Series preview: India vs Australia Oct 2010

One can’t help but feel this is a slightly pointless series, shoehorned into an already packed schedule just to make sure India keep their number 1 slot.  Cynic?  Me?

Having said that, I think it has the potential to be an interesting series and gives us an opportunity pre-ashes to have a real look at the Aussies.

At time of writing, there are real doubts over whether Harbhajan will be fit enough to play in the first test.  This will be a real boost for the Aussies. Although he’s not the Harby of old, he’s still a force.

The bookies are favouring a drawn series.  Of course, this is a much more likely possibility with just a 2 test series.  If you ask me, test series should always contain an odd number of test matches.

For my money, the real contest and the players to watch will be Gambhir and Sehwag vs Johnson and Bollinger but key will be how the Aussie batsmen play the spin.  The current crop (possibly Clarke excepted) aren’t great at it and that, my chums, is what you get on a sub-continental dustbowl.

Will the Aussies struggle because of their lack of spin options?  I suspect they might but then again, the Indians don’t like it up ’em and they’ve made no secret of their plan to use Johnson and Baby Bollinger to do just that although whether the pitches will suit them is questionable.

One can’t help but feel the Aussies aren’t what they once were in the pre-season mind games, it all seems very tame and a bit predictable.   I always kind of admired the Aussies ability to just talk up their game so much that it got them a few wickets before they’d even bowled a ball.  I think those days are slipping away from them.

Whatever happens, it’s a series I’m very much looking forward to.  If only to watch Sehwag and Tendulkar and see just how miserable Ponting can make himself look even when he’s not.

And if the TV mafia sort their shit out and broadcast it on the telly in the UK then both tests will be covered in full by the best and only commentary service worth listening to.  www.testmatchsofa.com

EDIT: 28/09  23:22  – Turns out Harbajhan ain’t injured and was the first to turn up to practice today.  Gossip jungle drums not working properly.