It146;s the bowling, stupid

History is littered with examples of teams that have won a limited overs series only to fall short when it comes the longer form of the game...

History is littered with examples of teams that have won a limited overs series only to fall short when it comes the longer form of the game. There is a serious difference in the soft-cover skinhead shorter version of the game to a Test. Players have to step up a mental notch or two and the captains as well as the bowlers need to be aware that it requires far more than line and length strategy as they wage the trench warfare needed to win games, or gain the psychological advantage.

India, having already won the limited-overs crown, now move on to the more serious game of chess; where it is not the end game which counts, nor the opening gambit as such, but the way the team approaches the longer version. One where strategies differ from batsman to batsman and where a captain needs to know the importance of what bowlers to use and when.

Back in the 1980s and early 1990s, there were summers when England comfortably won the three-match limited overs series only to cop it in the Tests. In one series, they swept aside Allan Border8217;s side 3-0 and lost the Tests 4-1. The difference, as Border pinpointed, was the difference in bowling strategies.

This, mind you, was before Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath arrived and sussed out the opposition. No matter what pitches were provided, they had an answer to the batting techniques of the opposition. Or, as Steve Waugh suggested, Australia had a plan for each side and a factfile of all the opposing batsmen, their strong as well as their weak points.

Where India do perhaps have an edge over Pakistan in the series starting today is absorbing the lessons from the Australian tour and putting those which are going to be useful into practice.

Most of us suggested that India would suffer in Australia as the pre-tour preparation on the soporific type pitches created uncertainty about the team8217;s batting skills. Fortunately we were wrong in our initial assessment. Yet anyone who has seen much of India8217;s progress under John Wright would be able to work out where his influence has created that type of Test-playing culture which has lifted itself out of the doldrums of that we came to know in the 1990s.

The downsides of this is that Pakistan have an impressive home record in the last couple of years; beating South Africa and New Zealand. Touring teams also have to run the gauntlet of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Sami. It is not going to be too easy moving from the frenetic pace of a limited-overs series into a more thoughtful five-day game where concentration levels create different demands and different batting skills.

This is where India8217;s vaunted top five batsmen have put together a formidable record not only in Australia but also at home. This is despite the disappointing form shown against New Zealand, and that was on the eve of their Australian venture.

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Again, before last year8217;s World Cup, India had a tour of New Zealand which created problems for the Ganguly/Wright style of planning. On the soft, damp surfaces where the ball skidded around they were in trouble to a Kiwi side well led by Fleming. World Cup predictions were hopeful of a Super Six place but not much higher. The end result was an amazing turn around.

No tour of Pakistan is easy. Winning the limited overs trophy is one thing and the nation rejoiced. Now the genuine test of skills and ability is about to be faced. Hopefully, India can make it a double success. That would make this historic series worth the effort. Much though depends on bowling strategies and how these will be handled. It is going to be better than any Bollywood masterpiece.