The Test series between India and Australia, fierce rivals in recent years, did not need a shot in the arm.
But the return from injury of Sachin Tendulkar and the 1-0 lead the Australians enjoy in a bid to conquer their "final frontier" has made the third Test in Nagpur starting on Tuesday even more intriguing.
Australia knows too well what happened the last time they led a series in India with two matches to go.
Vangipurappu Laxman's 281 in Calcutta and Harbhajan Singh's 15 wickets in Madras in the 2001 series took the home team to a stunning triumph, and former Australia captain Steve Waugh had to end his career marking India in the "one-that-got-away" column.
This time, however, the visiting team are better prepared for an Indian resurgence after winning the first Test in Bangalore by 217 runs.
The second match in the series in Madras was poised for a close finish but ended in a draw after the final day's play was washed out.
Stand-in skipper Adam Gilchrist has talked at length about how his Australian team are aware of the hardships involved in winning a series on the slow and dusty Indian wickets, where the home side enjoy an historical advantage.
The Australians last won a Test series in India in 1969 but Gilchrist believes the element of surprise, which India attacked them with last time, no longer exists.
TENDULKAR BOOST
The return of talisman Tendulkar will give India a big boost, however. The 31-year-old, out of action since August with tennis elbow, was pronounced fit on Saturday and the news sparked a wave of excitement in cricket-mad India.
| |||||||||||
Winning is never easy in Nagpur, with the placid track holding no mystery for the batsmen.
A confident stride on the front foot is usually effective against seamers and spinners, although the pitch looks to have a greenish tinge this time around.
Australia's regular captain Ricky Ponting, recovering from a broken thumb, has joined his squad in Nagpur but will only be available for the fourth and final Test in Bombay next month.
His mere presence, though, will lift the Australians, coupled with paceman Glenn McGrath's eagerness to make his 100th Test a memorable one.
McGrath, who has taken 446 wickets at an average of 21.73, has a long-standing rivalry with Tendulkar.
The tall seamer has captured 43 Indian wickets, including Tendulkar five times in seven matches. On the other hand, the Indian batsman has scored 1,789 runs against Australia at an average of 57.7, notching seven centuries.
Tendulkar's inclusion has thrown up a selection problem for India, with Yuvraj Singh or Mohammad Kaif, who celebrated his return to Test cricket with a career-best 64 in Madras, likely to miss out.
Australia may bring in paceman Brett Lee ahead of Michael Kasprowicz.
© 2024 Rediff.com -