Savouring victory with new recipe

With the two opening batsmen not being able to get the big scores in the first two matches, the performance of Sadagopan Ramesh will come under the scanner and the left-handed opener would be eager to prove his worth.

Left-arm spinner Murali Kartik, who is yet to play a match since arriving last week, will also be keen to impress the team management.

The match is quite significant from Australia’s point of view as it would give the selectors the chance to have a close look at the performance of some of the fringe players — particularly seamers — for a place in the national side.

Australia are in dire straits after trailing the four-match series 0-1 and in desperate need of a pacer to bolster the injury-plagued bowling attack for the December 26 Melbourne Test. The home selectors are concentrating on youth and that is why Greg Blewett and Michael Bevan have missed out on getting a berth in the Australia ‘A’ side.

Shaun Tait is the biggest punt the selectors are gambling upon in their selection puzzle as the bowler has pace which prompted Test captain Steve Waugh to comment “He’s probably the quickest, along with Brett Lee”.

Tait, a strapping fast bowler from South Australia, knows he would be asked to intimidate the talented batting line-up of the visitors with his pace, though it is quite different to the qualities of Glenn McGrath, a bowler he admires and a legend who now has been ruled out of the Test series due to injury. “I’m not really a zone bowler that bores them out,” said Tait “I’m more of a bowler trying to bowl as many wicket balls as I possibly can.”

Tait clocks regularly in the 145 km/h region and has been given a “license” by his captain Michael Hussey to go hard at the Indians. “I think it’s good to have a license like that, I can concentrate on just bowling fast.

“They might not come out straight away how I want them to but there’s always bound to be a good ball in there which is a wicket ball.

“Indians have faced fast bowling before and they can handle it but we’ll have to see how it goes. You never know.”

The two Australian gambles — Tait and his fellow quick Paul Rofe — were both a little surprised at their selection in the Australian A squad.

Tait had returned from a groin injury that sidelined him for three weeks so he said he was “surprised” to be packed because “I thought my name might’ve been chucked down a couple of steps.” (PTI)