zaheer Khan has toured twice to Australia before this series, this would be his first test at Perth. He might not be clocking 150 mark on the speed guns, but his consistent line and length should provide him a lot of success at the WACA. Ishant Sharma looked very impressive at Perth the last time, picking up Ponting on both innings and Clarke in the first innings. Not just that, all the right handed batmen were having a tough time facing him. Ishant has been quite impressive in this tour as well than what his figures might show. He should be fulled geared up and raring to go for the third test.

The WACA, Perth

It will not be a surprise, if Australians go with an all pace attack in the third test. After all, Nathan Lyon has done very little to prove a point and stay in the playing XI. So, I reckon Australia will play Mitchell Starc ahead of Lyon at WACA. With Pattinson out of the test with injury, the consistent Ryan Harris will also play for the first time in this series. S Marsh has to prove that, he has something to offer in this series, after being dismissed in the first ball for two times in the series so far. It was tough for him to make a come back after being out of action for a while due to the injuries he incurred at South Africa, earlier in 2011.

The key for Indian batsmen is to stay at the crease and get their eye in before going for their shots. It is very important for them to leave the good deliveries and play on the back foot in these bouncy conditions. Gambhir and Sehwag have a key role to play. If they can play without losing a wicket for the first hour of play, India can try to build the inning and put up a competitive score for the Australians. The middle order has to come good and put a fighting show to make India stay alive in the series.

It will be an all important toss at WACA. Any side which wins the toss would no doubt elect to bowl first and restrict the opposition to as small as a target possible.

Key players:
India - S Tendulkar, R Dravid, VVS Laxman, Z Khan
Australia - M Clarke, M Hussey, R Ponting, R Harris

Players to watch:
India - I Sharma, V Sehwag
Australia - B Hilfenhaus, E Cowan

Pradeep K Chandra

100th test at Sydney

SCG has become the 3rd test venue to host 100 test matches only after Lords and MCG. Bright sunny day at the SCG, perfect conditions to start the 2nd test of the India-Australia test series 2011/12. Wasim (Akram) at the pitch report said it was perfect batting conditions if the batsmen can see through the first couple hours or so. Dhoni surprisingly won the toss and elected to bat first.

Gambhir is having a really tough time facing the new ball from the Australian pacers. He is not adjusting his technique to the bouncing Australian wickets. It is very important to leave the good balls early in your innings and Gambhir has failed to do that at MCG and is continuing that at SCG as well. He has to be playing a lot straighter rather than trying to work the ball on the on-side, or through the point region. There is no point in having an opener who exposes the likes of Dravid within the first few overs of the morning. It can happen once or twice, but the problem with Gambhir is he does not seem to learn from his mistakes.

Dravid has been solid throughout 2011. He was a lone battler in the test series at England in 2011 where he scored 3 centuries (everything in vain though). He had problems with the uneven bounce at the MCG pitch, but here at the SCG he was solid in defense, watching the ball till the last minute before he nipped one to the forward short leg fielder.

Laxman and Sehwag have been in international cricket for a long time without impressive feet movement. When you are driving, it is important to get to the pitch of the ball, which Laxman has not been doing in Australia. Sachin has been the only Indian batsman who looked like scoring each time he comes out to bat. Dhoni looked better at SCG as obviously the ball was old when he came out to bat and was coming on to the bat nicely. Once again after a sorry show by the Indian batsmen, they put up a miniscule 191 in their first inning and were bowled out within the first day.


It is a tough ask from the bowlers to defend a score of 191 on a track which has looked very good for batting. Zaheer bowled impressively picking up 3 early wickets on the first day and that was it. (Ricky)Ponting and Michael(Clark) batted wonderfully in the 2nd day each scoring centuries and Clark going on to make a double ton. As quoted in cricinfo "The best thing India have done is bowl their overs on time". Crowd clapped for each of the Indian bowlers when they gave away 100 runs. This is of-course not a good sign for the bowlers. At the end of day two at SCG, Aussies lead by 291 runs with 6 wickets in hand and seem to increase the lead more than 350. If India had to save this test match, they will have to bat more than 2 days which looks a mammoth task with the form in which the batsmen are in.

Trivia:
Michael Clark scored his first double ton in test cricket

Pradeep K Chandra