India, Aus ready for Boxing Day skirmish

Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his teammates had a full-blown nets session at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. (AFP Photo)

MELBOURNE: The world celebrated Christmas in style but it was business as usual on Sunday for Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his teammates, who geared up for the Boxing Day Test against Australia with a full-blown nets session at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on a cloudy and windswept morning.

Indian players, who rang in Christmas by watching Don-2 with their families at a private screening on Saturday night, appeared to be on song as they batted, bowled and fielded with vigour to demonstrate that they would be primed for the action when the umpires call 'play' on Monday morning.

With the two rivals having already identified their playing XIs on Saturday, the drop-in pitch and wet weather conditions were the talking points on the eve of the first Test. As morning showers are predicted on Monday, the opening day, opening show could well be scripted by pace bowlers and rain gods. In fact, light showers have been forecast on the first three days of the match, indicating that there could be minor hold-ups in play.

Skipper Dhoni and his Australian counterpart Michael Clarke will thus have one eye on the sky and the other on the 22-yard strip when they go out for the toss. India may look the better-prepared side for this big contest, but no one knows the MCG conditions better than the Australian players, who spent Christmas Day in R&R (Rest and Recreation) mode with their families.

Cricket pitches are known to be notoriously unpredictable, the drop-in variety more so. MCG curator Cameron Hodgkins has warned both teams to expect a livelier-than-usual track this time, particularly in the opening session. This could well prompt Dhoni and Clarke to bowl first if they win the toss.

It will be interesting to see Clarke's decision if he wins the toss, especially after Australia's harrowing experience at the MCG last year against England when they were shot out for 98 in their first innings after Andrew Strauss had sent them in.

If Hodgkins is to be believed, the pitch, where the ball will come on to the bat, is likely to ease out gradually and will be at its best for batting on Day 2 and 3. India, who have never beaten Australia at the MCG in a Boxing Day Test match, must therefore look to make a statement, irrespective of whether they bat or bowl first. Australia and India have been involved in five Boxing Day Tests at the MCG with the hosts winning four and one ending in a draw.

If this represents India's best chance to humble the Aussies in their own backyard, Dhoni's boys must be ready not only to seize the chances that come their way but also create opportunities for themselves.

The good news from the Indian camp is that everyone is fit and available for selection. All their top-order batsmen, including the skipper himself, each had 3-4 extensive sessions in the nets over the last few days. On Sunday, even their bowlers had a knock after having strutted their stuff in the nets.

Source: http://timesofindia.feedsportal.com/fy/8at2Etd0UwhX31UR/story01.htm

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