Second Test, Sydney:
Australia v India
Match starts 2330 GMT Tuesday
Australia captain Ricky Ponting has fired his side up for the second Test against India by talking about the prospect of a record-equalling win.Victory in Sydney would see the hosts match Steve Waugh’s side of 1999-2001 in winning 16 successive Tests.
“I did mention it to the team this morning,” Ponting admitted on the eve of the clash.
“I’m sure there will be a bit more excitement if we happen to win this Test,” the batsman added.
Australia go into the second match of the four-Test series as overwhelming favourites after crushing India by 337 runs in Melbourne last week.
An Aussie attack with just 98 Test caps between them, bowled India – whose top order boast a combined 472 Test appearances – out for under 200 twice.
No side has accomplished that feat in more than five years.
And bowling coach Troy Cooley believes his charges are as good as England’s 2005 Ashes-winners after coming to terms with the retirements of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.
“I’d say these guys are equally as good,” said Cooley, who coached England’s bowlers in 2005.
“There is a lot of variation, and a lot of quality.”
Pace bowlers Brett Lee and Stuart Clark shared 11 wickets, while Mitchell Johnson helped seal victory with second-innings figures of 3-21 in his third Test.
Australia have named an unchanged XI, with spinner Brad Hogg – who took four wickets in Melbourne – playing back-to-back Tests for just the second time in his career.
India, who compiled a record innings total of 705-7 on their last visit to Sydney four years ago, are likely to bring back opener Virender Sehwag, dropping middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh.
That would allow Rahul Dravid – used as a makeshift opener in Melbourne – to drop back to his preferred spot at three.
Captain Anil Kumble has urged India to adopt a more aggressive mental attitude aafter poor batting and fielding undermined their efforts in Melbourne.
“It all boils down to going there and fighting. We didn’t show a bit of that in the last game but we’re looking to do that,” he said.
“It’s more to do with thinking and being a bit positive.
“If the mind is thinking positive, running between the wickets and fielding will be different.”
Australia have lost just one Test in Sydney in the last decade, and their only loss to India there was 30 years ago.
Australia: Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, Mike Hussey, Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Andrew Symonds, Shaun Tait.
India (from): Anil Kumble (capt), Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Ishant Sharma, Pankaj Singh, Dinesh Karthik.
- BBC January 1, 2008
Related posts:
- Lee and Clark devastate Indian batting order BOXING DAY TEST DAY-2 (Dec.27) By our sports correspondent Melbourne(MCG)...
- Boxing Dat Test (Day-1): Kumble stops Oz march Boxing Day Test (Day-1) By our sports correspondent Melbourne (MCG)...
- Australian media criticises Sreesanth’s behaviour Melbourne: In a clear indication that the defeat has not...
- Nuke test by India w ill kill deal, says US MFA refutes statement, says testing is India’s prerogative Nilova Roy...
