India-Australia second Test preview
How do you win with losers? Better still, how do you lose with winners? Well, this exactly sums up the fortunes of Australia and India in their ongoing Test series. While Australia pulled off a win in Melbourne with the help of rookies in the form of Ed Cowan, James Pattinson, Nathan Lyon their opponents failed as collective unit barring the brilliance of Sachin Tendulkar.
In a game where fortunes change hands frequently, Australia won more points of play than India in Melbourne, but it could be a different tale for the hosts when they face Dhoni’s men in Sydney from January 3 to 7.
The good news is that India’s batsmen have done well in this ground. For starters, Sachin Tendulkar averages a monstrous 221 in this ground, having hit his highest Test of 241* during the 2003-04 tour. VVS Laxman has hit centuries each time (thrice) he has stepped into the ground which speaks volumes about the way he has tormented the Aussies over the past decade.
The Australians have called up Ryan Harris who can swing the ball appreciably and operates on a tight channel. The headache for Mickey Arthur will be to accommodate Harris in the playing XI and one would say Nathan Lyon will have to sit out.
India will have to pull their socks up and come up with a stellar show if the motor mouths would have to be silenced. The SCG has in it to aid both batters and the bowlers, but application is a must.
Runs will come if you stay at the crease and this is applicable to everyone who walks into the centre. Virat Kohli could get the chop in favour of Rohit Sharma. With Virat appearing woefully out of form, Rohit should get the nod.
India will want to come out of the ODI mindset in order to accrue more runs as that’s the only way to put the Australians under pressure. The Indian bowlers did their job in the first Test and one would expect them to come all guns blazing yet again.
On the other hand, Australia, one up in the series will not want to give an inch to their opponents as that would split the series wide open. With regards to the prediction, the Sydney Test offers India a good chance to hit back at the critics and those who have begun to mercilessly point finger at the shortcomings of this team. Time for the big guns to bring those weapons of mass destruction and set the stage ablaze.
