Can Indians stop the run-making machine?

India have a rare opportunity to round off a golden summer for themselves on Australian soil. Much as their batsmen have frustrated the home...

India have a rare opportunity to round off a golden summer for themselves on Australian soil. Much as their batsmen have frustrated the home team, true lovers of the game have relished their silken style at the crease. They have been unhurried yet dominant, graceful yet ruthless.

But it is the Australians who have a psychological edge going into the triseries finals. I am not saying this because Indian batting struggled in the two league games at Perth. It is just that Ricky Ponting8217;s men have that extra confidence with Brett Lee back to his destructive form. Again, it is not because of his success in Perth. It is just that matter of feeling.

The Indian bowling has been good and I cannot overstate the case of Irfan Pathan and company. One of the many good things that has happened for India on this tour is that their bowlers have continued to develop. Youngsters like Pathan and Balaji have shouldered the responsibility well. They are India8217;s bowling hopes, in this series and beyond.

Yet they have not been able to stop the Australian run-making machine. There is nothing at this point of time to make us believe that they would do so at Melbourne and Sydney either.

So the Indian batsmen will have to take up the responsibility. They have to be at their very best to keep Australia on the mat, and it is not going to be easy. It is an irony indeed, for they have had the world champions at their mercy on this tour.

Throughout the summer they have shown they are perfectly capable of giving Australians a run for their money. And a few of the Indian seniors would love to lay their hands on a rare trophy in Australia.

I8217;m not inclined to read too much into the struggle of Indian batsmen in Perth. Even for us Australians it is not easy to come and score runs at the WACA. The other venues offered good wickets and the Indians blossomed but here they struggled. It was not because of any technical deficiency, they remain marvellous to watch. It is just that WACA, like a hot spicy Indian curry, takes some time getting used to.

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Lee of course has now got his tail up. He was fired up on Sunday. He was responsible for the Indians losing half of their side for 79 runs 8212; a rare happening this summer. It was very difficult for tailenders to make any substantial contribution from then on. PTI