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India sweats on Dravid's form


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Concerns persist about the form of batting mainstay Rahul Dravid, weeks before India's high-profile test series in Australia. More... By Sanjay Rajan Less than three weeks before India's high-profile test series in Australia, concerns persist over the form of batting mainstay Rahul Dravid. Since quitting the captaincy in September, the 34-year-old has struggled to recapture the kind of form that established him as one of the world's top batsmen. While his place in the line-up for the four-test tour starting on December 26 is not in doubt, the final test against Pakistan beginning on Saturday presents him with a final opportunity to find his touch before heading to Australia. "It's very important for the team that Rahul plays long innings in Australia," former coach Aunshuman Gaekwad told Reuters on Thursday. "He needs to stay to stabilise the entire innings to have the required effect. The role of the number three batsman is crucial for any team." Dravid averages 64.72 in seven tests in Australia and was the highest run-getter for the side during the 2003-04 tour with 619 runs at an astonishing average of 123.80. His double hundred helped India win the second test at Adelaide and he also had two scores in the 90s among his three half centuries in a remarkable series that ended in a 1-1 draw. However, Dravid has failed to deliver in his starts in the first two tests against Pakistan. He was unfortunate to be given out for 50 in the second test in Kolkata, where the two sides stacked up nearly 1 500 runs combined, but the manner of his dismissals in the first test was so untypically Dravid, renowned for his technical excellence. Just 378 shy of joining the exclusive 10 000-run club in test cricket, Dravid fell in the first innings playing across the line to debutant pacer Sohail Tanvir and was bowled by a quick ball from Shoaib Akhtar that sped through the gap between bat and pad. "(But) he is a classy player, and is just one innings away from regaining form," former captain Ajit Wadekar told Reuters on Thursday. "Hopefully that will be soon." Dravid gave up the captaincy after the England tour to focus on his batting, but looked out of sorts in the one-day series against Australia, scoring 51 in five completed innings and subsequently lost his place in the one-day side. India lead the three-test series against Pakistan 1-0 after winning the opening test by six wickets. The second match ended in a draw.

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Rahul looked in good touch in the last test match and looked set for a long one but the umpire had his own ideas. I think he needs to score now just to ensure he has no self doubts in his mind prior to the important Aussie series. If India has to do well with the bat Rahul has to fire at all costs. He has the ability and skill to counter the extra bounce. For some reason he's not able to time the ball as well as he used to. Mostly he's been playing a bit early and poking at the ball rather than wait for the ball to come on. I suppose it'll help his batting playing in Australia where the ball will come on lot quicker.

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