Do-or-die game for India

After sealing a spot for themselves in the final clash, Australia did India a big favour when they beat Pakistan on Sunday in Melbourne, but Sachin Tendulkar’s team will have to play positively to turn the tide in their favour.

A disjointed India, who failed to click as a team with their top batsmen faltering at crucial moments, have a very tough target to acheive — win two day-nighters each against Pakistan and Australia in a space of six days.

Tuesday’s venue is a sorry reminder of India’s 285-run first Test defeat last month to Australia, and it would take great effort to put that loss behind and get on with the game considering it as knock-out encounter.

Australia have ensured their place in the three-match finals with 10 points from six ties. Pakistan, with six points, need a single win to join the hosts, leaving India far behind.

After coming good against Pakistan in Hobart, Tendulkar and Ganguly will open the innings in the make-or-break tie at Adelaide Oval with coach Kapil Dev saying “there is no point in breaking good association”.

Tendulkar made a strokeful 93 off 101 balls while Ganguly came up with impressive 43 as the two realised 99 runs for the first wicket. But, their main worry is the second-line batsmen who have failed to live up to expectations.

Kapil Dev’s logic leaves the playing eleven pretty much same as at Hobart even though a useful off-spinner and lower order bat Nikhil Chopra would hope to get a chance to perform.

But, with Adelaide pitch having a bit of juice in it, a third medium-pacer becomes a logical option and Debashis Mohanty can very much hope to be in the final eleven.

Though Mohanty was smashed around for few runs by Pakistanat Hobart, he bowled a good opening spell when he troubled the Pak batsmen and had couple of chances and also claimed two wickets making him sure starter on Tuesday.

Jacob martin, despite his failure, is likely to retain his position in the middle order, which has time and again flopped during the series with Robin Singh being the only exception.

With rains pouring continuously in Adelaide on Monday and weathermen predicting few more showres on Tuesday, the Indians had their nets indoors this afternoon.

Tendulkar, frustrated at his team’s inept display so far, was under no illuson about the gravity of the task at hand.

“It’s going to be very, very difficult to play — and win — four matches in six days,” he said.

“But it’s a situation we have created ourselves, and now it’s our job to get out of it.”

Tendulkar looked all committed at the net to reverse the losing trend. He even had Kapil Dev bowl at him, who at 41, looked more than a match to a few of India’s frontline pace bowlers.

With his control and movement, Kapil Dev managed to beat Tendulkar’s bat and rap him on the pads a few times.

Pakistan, who arrived here this afternoon, are also unliklely to make any changes in their line-up.

Despite the loss against Australia on Sunday, Pakistan captain Wasim Akram exhuded confidence in his batsmen. “They are gradually returning to form,” he said.

Ijaz Ahmed has clicked for two successive games now and Shahid Afridi and Saeed Anwar have made scores in the 40s.

Also Abdur Razzaq and Yousuf Youhana look a good bet against any attack and only Inzamam-ul Haq, with just 47 runs from six innings, remains a worry.

“It doesn’t matter if we qualify or not, the matter of winning against India is always still the first priority,” Akram said.

Akram though was livid with his team on other scores after the Melbourne match. The Pakistan skipper was more than upset the way his team ran between the wickets and ordinary bowling by few of his bowlers.

“We’ve won two games against them (India) so far… so our confidence is there, we’re not going to take it easy and the whole team knows that tomorrow’s game is as important for India as for us.” — (PTI)

Likely teams:

India: Sachin Tendulkar (C), Saurav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Jacob Martin, Robin Singh, Samir Dighe, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, Debashis Mohanty

Pakistan: Wasim Akram (C), Shahid Afridi, Saeed Anwar, Ijaz Ahmed, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Abdur Razzaq, Moin Khan, Saqlain Mushtaq, Azhar Mahmood, Shoaib Akhtar

Umpires: Darrell Hair & Simon Taufel. Third umpire: Steve Davis. Match referee: Cammie Smith