India's drought to continue
By Robert Craddock
November 22, 2003
THE last time India won a Test in Australia, Ricky Ponting had just started grade two, Beldale Ball had just won the Melbourne Cup and Australia were months away from being the victims of "Botham's Ashes".
It was February 11, 1981, when the wily swing of Kapil Dev uprooted Australia's second innings for just 83 to enable India to record a stunning victory at the MCG, a win that shines like a gold stud amid the bleak fare that surrounds it.
Of the 28 Tests played between the two nations in Australia, India have won just three, Australia 19.
Of major cricketing nations nowhere is the home ground advantage a more powerful force than between Australia and India.
Australia have lost none of their seven series against India in Australia yet they haven't won in India since 1969 ... both are champs at home, chumps in the other's backyard.
This morning captain Sourav Ganguly and 15 countrymen touch down in Adelaide to be greeted by the general expectation that they will be the latest touring side to be frogmarched to the gallows.
The expected loss of Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath for the early Tests of the summer has not caused a ripple in betting markets which have Australia $1.15 to win the series which starts in Brisbane from December 4.
Former Indian captain Bishen Bedi says Australia's dominance in the recent tri-series one-day tournament in India despite the absence of an entire frontline attack is a revealing form line to the side's prospects in Australia.
"People think if we cannot beat Australia in India, even though it is a one-day series, what chance have we got in Australia?" Bedi said.
Even more revealing than India's modest record in Australia are their sorrowful results against nations outside their part of the world.
India's last Test series victory outside Asia in England was in 1986, a record even worse than it looks because their excuses for being cricket's most homesick side have been whittled away.
On paper India's batting line- up in Australia will be solid with Sachin Teldulkar, Ganguly and Rahul Dravid hardened veterans who know what to expect in Australia as do five of the seven batsmen who have toured here before.
But, as always, India's bowling attack looks undermanned for cricket's most arduous assignment - bowling out Australia on Australian wickets.
The Squad: Sourav Ganguly (c), Akash Chopra, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Parthiv Patel (wk), Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Ajit Agarkar, Sadagoppan Ramesh, Aavishkar Salvi, Deep Dasgupta (wk) and Irfan Pathan.
India in Australia
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India 'pampered, greedy'
By Robert Craddock
November 25, 2003
FORMER Indian captain Bishen Bedi says almost half the Indian side touring Australia is pampered, unfit and failing to work hard on their game.
Bedi is expecting a productive tour from Sachin Tendulkar, but believes even the little master is not as fit as he should be.
"He gets tired after 50 or 60 runs," Bedi said from New Delhi. "He will score 100s, but he doesn't have the endurance of our friend Matthew Hayden.
"That beautiful glow that was on Sachin's face when he was coming through is missing."
The outspoken Bedi, a mesmeric left-arm spinner who played 67 Tests and was rated by batting great Barry Richards as the best slow bowler he faced, fears many of the Indians are not physically robust enough to handle the rugged challenges of an Australian tour.
"The biggest problem is their physical fitness. It is very low. There is a big question mark over six or seven of them and their lasting ability," Bedi said. "Some of them will be happy to sit outside and not play. They are not working hard enough. They are just mucking around. P> "I read an interesting story recently which said Indian cricketers are high on pampering and low on performance.
"That is ever so true. They have picked a string of medium pacers who will be a staple diet for the Aussies. They will get hammered all over the place. I don't believe the current Australian side are a great side, but the other teams are so poor, the Australians look unbeatable.
"I couldn't believe we picked three left-arm seamers. It is not as if we have suddenly discovered Alan Davidson. There are a few people who they are taking on the tour who are filling gaps, but have nothing to contribute.
"Our best bet would have been spin, even in Australia. We just don't have a game plan how to bowl on good wickets."
The statistical returns of India's pace bowlers outside their homeland do not raise hopes for their prospects on tour, with Zaheer Khan (54 wickets at 34), Ashish Nehra (36 at 37) and Ajit Agarkar (12 at 45) all struggling abroad.
Because of the huge marketing potential in a land of a billion people, India's players are often swamped with major commercial deals when they reach the big time.
And Bedi believes the money-making side of the game has become a distraction.
"The concentration levels and the self-esteem of the current Indian side are seldom stable. They fluctuate all the time," he said.
"It sounds unfair to say this, but I get the impression that when they are on the field, they are thinking about the commerce, and when they are doing their commerce, they are thinking about their game."
Bedi has reminded captain Sourav Ganguly that actions, rather than words, will be the key to any success he has on tour.
"If you are the captain, you have to lead by the front. You can't just do it by mouthing rubbish. You have to be aggressive with the bat," Bedi said.
"I am concerned about his groin injury because it will hamper his running and chasing."
India starts its Australian tour today with a match against a weakened Victorian side missing its in-form strike bowler Mick Lewis.
The tourists will play another three-day game against a Queensland XI in Brisbane before next week's first Test.
By Robert Craddock
November 25, 2003
FORMER Indian captain Bishen Bedi says almost half the Indian side touring Australia is pampered, unfit and failing to work hard on their game.
Bedi is expecting a productive tour from Sachin Tendulkar, but believes even the little master is not as fit as he should be.
"He gets tired after 50 or 60 runs," Bedi said from New Delhi. "He will score 100s, but he doesn't have the endurance of our friend Matthew Hayden.
"That beautiful glow that was on Sachin's face when he was coming through is missing."
The outspoken Bedi, a mesmeric left-arm spinner who played 67 Tests and was rated by batting great Barry Richards as the best slow bowler he faced, fears many of the Indians are not physically robust enough to handle the rugged challenges of an Australian tour.
"The biggest problem is their physical fitness. It is very low. There is a big question mark over six or seven of them and their lasting ability," Bedi said. "Some of them will be happy to sit outside and not play. They are not working hard enough. They are just mucking around. P> "I read an interesting story recently which said Indian cricketers are high on pampering and low on performance.
"That is ever so true. They have picked a string of medium pacers who will be a staple diet for the Aussies. They will get hammered all over the place. I don't believe the current Australian side are a great side, but the other teams are so poor, the Australians look unbeatable.
"I couldn't believe we picked three left-arm seamers. It is not as if we have suddenly discovered Alan Davidson. There are a few people who they are taking on the tour who are filling gaps, but have nothing to contribute.
"Our best bet would have been spin, even in Australia. We just don't have a game plan how to bowl on good wickets."
The statistical returns of India's pace bowlers outside their homeland do not raise hopes for their prospects on tour, with Zaheer Khan (54 wickets at 34), Ashish Nehra (36 at 37) and Ajit Agarkar (12 at 45) all struggling abroad.
Because of the huge marketing potential in a land of a billion people, India's players are often swamped with major commercial deals when they reach the big time.
And Bedi believes the money-making side of the game has become a distraction.
"The concentration levels and the self-esteem of the current Indian side are seldom stable. They fluctuate all the time," he said.
"It sounds unfair to say this, but I get the impression that when they are on the field, they are thinking about the commerce, and when they are doing their commerce, they are thinking about their game."
Bedi has reminded captain Sourav Ganguly that actions, rather than words, will be the key to any success he has on tour.
"If you are the captain, you have to lead by the front. You can't just do it by mouthing rubbish. You have to be aggressive with the bat," Bedi said.
"I am concerned about his groin injury because it will hamper his running and chasing."
India starts its Australian tour today with a match against a weakened Victorian side missing its in-form strike bowler Mick Lewis.
The tourists will play another three-day game against a Queensland XI in Brisbane before next week's first Test.
Donny.
It's a game. Enjoy it.
It's a game. Enjoy it.