India, Australia bank on similar tactics

Indian captain MS Dhoni shakes hands with his Australian counterpart Michael Clarke during a meeting in Sydney. (PTI Photo)

SYDNEY: They say change is the only constant, but in the cocoon of Indo-Oz cricket it pays to be static. Their teams may be at different ends of the spectrum, but rival skippers MS Dhoni and Michael Clarke have their own compulsions for sticking to the same XI and similar tactics - for the second Test at the SCG - that had been employed at the MCG last week.

Clarke, who was toying with the idea of fielding an all-pace attack on his home ground - which is hosting its 100th Test - quickly changed his stance and named an unchanged side on Monday after taking one look at the pitch that, according to curator Tom Parker, should aid spinners towards the later stages of the match.

This means pacer Ryan Harris will be the 12th man. Clarke argued that the Australian team management found it impossible to ignore the effort by the players who starred in the Melbourne win. "It's a tough call on 'Rhino' (Harris), he's been such a wonderful bowler for us and it was tough to leave him out," Clarke said. "The success we had and the way we performed in Melbourne, it was tough to change that team," he added.

Dhoni, who loves to sleep over team matters, kept the decision pending, but dropped enough hints that India, too, would go in with an unchanged side. Dhoni said, "In the absence of a full-fledged all-rounder in the side, playing a fifth bowler is not feasible."

Asked if he would like to give his three pacers Ishant Sharma, Zaheer Khan and Umesh Yadav the first use of the greenish pitch, Dhoni kept his cards close to the chest.

"It will depend on exactly how the wicket looks before the start of the game... how much moisture is in the wicket and how hot or cloudy the conditions are," he said.

Clarke, who feels winning the toss and batting is a Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) in Test matches, is likely to walk the talk as Australia may not want to risk batting last. Australia's new coach Mickey Arthur has backed lone off-spinner Nathan Lyon to cope with an Indian onslaught at the SCG.

"There's no doubt that they will try and go after him, but if we have runs on the board, Nathan becomes a very interesting prospect for us," Arthur said.

The accent, however, will be on pace in the 'Battle for Sydney' as the SCG waits for new reputations to be made and a few old ones to tumble. The one person on the threshold of history seemed least affected by it. For Sachin Tendulkar, it was just another day in office as he batted and batted in the nets against hundreds of 'throw-downs' from 18 yards. Tendulkar, who has not put a foot wrong at his favourite overseas venue since making his maiden trip to Australia in 1992, will be focused on getting a big score here that would give him a century of centuries and a beleaguered Team India a shot in the arm.

India badly need runs from its most consistent performer over two decades. Skipper Dhoni had been quick to blame the 'Melbourne Malady' on batting failure. India cannot afford another anaemic display from their stalwarts as well as their captain.

The same matrix applies to Australian batsmen, particularly to senior pros Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey, who are fast reaching their sell-by date. Ponting, who made 62 and 60 at the MCG - the exact number of runs (122) Australia won by - will be looking to get a big one, for the road, at his favourite venue where he has so far amassed 1346 runs at 64.08. Ditto for Hussey who, like Ponting, finds himself listed on Cricket Australia's perform-and-play scheme.

Source: http://timesofindia.feedsportal.com/fy/8at2Etd0VBFUX1XX/story01.htm

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