No Love Lost Between India and Australia Ahead of Test 2

This is a position no team would find itself in. Would the skipper be giving him a birthday present or would he play the martyr’s role? That’s the question plaguing one team more than the other.

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The war of words continues true to form and this time it is the opposition skipper offering a piece of advice and his tongue is also in his cheek as he takes a dig at two of India’s fine bowlers ahead of the second Test at Mohali.

Riling the opposition has never been in more fashion. Zaheer Khan commented on Australia’s defensive strategies and their inabilities. But Ricky Ponting took his time in preparing his salvo. Clearly a matter he laughed off a couple of days ago is no longer funny. Take a look at his words on Zaheer’s comments now, “He's just happened to have a good game as well, which is pretty unusual for him” (Ouch!) Ponting continued on, “It's up to him to back it up again. I think a lot of his comments might have been to try and get us to play a different style and different brand of cricket.”

But it was just Zaheer who was on the Australian skipper’s mind. Both teams are likely to see one change, if at all necessary. But India’s will be a little more tricky than Australia’s. Stuart Clark’s inflamed right elbow gave him problems during the first Test in Bengaluru and he has had next to no net sessions since with only three days separating the two Tests. If his recovery is not made, though the physio Alex Kontouris is hopeful, it would mean the crucial loss of an experienced fast bowler on a pitch that is expected to assist pace.

Australia may have to blood Doug Bollinger, the left arm fast bowler, or Peter Siddle, who did well on this tour with Australia A. But Australia’s choice, if substitution is required, is more straightforward and it is that which Ponting is hinting at.

Anil Kumble will celebrate his thirty-eighth birthday come Friday. But it may not all be bouquets and roses. After all the Indian skipper has shown that the media and public are getting under his skin. It comes to mind another Bangalorean, Rahul Dravid, who maintained his silence following his relinquishing his captaincy. While the media pestered and toiled, Dravid remained stoic and eventually the story was given its due burial. But Kumble is rather unusually losing his cool. But it is not hard to understand why.

Kumble had led India stoically irrespective of whether the captaincy was thrust upon him or not. To now question his ability and his place in the side is getting to him as it would to any player. But by repeatedly coming out and saying it, Kumble is showing the weariness and frustration not only with the constant speculation of his retirement but of the fact that an impatient country is not willing to forgive the skipper his only third time wicket less match despite his battling a shoulder injury.

Even as the focus once again centers on Sachin Tendulkar breaking Brian Lara’s record, now fifteen runs shy, India face a tough situation. While Kumble had declared himself fit, his persistent injury is compromising on a bowler able to deliver the goods while also, preventing a fast bowler into the line up. Gary Kirsten is more certain that Kumble will play. With the four bowler attack that India are indicating they want to stick with, it is a gamble to pick two spinners when an additional pace bowler would perhaps be better suited for the surface. It would either mean chopping one batsman from the line up, a chance India do not want to take, or dropping one of the two spinners and the injured one is the obvious choice.

But when the injured spinner happens to be the captain of the side, the situation becomes more complicated. India would perhaps settle for an unchanged side when the Test begins tomorrow morning. But perhaps it will be a not-so-fit skipper taking the field and his non-performance again (after the forgettable Sri Lankan tour) would ensure this birthday bash may just taking a bashing, no less.

In the context of the game, the unchanged scenario of line up for both teams represents the most fascinating contest. With blood drawn sufficiently by both teams at different times in the course of the first Test, this will be the time to sharpen the sword a little. Who will be the braver of the two to step out of their zone?