India tune up for Boxing Day

As practice matches go, they don't come much tougher than Victoria, even if it's at the Junction Oval in St Kilda rather than the MCG. The Bushrangers are having a wonderful season, having won four of six Pura Cup games, and India will feel slightly cheated that they can't take on the full-strength side. Shane Harwood, the fast bowler on the fringes of Australian selection, is out injured, as is Gerard Denton, the bowling star for the side with 28 wickets at just 16.10 this season.

The one player who will look ahead to the tussle perhaps more than any other is Bryce McGain, the legspinner who some consider the best in the land following Shane Warne's retirement and Stuart MacGill's injury woes. If he does well in the warm-up game, McGain could conceivably come into the equation for Sydney though he's just three months away from his 36th birthday.

Another individual with baggy green ambitions is likely to miss the game. Brad Hodge had a wretched one-day tour of India, and has since seen Phil Jaques cement a place in the Australian top order. Hodge responded with 422 Pura Cup runs, including an unbeaten 286, but a back problem is set to rule him out of this match. The biggest challenge for the Indian bowlers will instead be the other Hussey, David, whose prolific form for the Vics could yet see him follow his brother's path to glory.

India have their own worries. Sachin Tendulkar's knee trouble has flared up again, and Zaheer Khan is certainly out with a heel problem. Most eyes will be on Ishant Sharma and Pankaj Singh, with one of them almost certain to play in the Boxing Day Test. It will also be interesting to see how Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh perform, with room only for one in the Test XI.

The players have also been complaining about inadequate preparation for such a big series. For that, they can blame only themselves. If the big names in world cricket got together and showed some unity, they could easily force the ICC and the national boards into a rethink on schedules that are frankly ridiculous. Just eight days in Australia before back-to-back Tests at Melbourne and Sydney is an invitation to disaster.

India should have touched down at least a fortnight before Boxing Day. Instead, you had  seven ODIs against Australia in October, and five against Pakistan in November. Few gave a toss, except those counting the pennies. And that greed could well come back to haunt India in the biggest contest of all.

Comments

[Realist]

Krishna, thank you for your comments. I stand by my statement regarding the depth of Australian cricket. If one considers the recently retired players from the team - M Waugh, S Waugh, I Healy, G McGrath, S Warne, J Langer et al one has to admit that even the greats of recent years can, and are replaceable. Seamlessly. This has been the case for nearly twenty years, with players like A Border, M Taylor, D Jones, T Alderman, M Hughes all replaced by more than adequate players and, I may add, captains. If Ricky Ponting is injured, there is already a process in place to cover this.
Your point on the selection of M Clarke and A Symonds is somewhat floored. Statistics fom the most recent test series (v Sri Lanka) provided by Cricinfo.com reveal that M Clarke finished with a batting average of 216 (145no, 71. Australia batted once in each of the 2 Tests) and A Symonds without an average but with figures of 53no and 50no batting and an average of 15.5 for each of the 2 wickets whilst bowling.
I agree that the brilliance of S Tendulkar would be an added bonus, but not needed. R Dravid does not impose himself enough on good bowling attacks. A Kumble is a wonderful deciever of batsmen, and I agree has a fantastic record. But I believe that S MacGill is at least equal. Again I refer you to cricinfo.com.
But the Boxing Day cricket was fantastic. Hope that India can come back from todays effort.

[krishna]

Realist, if you have four Pontings in the wings, how come Clarke and Symonds find spots in the 11? There's clearly daylight between Ponting's class and quality and everyone else in the Australian 11. Just like there's daylight between the Auatralian cricket team and everyone else.

That said you can't argue with the records of the likes of Dravid, Tendulkar and Kumble all of whom would walk into the Australian side. Australia are clearly and very deservedly favourites but I very much doubt that India are going to get rolled over the way England were. The past three series between Australia and India have been competitive here's hoping for more of the same..

[Realist]

As much as I would like to see a keenly fought series here in Australia, it isn't going to happen. Sorry guys, but india doesn't have the depth to win in Australia.
Ask yourself this question - who in Indias team would make it easily into the Australian side. Tendulkar, Dravid? Maybe.
For every batsman in a baggy green cap
there are at least four other batsman, for EACH position, of the same quality. Fast bowling has the same depth.
This is not bragging but a fact of life here.

[bunty]

While experience usually helps a number of indians have in fact done well in oz on their first tours - hazare/phadkar in 47, prasanna/jaisimha/pataudi in 67, vishy/jimmy in 77, patil in 80, srikkanth in 85, sachin in 91 and laxman in 99, zak/viru in 2003 and many with experience of oz have failed (vengsarkar in 91 for instance, prasanna/venkat in 77)

[bunty]

Pankaj Singh from UP plays for Rajasthan (for whom he is really the only strike bowler, so doesnt need support at the other end as much as some others)- whats promising? height 6'5" and relatively strong build encourage hope he more than others will sustain and increase his pace; outswing with new ball and hint of in-seam with bounce, once shines gone- hits deck hard and seems more likely to adapt to kookaburra ball than others, isnt known for reverse swing- best - he is a line n length bowler unlike sreesanth or agarkar and says hes inspired by mcgrath but perhaps a memory of a bob willis whom he maynt have heard of yet-can he live up to this potential? certainly hope so

[krishna]

With all this rain the chances of the likes of Ishant, Pankaj getting a bowl look ever lower. RP is still finding his feet at the test level, Ishant and Pankaj are very green indeed, India do look like they're on a hiding to nothing going into the Boxing Day test.

But you're right, the players have only themselves to blame for not being more assertive about ridiculous scheduling. On second thoughts, maybe if the rain stays in Melbourne through the new year, that'll allow India to escape with a draw while still giving our bowlers and batsmen alike a decent outing!

[Dileep]

Pankaj Singh comes from Rajasthan, the state where Greg Chappell is consultant to the academy side now. He's tall and well-built and bowls at around 135km/hr. Can move it both ways. Has had a very good domestic season so far, but very little experience of the conditions he'll find in Australia.

[matthew]

any1 no hoo this pankaj guy is?
pls post a comment if you do.
thanks mf

[bunty]

the batting is clear and bowling - zaheer, rp and pankaj +kumble is clear but that age and reflexes will let down form n experience appears to be borne out on day 1 in the warm up; and who will be an asset on the field apart from yuvi? raina, badrinath, vrv n yusuf pathan may yet be missed; rahuls willingness to put the team first and open despite the great experience as one day openers of sachin n saurav is to be commended

[Tanya]

india v pakistan cricket matches are a treat to watch. i was very much thrilled as recently india won the series against pakistan but for me the cricket fever still continues at http://www.zapak.com/gameplayint.zpk?gid=555