Home away from home for visitors

But it is not only Clarke for whom Bangalore has been a happy hunting ground. The Australian team have never been beaten here in a Test match,having won two and drawn two out of the four occasions they have played at one of India’s prominent centres.

The home team,on the other hand,haven’t won a Test here since beating New Zealand in 1995-96,having lost four and drawn three ever since. Ricky Ponting & Co though will be well aware that past records,however favourable they have been for his team,will be of little assistance when they attempt to overcome a buoyant Indian team in the second Test that begins on Saturday.

Marred by injuries

While India and Australia did dish out an exciting Test match at Mohali,both suffered casualties. While the hosts will be without opener Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma; the Australians are likely to miss Doug Bollinger. Back in 1998,it was stock bowler Michael Kasprowicz who was the chief protagonist in Australia’s win here. And with Bollinger’s role similar to that off the former Queensland fast bowler,the visitors will feel his absence during the next five days.

The two-meter tall Peter George,who went through extended sessions with the ball and bat,is the most likely candidate to replace the left-arm pacer. And it is not only his girth that the Indian batsmen will be wary off. After all,the last Australian bowler to make a debut in India,Jason Krejza,ended up with a 12-wicket match haul. Marcus North and Nathan Hauritz are set to retain their positions despite below-par performances in the first Test and the duo will be desperate to justify their captain’s faith in their abilities.

The Indians,meanwhile,went through a lighter session in the morning,but their hero from the last match,VVS Laxman,remained conspicuous with his absence and continues to be a doubtful starter. The onus will once again be on the middle-order mainstays,Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid,regardless of Laxman’s fitness. And there is enough incentive for the two to fire. While Tendulkar is just 27 runs short of another milestone — 14,000 runs in Test cricket; the hometown boy will be keen to improve his record — an average of 21.69 in seven Tests— on home turf.

As the five days wear out under constantly cloudy skies,not only Clarke but the entire Australian team will be eager to record another happy memory. But in their path will stand MS Dhoni & Co,aiming to record their first clean-sweep at home against a present Test nation since 1993,when they beat Sri Lanka 3-0.

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