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will he, won't he? Australia captain Ricky Ponting |
Amid official talk of the post-Diwali New Delhi Test being relocated and indications of even tighter security for its team, Cricket Australia said yesterday it was waiting to hear from its security experts in India before taking any decision.
Meanwhile, Ricky Ponting has said he is ready to end his Indian 'jinx', which is seen as accounting for his average plummet to only 12.28 in eight Tests in India.
The Australian captain believes he now has the patience and technique to overcome the nightmares of India's notorious flat wickets which are expected to favour spinners Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh.
Australia's assistant coach Greg Chappell echoes Ponting's confidence.
He told the Australian media yesterday: "I can see a steely glint in his eye and I always worry when I see that in good players that that means there are a few runs around the corner.
India should worry
"If I was the Indian team and I wanted to worry about something, I would worry about that. The only discussion we have had about it, in fact he was the one that initiated and made the comment that basically what he has to do is trust his method.
"It has worked everywhere else. If he trusts his method and applies it here, I have no doubt that he will be successful," the former Indian coach said in what could well be a psychological gambit in the lead-up to the Test series.
"I think there have probably been a few occasions in India where he has got away from that method and that perhaps has been part of the issue when it comes to performance in India."
At the same time, Indian coach Gary Kirsten is backing Rahul Dravid, long-time mainstay of the Indian batting line-up , (he averaged only 35.64 in 10 Tests in 2007 in an overall average of an impressive 53.92 after 125 Tests), to do well against the Australians.
After his scores of 46 and 69 last week in the Irani Trophy match, Kirsten said: "I think it turned out to be a good outing for him.
"He is a key player for us and has been successful for years. He knows now we face Australia, the world no.1 team, and it should boost his confidence".
Despite his lean patch during India's last tour of Australia, Dravid has a Test average of 45.78 in 23 Tests against the world champions, who have a healthy respect for his class.
Katich doubtful
Even though Australian opening batsman Simon Katich top-scored with 73 against the Rajasthan Academy in Australia's score of 218 in Jaipur over the weekend, his place in the Test team for the October 9 Test at Bangalore is in serious doubt.
Katich scored 113 and 157 in his last two Tests in the West Indies, but is expected to make way for Matthew Hayden, who showed no signs of discomfort yesterday after his recovery from Achilles heel injury sustained in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Katich has been in top form since battling his way back into the Test team with a record-breaking season for New South Wales, but the selectors are expected to stick with Phil Jacques.
Andrew Symonds, dropped from the tour of India on disciplinary grounds, had a disappointing day against the touring Kolkata Knightriders team in Brisbane yesterday.
The all-rounder, now undergoing rehabilitation, was dismissed for two and one in the continuation of his cricketing comeback.
