Where's Australia's win-at-all-costs credo?

The Australian cricket team which took pride in a winatallcost attitude now appears to lay more emphasis on team discipline rather than constructing the best possible arsenal to get back in a prestigious series which they trail 02 Australiarsquos turnaround seemed highly unlikely even with Shane Watson and James Pattinson around but unpredictability is very much the fabric of sport Didnrsquot the Kolkata Test match of 2001 reaffirm this to the Australians The discipline aspect is vital too but Australia have not given themselves the best chance to win Michael Clarke ought to realise that the last time Australia won a Test in India was when his career was just three Test matches old He will play his 92nd today in Mohali Thirtytwo years ago an Australian captain ordered his brother to bowl underarm off the last ball in a vital oneday international to prevent the opposition batsman from hitting a matchwinning six at the colossal Melbourne Cricket Ground Greg Chappellrsquos primary aim was to win that 1981 game against New Zealand and in the process avoid playing an extra oneday international in an actionpacked schedule that chipped away at his patience and endurance Future tense Today at Mohali Clarke will field a playing XI that includes players who have not exactly forced their way through sheer performance and reputation Ten Februarys earlier Gregrsquos elder brother Ian was on the verge of rejoicing in the dressing room when England captain Ray Illingworth decided to stage a walkout with his team after fast bowler John Snow was attacked by a spectator on the boundary line Snow had returned to his fielding position after his delivery hit tailender Terry Jenner on the head Having taken over from the sacked Bill Lawry Ian was captaining Australia for the first time in Test cricket and did not mind the sight of Illingworth walking off because that would mean Australia win the Test albeit through a forfeit ldquoIrsquoll take a Test victory anytimerdquo thought Ian However Illingworth amp Co returned to the field and England went on to win that seventh Test in Sydney and with it the Ashes In November 1969 a riot broke out at the Brabourne Stadium when umpire Shambhu Pan declared Srinivas Venkataraghavan out caught behind off Alan Connolly when the tailender according to a radio commentator didnrsquot get a nick As the East Stand was being burnt and the players were in danger of being attacked vicecaptain Ian Chappell suggested to his skipper Lawry that it would be wise for the team to return to the dressing room ldquoWhat do you thinkrdquo Chappell asked And Lawry just said ldquoGee Chappelli we need a wicket badrdquo The Australians finally had to retreat to the dressing room but Lawryrsquos words to his deputy amply indicated that gaining superiority over their opponents was the prime objective In the dressing room manager Fred Bennett told the team that 10000 spectators in front of the grandstand wanted Lawryrsquos blood According to offspinner Ashley Mallett in his biography of Ian Chappell And Doug Walters said ldquoCrsquomon Fred give rsquoem Lawry and letrsquos get on with the drinkingrdquo The 196970 Australian team had a bunch of characters who may not have survived the currentday regime Kevin Douglas Walters was one for sure Winning and getting back in the series should have been Clarkersquos prime goal Today at Mohali he will field a playing XI that includes players who have not exactly forced their way through sheer performance and reputation Look which team has just contributed to lowering the standard of Test cricket mdash the pristine brand of the game that completes 136 years of existence tomorrow Not IPLdrunk India for sure in this case Clarke like the punished quartet has not come out smelling of roses And while hersquoll hope for vindication Mahendra Singh Dhonirsquos team will be feeling like kids who have just been told that candies are on the house the aftereffects notwithstandingu00a0 Clayton Murzello is MiD DAYrsquos Group Sports Editoru00a0