Bangalored!

What made McGrath, Gillespie, Kasprowicz and Warne so lethal was the combination of various styles and tactics. Each was so different from the other and none offered much leeway.

The opening overs were crucial for Australia and McGrath — bowling as in his prime — delivered a tight probing spell. He started in the very first over, trapping Chopra with one that nipped back in. In his next over, a similar delivery had No 3 Rahul Dravid castled.

India were 4/2.

At the other end Gillespie, bowling off a short run-up, was deceptively quick and, though he may have gone for a few runs, he restricted the batsmen by pegging them onto the backfoot. He was the only bowler who left the stadium, feeling just a little unlucky as he deserved a wicket or two.

As the ball lost its shine, the batsmen found their touch. Ganguly and Sehwag took over the entertainment, both dealing largely in boundaries essayed with confidence and style.

Enter Kasprowicz. His inclusion in the playing XI, at the expense of Lee, is testimony to the thought that goes into picking an Australian team. He’s always been a handful on Indian pitches. Today was no different. Realising that nothing much was coming his way because of the dead track, ‘Kasper’ tried an off-break and Sehwag obliged as he flicked the ball to Justin Langer, who caught smartly.

The pressure on India increased when Kasprowicz, by now seaming the ball prodigiously, snapped up India’s skipper with an almost unplayable delivery that found the edge just when it seemed to moving away.

With the Indians were down and almost out, McGrath was just the right man to be brought back. If he’s unable to get wickets, he denies runs and keeps the batsman rooted to one end.

Yuvraj realised early in his Test career just why McGrath has the reputation he currently enjoys as he got frustrated by the off-stump line and played what is always called khade khade shot. He never moved his feet and just reached out for Gilchrist to finish the job.

With the top-order having disappeared and no SR Tendulkar at the crease, Gilchrist did the logical thing: He brought on Warne who, for perhaps the first time in India, was bowling to a batting order on the run.

At 124/5, Laxman had no choice but to hold one end up against Warne. The clash between two attack-minded cricketers was riveting and it was Warne who won with a perfect leg-break which bowled Laxman.

The long shadows on the ground at stumps served as a metaphor for the mood of the home team. The match is not lost yet, but there’s an awful lot of work to be done to keep it that way.

Worst of all, Australia seem to have done their homework and appear determined to learn from their mistakes.