Before the first Test even began,the explicit strategies of the Indian and Australian pace-attacks were as predictable as they were widely-publicized. While it was inevitable that the visitors fast bowlers would end up testing the Indian batsmens abilities against the rising delivery,reverse-swing was expected to be the most destructive weapon for Zaheer Khan & Co. Though Ishant Sharma did borrow the oppositions tactic during his spell on the fourth morning while getting rid of Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke,it was with prodigious late swing in the reverse direction that Zaheer finished off the Australian second innings. But if theres anything that has swung more than the SG ball at the PCA Stadium in Mohali during the first four days of this intriguing contest,it has been the fortunes of the two teams. And with Ben Hilfenhaus having reduced India to 55/4,chasing 216 for a victory,with his three-wicket haul late on Monday,both India and Australia are set to sift between optimism and hope when they step out for the deciding days play on Tuesday. The home team have overhauled a 200+ target against Australia only on two occasions in history at Adelaide in 2003 and at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai way back in 1964. And once again it will be Sachin Tendulkar who will shoulder the burden of ensuring a similar memorable chase for India with support from VVS Laxman,who recently led the teams successful chase in Colombo with a century and who will bat at No. 7 despite suffering from back spasms. Though wickets fell around him,Tendulkar survived 25 testing deliveries to remain unbeaten on 10 in the company of Zaheer,who kept the Australian pacers at bay despite coming out to bat in difficult circumstances. The bowlers seemed to have set up the game for India,by bowling out the Australians for 192 earlier in the day. But Gautam Gambhir was unfortunately adjudged LBW,despite clearly getting an inside-edge off the bat,in the very first over of their innings by Hilfenhaus. Rahul Dravid,who was the chief protagonist during that famous chase at the Adelaide Oval six years ago,soon edged Doug Bollinger to the wicketkeeper. The short ball then returned to haunt Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina,two batsmen whose fallibility against it has been a major talking-point in the build-up to this series. While Sehwag did strike two boundaries in his 17 before hitting a Hilfenhaus delivery straight to gully,Raina lasted only three balls against the burly Tasmanian paceman,who wiped the cream off the Indian batting line-up,to leave them tottering at the brink. Ishant had similarly busted the Australian top-order in the first session of play after the prolific Shane Watson had gotten off to another flier. After a forgettable display in the first innings,the lanky Delhi pacer picked up three wickets in the space of 16 deliveries,to quell the Australian charge. From 87 without loss,the Australians were reduced to 100 for three by lunch,before the spinners got into the job and ran through the middle-order. Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha,who picked up two wickets each,though did gain assistance from substitute Cheteshwar Pujara,who snared two reflex catches,and umpire Ian Goulds howler,which was responsible for Michael Hussey being trapped LBW. Zaheer then returned to end the Australian innings in style once again,and picked up his 250th Test wicket by knocking Hilfenhauss middle-stump off the ground. But for all the hard-work put in by their bowlers under the blazing sun,the Indian batsmen unfortunately stumbled at the start off their chase. And with the fast bowlers having done most of the damage so far,the first hour of play might well decide,which team will go to Bangalore with the one-match advantage.
