Border-Gavaskar Trophy, 2008: 2nd Test Preview: A Cracker Awaiting at Mohali

On the eve of India’s tour of Australia last season, Perth was touted as the venue where India would get ripped apart, torn into pieces, and blown into the oblivion. With the bouncy nature of the surface assisting the faster bowlers, and Indian batsmen getting labelled as "suspects" against an attack comprising the world’s fastest and most accurate bowlers, the stage was set for India to go 3-0 down in the third Test itself.

The events that actually unfolded at the Western Australian Cricket Association ground though were totally unexpected and out of the blue. Okay, maybe not out of the blue. Not if you are an Indian cricket follower, who has seen this side dismantle the likes of England and South Africa in much more venomous settings.

Tendulkar (71) and Dravid (93) set the stage for the young Ishant Sharma to rattle the “mighty” Australians in their favourite hunting ground. The “best” batsman in the world, Ricky Ponting, was treated like a debutant playing against a seasoned pro, whereas the situation was completely the opposite. India won the Test, but that doesn’t seem to have changed the journos’ minds much.

Going into the Mohali Test, pace, it seems, is still India’s enemy number one, and the occasion is yet again being touted as Australia’s best chance to beat India. Déjà vu, anyone?

There is no doubt in my mind that the need of the moment is for Kumble to be “rested”, the preferred terminology among the Indian management, and a third pacer getting included in the side, in the form of R.P. Singh.

While it is becoming more and more likely that Kumble is going to make the job easier with a nagging shoulder putting "Jumbo" in discomfort, his replacement, as is being touted in the press, Munaf Patel is a big risk venture. And being in the midst of a global meltdown as we are, the Kirsten, Kumble, Tendulkar et al will benefit by going for a more stable option, albeit one which will give lower returns.

The problem with Patel is his dreadful stamina and a fielding ability that ranks about as highly as Ganguly’s might.

Singh on the other hand is a very handy fielder, with a big heart, the kind required for being a good fast bowler in the sub-continent.

Patel is also a factor that might make the pace attack a bit too one-dimensional. While he is a tall lad, the problem is he doesn’t utilise this aspect of his physique, delivering the ball on a bent left knee. Definitely not the liveliest of spirits, he can definitely be labelled the Dimitat Berbatov of Indian cricket. If he gets hit for a couple of boundaries, don’t be surprised to see the pace drop and the line and length go awry.

Singh is tough lad, with a high arm, side on action. His in-swingers to the right hander are a perfect contrast to the stockier Zaheer Khan’s out-swinging peaches, delivered with a more front-on action. He was baptised by fire on a flat track in Faisalabad, Pakistan, where, in his debut game, every one around him was getting belted.

He managed to get more than respectable first inning figures of 4-89 (the next best figures were 3-135 by Zaheer Khan). Him over Munaf Patel, for this encounter at least.

Expect Ishant Sharma to be on fire. With seven wickets already under his belt on a wicket where even Brett Lee didn’t get many, Sharma looks ready fill his bags on a pitch offering a bit of bounce.

If the sun is out, the pitch is expected to get better and bouncier, and Singh and Sharma should be able to trouble a lot of Australian batsmen.

But if the sluggish nature remains, the Zaheer Khan will immediately come into play, and it would be interesting to see if he continues his good run against Hayden and Co.

Ponting’s comments regarding Kumble and Zaheer Khan should add spice to the contest, something that was missing, and certainly hampered the flow of the game, at Bangalore.

Australia’s bowling has been further weakened with Stuart Clark getting ruled out of the game. Peter Siddle will make his Test debut. In all likelihood, Shane Watson will be given the new ball along side Brett Lee, with Siddle being used as first change.

The Australian unit now looks completely bare, with the exception of Brett Lee.

Of the four bowlers the Oz will rely on come Friday, three have fewer than 50 Test wickets.

For this attack to come up against a side with three batsmen averaging in the 50s is a tall ask. On an even surface where the bowlers must bend their back to get something out of it, Tendulkar, Dravid and Sehwag will be keen to pounce on the inexperienced trio of Johnson, White and Siddle. Watson, with the experience of the IPL behind him, can be expected to be a potent weapon.

If the Australian think-tank is relying on the fact that Cameron White and Michael Clarke were a handful for the Indians in Bangalore, then they might be in for a rude shock.

The Bangalore wicket was definitely one where spinners could have been successful. A Warne or a McGill, or even a in-from and fully fit Kumble could have meant a result oriented Test match. But with the bowling on display being, well, quite mediocre, neither teams had much difficulty in reading the turning ball.

With Mohali traditionally providing good bounce and carry for the bowlers, and where stroke players thrive with the ball coming on to the bat, Clarke and White may be picked for a few. If Sehwag survives the first 20 overs, Australia will be in a real quandary.

For Australia the key will be Hayden.

He failed to set the ground alight in the first Test, but I expect to see him fire in the second. He will be Australia’s answer to any hurdles Sehwag and his mates may erect.

The rest of the middle order seems to be in great form, and it will definitely require great bowling to keep the centurion of the first Test, Ponting and Hussey, quiet for two innings.

The stage is set, therefore, for an in form of Indian bowling attack to take on an intimidating Australian batting line-up, threatening to take the ‘final-frontier’ by storm for the second time running.

In the mean-time, Australia’s baby-faced Test bowling attack will take on a wrinkly Indian batting line-up, which can’t wait to recapture the grandeur of the past.

The side-show will definitely be Tendulkar’s record bid.

While man himself isn’t too perturbed by the occasion, ‘Punter’ Ponting has already rubbed Tendulkar’s poor run of form in his face, pointing out Tendulkar’s horrendous form in his last ten innings.

His last big score, incidentally, was against Ponting’s team though, and if Tendulkar gets in at Mohali, expect another grinding inning, worth, the Indians (in the dressing-room and every corner of the world) will hope, much more than the 15 runs everyone is eagerly waiting for!

Whether Lara’s record of most Test runs falls or not, the Mohali Test is shaping up to be a smash-hit affair.

The toss doesn’t affect matches too much, with runs per wicket batting first and second being more or less equal, Cricinfo.com suggests.

We have a cracker on our hands, ladies and gentlemen, and let’s hope the rain gods don’t spoil this party atleast!

Leave your comments and predictions! Especially interested in what your Indian playing eleven will be, in case the skipper doesn’t make it!