India eye greatness
PUNE: The last time Australia toured India in 2013, captains Michael Clarke and Shane Watson won the toss in all the four Tests, but went on to lose all of them.
Thus, when Steve Smith leads his men on to the pitch in the first Test of this four-match series on Thursday, he’ll have to ensure many more things go his way than the luck factor.
It will be here at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium that he will take charge of IPL side Rising Pune Supergiants in two months and the series opener might be a perfect opportunity to prove his credentials to the local crowd.
The hosts, however, don’t want to take a chance. Though curator Pandurang Salgaoncar said Pune’s debut Test would be played on a true wicket, Dhiraj Parsana, zonal head of the BCCI’s grounds and pitches committee, and Daljit Singh, the national head of the pitches committee, have been asked to overlook Salgaoncar’s effort. After all, home advantage needs to be taken.
“If we can win here, when we look back after 20 years, it is going to be the best time of lives,” Smith had said a few days back. It makes sense, given that they were not just whitewashed by India four years back, they’ve lost eight of the last 10 Tests played in India.
An India-Australia Test series is always special. To the cricket- India in India:
India in Australia: Australia in India: Australia in Australia:
India in India :
India in Australia : Australia in India : Australia in Australia:
In India: In Australia:
In India: In Australia: at Kolkata 2000-01 at Sydney 2003-04 at Delhi 2008-09 at Adelaide 1947-48 fanatic Indian crowd, the only fixture bigger than this is probably that against arch-rivals Pakistan.
But India are on a run of 19 unbeaten Tests , and six consecutive series wins while Australia will have to avoid their 10th successive defeat in Asia.
The Aussies no longer carry the old aura. Be it Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood or captain Steve Smith, they are anxious for their plans to fall in place against India.
India have openly challenged the visitors , stating they’ve got a plan for every player. Former cricketers too have backed the hosts to inflict yet another whitewash.
at Mumbai 2004-05 at Brisbane 1947-48 at Mumbai 2004-05 at Melbourne 1980-81
at Chennai 1986-87 at Sydney 2003-04
at Mumbai 2004-05 at Brisbane 1947-48 India have beaten Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand, England and Bangladesh, and coach Anil Kumble feels the team can become the best ever. Under Virat Kohli, India have won 15 of the last 19 Tests. A series win will lend credence to Kumble’s belief.
The hosts face rivals whose past confidence, bordering on arrogance, is missing
AFP PUNE:
Kohli, who is known to not mince his words, said he wasn’t thinking too much about why the likes of David Warner and Glenn Maxwell have been praising him, a departure from the approach of previous visiting Australia sides.
All the teams we had played were good quality teams. Australia is no different. We are not treating this series different from any others in the past.
See, I am really good friends with them. But I know where to draw the line of friendship as well. When you step on to the field, I could be playing against my real brother (but) it doesn’t matter.