India may be tougher - Ponting

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Ricky Ponting believes India will provide a stronger contest than Sri Lanka and has warned the new captain Anil Kumble to expect extra heat during the four-Test series. More... Ricky Ponting believes India will provide a stronger contest than Sri Lanka and has warned the new captain Anil Kumble to expect extra heat during the four-Test series. Due to a change in the traditional itinerary, Australia now have a five-week break before Boxing Day and Ponting hopes it won't disrupt the team's momentum. "It's up to us to start the Melbourne Test the same way we started in Brisbane," Ponting said after the 96-run win over Sri Lanka in Hobart. "Hopefully we can get on top of them early and stay there for the rest of the summer. At the moment India are probably a slightly stronger side than Sri Lanka and last time India were here they played very well against us." India start their three-match series against Pakistan on Thursday and Australia will be watching Kumble in his new role. "Kumble will be under pressure coming to Australia," Ponting said. "Anyone who captains India is always under a lot of pressure. A lot of very, very good players in the past haven't been able to cope with that. "Sachin Tendulkar probably didn't ever really want to do it, I don't think. Rahul Dravid did it for a short period of time. When he resigned he said he just wasn't enjoying the role." Ponting is already aiming for a strong opening when the teams meet in Melbourne. "If we play well and start the series well," he said, "generally we can put the captain under pressure." However, he was wary of India's ageing stars. "Dravid, Ganguly, Laxman and Tendulkar are all very good players and they have all done well against Australia in the past," he said. "We know how dangerous they can be. While Ponting's team can relax for a couple of weeks, Sri Lanka return home on Wednesday to prepare for the three-match series with England starting on December 1. Mahela Jayawardene said it was important for his team to refocus quickly after the heavy 2-0 defeat to Australia. "We have to sit down and talk about where we are as a group and show character as a group," Jayawardene said. "We have to realise we played against the best team in the world right now and they were in form as well."

[King]

A bit of respect for India I see. Although Indian batting looks good on paper it may not perform to its ability. I think the bowlers will do quite well. The likes of RP, Zaheer, Sreesanth and if they can get Pathan and Munaf in shape India can hope for a test win at least.

[omf52]

kumble is a machine, he wont stop until his broken, so i doubt well see his face droop down like dravids, even when we are going through a rough time. i think he will be an able skipper. he has the aggression, the mental capacity and strength, the enthusiasm and drive, the skill, the respect.. *drool* i am hopeful

[bharat297]

A bit of respect for India I see. Although Indian batting looks good on paper it may not perform to its ability. I think the bowlers will do quite well. The likes of RP' date=' Zaheer, Sreesanth and if they can get Pathan and Munaf in shape India can hope for a test win at least.[/quote'] Are you sure about the bowlers ... thats the area I am most concerned about. We dont really have a Stuart Clark / Glenn Mcgrath type that can just plug away at a line and length ... if the aussies get on a roll I am worried our bowlers will lose patience and lose the plot , Kumble aside (but even him too ... I am not sure how he will go with the captaincy)

[putrevus]

What aussie bowler impressed against Sri lankans , it is pity nobody gave any support to sanga otherwise they would be sweating and srilankan bowlers were just awful, i dont think indian bowlers would be different but batting has to different to put pressure on Aussies

[The Outsider]

Unless our batsmen can pile up big hundreds and post 450+ totals in the first innings be prepared for a thrashing.

[dial_100]

I dont think so. First innings is always very difficult for both the teams. Especially Aussies will be resting all this while but our players will be in touch. besides, we have Jaffa, RD, SRT, SG, VVS and Dhoni. I will always ask Assies to just beware as this is going to be some team that they have faced in last 2-3 years since our last tour. Remember, once SRT and RD are in their best forms then opponents really do not matter much. Only SG run drought was little of a worry other than that I dont think we should have any problem putting some pressure on them as well. Big question mark is on VVS, Jaff and DK as they have not been playing any cricket so far. So after Pak matches we will know who we take there. But RD, SRT and Dhoni will prove Aussies that ODI is a crap game and because of our bowling weakness we cant beat them in that version but in Test matches, their winning march halts with these inform batsmen.

[Cricketics]

Big question mark is on VVS, Jaff and DK as they have not been playing any cricket so far. So after Pak matches we will know who we take there.

not really mate.. they all were playing ranjiz when our team was battling in odiz.

[dial_100]

Are they?? oh good... They are our 2nd string batsmen and we need them in complete touch. I tell you ticks, 4-5 of these 7 play good against them, then Aussies should forget beating us even in 1 test they should rather start to worry about saving the games.

[sm332]

well for a start if Ponting is given out LBW when he is ... then we will be in with a chance

[jf1gp_1]

well for a start if Ponting is given out LBW when he is ... then we will be in with a chance

Show me one umpire who has the balls to give Sachin LBW first ball even if its a straight forward decision.

[Chandan]

Steve Bucknor gave Sachin out LBW at Gabba when he wasn't.

[Cricketics]

btw, will sehwag be playing for Delhi?? as he is not in Test Squad against pak..

[Laaloo]

lol mind games started already abhi to 1mahine baaki hai aur mind games aus ki shuru salle chuyites lol spelled wrong on purpose :grin:

[jf1gp_1]

Steve Bucknor gave Sachin out LBW at Gabba when he wasn't.

First ball ???

[MundaPakistani]

A bit of respect for India I see. Although Indian batting looks good on paper it may not perform to its ability. I think the bowlers will do quite well. The likes of RP' date= Zaheer, Sreesanth and if they can get Pathan and Munaf in shape India can hope for a test win at least.

I think it will be the other way around. AUS bowling attack looks quite thin so getting big runs will not be that big of a problem. The Indian fast bowlers on the other hand will have a terrible time in AUS.

[Guest dada_rocks]

Someone needs to show the way like Ganguly's brisbane innings in the very first salvo thereaftere everything will fall in its rightful place.

[coffee_rules]

First ball ???

3rd ball.

[kablooee87]

May be tougher? More like will be tougher. If I had to pick a team to go and play Australia in Australia this season in order to have the best chance of Aussies actually losing a test match, it's India. That being said, I still expect an Aussies victory, but we will actually see some competitive cricket with Australia.

[arkay]

These are some of the things that India would need to count on. The key to India's success would be good start early on. Indian middle order has always done well when the openers give a good start. It would be nice if we get an explosive start that Sehwag use to give. Even other wise, if we have a good 100 partnerships with 2.75 to 3.25 over would give India the initiative. India would need contemplate about who to have in the Indian batting lineup between Ganguly & Yuvraj Singh. It was insane not to have him in the thick and thin of the innings as he will really relish the australian bowling conditions. He is a guy who can play all shots and would be key in the Indian lienup. In addition, India should hoping that umpires dont give freebies to aussies as typically they give. If Yuvraj is in the lineup, our batting lineup would be even stronger. As far as India's fortunes are concerned in the bowling, we cannot afford to drop any any any chances. Aussies will make you pay for it. Compared to last series, our Indian bowling lineup is pretty decent. So aussies would like to seize early momentum to undermine the bowlers. Aussies would certainly like to target Sreeshanth. Of all the fast bowlers, Sreeshanth needs to get a good start or he would be taken to the cleaners right from word go. I am looking forward to Sreeshanth & Hayden duo. Both of them would like to settle scores. That aggression can work both ways. Sreeshanth may be really pumped up and focus on bowling or get caught in the antics.