By tomorrow, 9th of October, 2008, one of the toughest test series in Cricket would have begun. Yes, it is the India-Australia Test series, hosted by India. Eventhough the series is yet to start, people have already predicted two things, one is the end of the Invincible Aussie Era, and the next one is the end of the Fabulous four(Sachin, Saurav, Dravid, and Laxman). Unfortunately, even before the play has begun, people have started predicting how it will end.
Pre-Series Action:
This is series would be a special one, especially for two reasons, one is that the current Australian team has just four players, who have visited India before namely Hayden, Ponting, Clarke, and Katich. To add to their woes, they have no specialist spinner such as a Shane Warne or a Macgill. Knowing the Indian pitches well, all i can say that Aussie fastbowlers would be made to toil for their wickets, provided our WISE pitch curators don't prepare a green track as they did in Nagpur during 2004. This will provide India with an advantage, but still fast bowlers like Brett Lee and Shaun Tait are no ordinary bowlers and India have to be cautious against them.
THe next major reason is the form of India's most premier batsmen, Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly, and Laxman. Sachin's form is pathetic, so is Dravid's. Ganguly had failed in Srilanka while Laxman has on and off played some good innings. Overall, their failures have been heavily criticized by both supporters and critics. Ganguly has already dropped a bombshell that he would retire after this series. I guess this is just one of the many to follow. I just pray that Ganguly goes out happily as a member of the series-winning side. Hope he plays some memorable and match-winning knocks on his way out.
On the other hand, Ponting has been maintaing that he would want to improve upon his record in India while Hayden said India's aging side would be Aussies advantage. Hopefully, this series would prove both of them wrong.
To sum it up, this series is truly, evenly, poised. Neither side can claim the advantage. All I can say is that India should pull this one off if they are not complacent and play aggressively. They must be always be wary of an Aussie resurgence. SO guys, all the best. Please do bring the Gavasker-Border Trophy home, atleast for SOurav :-)
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