'Once we got tall scores, they weren't the same Aussies'

The first thing Akash Chopra did after returning from Australia was wake up early the next morning and have a few hits in the nets. For a man who spent 40 gruelling days in Australia, on what is said to be the toughest tour on the cricketing calendar, the last thing you want to do is hold a bat, leave alone make it to practice on a chilly winter morning.

Chopra was, in a way, the success story of India's showing in the Test series Down Under. He did not even have a half-century to show, and an average (23.25) lower than that of wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel, but was one of the vital links in India's successful Test campaign.

It took him 532 deliveries to aggregate 186 runs in the series, but they were enough to take the shine off the new ball and Australia's bowling.

At a time when names like Gautam Gambhir, Wasim Jaffer and Shiv Sunder Das were doing the rounds, Chopra stormed the party, forcing the aforementioned gentlemen to wait on the sidelines.

'Chopra's role has been critical in allowing people like [V V S] Laxman and [Rahul] Dravid to shine. He looks a world-class opener,' commented Aussie great Greg Chappell.

After the series was over, Steve Waugh gave the Delhi youngster an 'A' grade.

'The crucial difference was the way the openers, Virender Sehwag and Akash Chopra, invariably provided a good start to the Indian innings so as to ensure that the quality middle order was not exposed too early,' Waugh said.

Chopra's success lay in the fact that he stuck to the team plan at all times.

"My job was to give the first 30 minutes to the new ball, more than to the bowlers," he says.

"I had to see the shine off, to know where my off-stump was at all times, to set a good platform for the middle-order. Once that was done, our middle order, which is the best in the world, did the rest."

Reliving his first Test innings of the series, Chopra revealed he turned to Sehwag and wished him all the best before taking guard.

"The Brisbane wicket was a seaming track that would help the Australian bowlers. I had never faced such high quality bowlers in my career. Within 10 minutes I realised how good they were. But I decided to bat and play my natural game. I had decided to stick to my strengths. I had a good idea of my off stump and was being watchful of the bounce. The thing was to stick to my strengths."

And by sticking to his strengths Chopra surely got under the skin of the Aussies. He had Sunil Gavaskar, India's greatest opening batsman, applauding his contribution, '[He is] The first real opener I have seen representing India in a while. He dealt with the short stuff effortlessly. He looks the part,' Sunny declared.

Chopra says he never let Sehwag's attacking style of play affect him. And even if his opening partner ended the Test series with 464 runs, at an average of 58, his calm and assured presence at the other end was imperative in the success of the Indian opening pair.

"Viru's [Virender] game is different from mine. It is good for him since it works for him; but I would rather stick to my guns and wear the opposition down for the middle-order to take them on. For me it was important to continue taking the singles when the fours were not coming," he said.

Chopra was assessed as playing too defensively, but he argues that as the series progressed he grew in confidence.

"Batting against Australia in Australia is a very different experience. Confidence comes with time at the crease. The seniors told me that time (spent) in the middle would be at the centre of my success. As long as the team was supportive of my approach, nothing else mattered."

He was forthright while revealing that the Australian fielders did not sledge him at all during the series.

"I was told they would really tear into me, but there was never a word from them. They were intimidated by the team's performance. You could sense it each time we got a 100-run opening stand, at the MCG and SCG. They were clearly on the back foot and appeared clueless. I felt once we got tall scores, they weren't the same Aussies."

Chopra also rubbishes the fact that the Aussies played with a depleted bowling attack.

"I don't think Glen McGrath would have been able to stop us from scoring. Even we did not have Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh. Sure, there would have been a slight difference, but with the batting form we were in I doubt anyone would have mattered much."

Despite his confidence, there were tense moments for this gritty opener.

"Walking out to bat at Melbourne was truly intimidating. For the first time I walked out to bat with 70,000 people watching me. To bat on the first morning of the Boxing Day Test was truly a great experience. Brett Lee was steaming in and bowling really fast. I got hit on the head and felt dizzy. [Team physio] Andrew Leipus walked out and checked if I was in my senses. To return unbeaten at lunch on the first morning was a very pleasant feeling."

Besides the victory at Adelaide, the bump on the helmet from Brett Lee at Melbourne was quaintly the best moment of the series for the Delhi batsman.

"When I was hit on the head my body and head were not in sync. I stood still at the crease for a bit before I decided to bat on. It was a great feeling to continue batting."

But there is some sadness beneath.

"It does feel bad not to have scored a fifty or a hundred. I would have been happy reaching the smaller milestones. I had done all the hard work and seen the hard times off but failed to make a milestone score. But as long as my batting helped the team, I am glad," he says.

Chopra said he spoke a lot with Sachin Tendulkar about his batting, and it also helped "just listening to guys like Dravid, Laxman and Sehwag" talk about the finer points of batting.

"The single biggest plus from the tour for me is confidence; the confidence that if I can be there for three hours against the best team in the world, in their backyard, I can back my abilities to score against anyone, anywhere in the world."

Seventeen years after Gavaskar signed off from Test cricket with a fighting 96 against Pakistan, India may have found an opener who is ready to stand the test of time.

Photographs: AFP/Getty Images