2nd Test: Australia, India ready to resume battle

Dhoni vows to ‘bounce back’, hosts put faith in unchanged team.

SYDNEY: The green shoots of Australian recovery will be exposed to the full glare of India’s determination to level the series in the 100th Test match to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Fired by a display of aggressive fast-bowling, Australia took a 1-0 lead in the four-match series with a 122-run victory in the first Test after having crashed to a shock first defeat against New Zealand in 26 years.

While the hosts will be looking for more of the same, India will be out to stop their run of five successive overseas Test defeats. Crucial to their success will be an improved performance from their much-vaunted batting line-up, and a century from Sachin Tendulkar would be welcome in more ways than one. The 38-year-old has been stuck on 99 international hundreds for 10 months and will fancy his chances of reaching the milestone at a ground where he has done well in the past.

Dhoni confident of  turnaround

India captain MS Dhoni has warned Australia not to get carried away with their first Test victory and backed his team to battle back, rubbishing suggestions that his batting line-up was not up to the mark when the conditions supported bowlers.

“If you see the kind of players that we’ve got, that would be very a premature statement to make,” said Dhoni. “What we’ve seen in the past is that we’ve always bounced back from difficult situations.”

Dhoni’s own form with the bat has been a concern but he was not about to push the panic button.

“I won’t look to make many adjustments because it’ll be difficult to make changes to what I’ve learned over the years. What’s important is to adapt well and try avoiding the deliveries that can get you out.”

‘Both sides have moved on’  

Dhoni was also confident that the match in Sydney will be played in better spirit than the previous Test between the teams at this venue in 2008, when Harbhajan Singh was accused of racially abusing Andrew Symonds. “Both sides have moved on,” he said. “You see fewer situations of players having verbal spats. The behaviour of both sides has improved.”

Lyon preferred over Harris

Meanwhile, Australia go into the match unchanged from Melbourne, with spinner Nathan Lyon preferred over fast-bowler Ryan Harris. Captain Michael Clarke has put his trust in the off-spinner to cope with the anticipated Indian assault.

“This series is a tough challenge for Lyon because India have such good players of spin,” said Clarke. “I’m confident that he’ll take a few wickets in this match and continue to do a good job for us.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2012.