India look favourites against Aussies

The mind games always associated with an India-Australia series have been played with Harbhajan Singh saying that the Indian batsmen should have a lot of fun at the expense of the rookie Aussie spinners, and Jason Gillespie chipping in with his comment that Australian bowlers must exploit the lack of fitness among key Indian batsmen who ``walk singles and hit fours.’’

One suspects that the mind games will continue to be played particularly, if the series is close. In the meantime the experts have spelt out their views: Some favour Australia, others India.

Whichever way one looks at it, the high-octane four-Test series starting at Bangalore on Thursday has all the makings of an Alfred Hitchcock thriller.

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It would be tempting to install India as favourites, going by events in Hyderabad during the Aussies’ only first class game before the Test series gets underway. In fact when the touring squad was announced India were immediately put in the favourites circle. On paper the side that came here four years ago looked much more formidable.

It isn't easy to replace players like Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Shane Warne, Justin Langer and Adam Gilchrist, and they formed the nucleus of a team that broke the final frontier and won a Test series in India for the first time in 35 years.

But then it is always dangerous to underestimate an Aussie side. Moreover, they have not done badly in the last couple of years since the superstars called it a day. They still notch up victories regularly, are firmly slotted in the top place in the rankings and, the replacements have shown that they are up to the task. One has just to look back at the last series between the two teams 'Down Under' to understand that Ricky Ponting's squad is still a pretty formidable force.

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Australia won that acrimonious four-Test series 2-1 and that side had comparative newcomers like Michael Hussey, Simon Katich, Phil Jacques, Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark all of whom are members of the touring squad. And one must not forget that the captain himself, Michael Clarke, Matthew Hayden and Brett Lee are still very much around so the team has both youth and experience.

Brad Haddin is certainly no Adam Gilchrist - none can ever wear the gloves of the greatest wicket-keeper batsman of all time - but in his limited opportunities he has not done badly while Shane Watson, the utility player in the absence of Andrew Symonds, could have a crucial role to play.

The detractors might point out that it is one thing to win a series in Australia and quite another to win it in India. And while it is interesting to note that Australia still have a 12-11 lead in Test matches played in this country, eight of the wins were registered before the 70s when the Indian team was nowhere as strong as it is now.

In the last three decades, to put the rivalry in proper perspective, India have won eight Tests to Australia's four and have won four series to the visitors' one, including the one-off Test played in 1996-97 to launch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

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While as I said one should never estimate any Aussie side there are chinks in the armour. One is the lack of experience of Indian conditions with only four of the squad having played Tests here. Second there is virtually no spin support to the pace attack. Whoever plays in the Test series he will be a rookie and is likely to face the kind of harsh treatment that Jason Krejza had to endure at Hyderabad.

The Indians still enjoy the reputation of being the best players of spin bowling — their inability to unravel the mysteries of Ajantha Mendis’ bowling notwithstanding — and Australia will have to rely overmuch on their pace trio of Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark to make inroads into the Indian batting.

What could ultimately swing things India's way is their awesome home record. Few countries have such a disparity between their home and away records and though India have registered victories everywhere in the new millennium except in New Zealand, the performances abroad are still nothing compared to the record at home. In the last eight years they have lost only one series and that was to Australia four years ago.

That notable triumph will then have to provide the inspiration for Ponting and his men. Whatever the limitations in the spin bowling there is plenty of fire in the pace bowling department and as past records have shown from Ray Lindwall to Alan Davidson, from Graham McKenzie to Glenn McGrath to Jason Gillespie, Aussie fast bowlers have produced results in India.

This time too I expect their pace trio to be among the wickets while the batting remains strong. Moreover, no team is more dangerous than when cornered and Michael Hussey displayed at Hyderabad that quintessential Aussie quality of being born fighters. The sporting adage that no match is lost till it is won fits the baggy green cap best.

The Indians on their part have a settled look their recent series loss in Sri Lanka notwithstanding. Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag are firmly slotted at the top of the order and are in form. Wasim Jaffer as a reserve opening batsman is an encouraging option. The middle order - with or without one of the 'Fab Four' - still wears a lustrous look.

MS Dhoni is a formidable opponent at No. 7 and the bowling in the hands of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh and any two inform pacers can be counted upon to be among the wickets in home conditions. Yes, we come back to that all important factor - the home advantage and this is where I think India have the edge over Australia even if on paper there is very little to choose between the contestants.