Series preview:

We've talked at lenght abt the forthcoming Ind-Aus series...but here i am finding nuthing brain tickling to do...so thought i wud muster up enuff vigor to pencil in some of my thoughts.Contrary to common notion i do have this gut feeling that we are gonna pull this un off. Current bad form probably means nothing to me...too much is at stake for us.I personally have full faith in Ganguly and the team...they have time and again proved us wrong...the WC...the Aus series and the Pak series. And having spoken to most of u guys...we had all seemed to had agreed that all of the above was our doomsday. But our team not only came out unscathed by were on top most of the times. Here is why i think we wud be succesfull a few points to support my theory.

Aussies wilt under pressure:
When they r on top u know its game set and match. If we bat well in the first innings and take the Aussies head on on a dicey 2nd or 3rd day pitch, they wud more often than not crumble. In the same way if Veeru starts hitting out then u wud see the ugly side of the Aussies...Mcgrath spitting/swearing...Warney bowling the odd offspinners/bouncers. Fluster them and its half the job done. So for us to do that i think Veeru is the key. In the 98 series it was Sidhu who laid the platform for Sachin...in Australia this time arnd it was Veeru and Chopra; so if we get a decent enuff start i think the Aussies wud have their backs against the 'WALL'.

A bad middle order:
No Ponting this time for 2 matches...and im pretty sure he wudve wanted to set the record straight with bhajji...so thats a plus for us.But again its a bold statement...i think the Aussies have a really bad middle order to play spin. On previous tours they had the Waugh twins who were really good players of spin but now they r left with the likes of -
Martyn-a class act in his own right but an absolute dummy against spin
Lehman-a good player of spin but eccentric... can be enticed into playing a rash stroke as he likes to dominate the spinners
Katich-handled 'Clums' really well in Aus...but in the dustbowls of Nagpur...he wud be like a ballet dancer on a Jelly turf.
Clarke-Ok now he is a good player...but consider this
a> pressures of playing in front of a vociferous crowd
b>debut series
c>against a quality spin attack
d>on dustbowls
Now thats fuckin too much...if he comes thru all that and has a good series...then my respect for him wud be googolplexed.

Twin Spin:
As far as i remember...Clums and Bhajji havent bowled a lot together. An a few test against the Poms and NZ and that is it...correct me if im wrong. Here comes a series where both are in good form and probably a series where they cud really hunt in pair. Kumble as usual wud be the work horse and Bhajji and Irfan the strike bowlers. Its a good attack on a bad pitch and lethal when Jayprakash is the umpire :-)

Our batting:
We have always had our trump cards while playing against the Aussies...98 was Sachin series...'01 was Laxman/Bhajji and '03 was Dravid/Clums.I dont know but i have this gut feeling that its gonna be Chandi's series this time arnd. He probably is the only guy who is in fairly good nick and in the absence of Sachin he is gonna take it up on himself to score aplenty. Laxman has and always wud be a bloody enigma- 'A thriller or a trailer'.I think is gonna be sorted out by the Aussies this series...i hope im wrong but the signs arent too good. Dravid as always wud be the key along with Veeru this time. With Dravid we cud more often than not be rest assured that batting is in safe hands. Veeru smashed karthik into wilderness and warney wudnt pose much of a threat to him...the only threat is the miniscule brain of his...that overcome the series we will win in a whimper.

All in all i think we need to positive and most importantly REMOVE TENDULKAR OUT OF OUR MINDS. I wudve liked to see Sriram....he has been in some touch. But i guess Kaif needs to get a good look into tests too...he certainly has got the grit and patience for it...technique i dont know. My series predictions...2-1 India and the Nagpur test a draw. I might fall flat on my face with all the stuff that ive written...but what the heck...as som stoopid commentator always says 'Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainities' (King of Cliches according me cant stoop lower :-)

Chandi Maharaj kiii...........JAI

-Balls