NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – The Indian test juggernaut, with Virat Kohli at the wheel, has crushed almost everything in its path over the last 18 months and Australia will have to conjure up something special if they are to upset the hosts in their four-match series.
With the opening test between the world’s top two test teams beginning in Pune on Thursday, the odds are stacked heavily in favour of hosts India, who have gone 19 tests without defeat.
In the final phase of their bumper home season, India are sitting pretty at the top of the test rankings after six consecutive series victories.
Significantly, their last three home series victories, over New Zealand, England and Bangladesh, were underpinned by all-round excellence and came on fair surfaces, not the dustbowls on which India typically thrive.
The series against Australia marks the end of India’s 13-test home season and Kohli wants his team to maintain the level they have been playing at.
“It’s a big series for us,” Kohli told reporters earlier this month. “I thought England was the biggest for us in the season but having won that 4-0 there is lot of expectation on us.
“The way we have played our cricket as well I think we want to continue that,” added India’s batting mainstay.
Earlier this month, the 28-year-old became the first cricketer to hit a double century in four consecutive test series and his team posted 600-plus totals in three consecutive tests, another first.
That middle order bat Karun Nair had to be dropped in the one-off test against Bangladesh despite scoring a triple century in the previous match against England is another indication of the team’s batting might.
BAG OF TRICKS
When India bowl, Ravichandran Ashwin has done with the ball what Kohli has done with the bat.
The off-spinner, currently the top ranked test bowler, has been in the form of his life, becoming the quickest to the 250-wicket club after achieving the feat in just 45 tests.
The off-spinner with his bag of tricks will torment Smith and his men, often bowling relentlessly in tandem with spin partner Ravindra Jadeja, with a shoal of fielders hanging around the blade.
Smith is aware of the challenge that awaits Australia, who have lost nine consecutive test matches in Asia.
“We know it’s going to be difficult,” he said. “India are a very good team, particularly in there home conditions here. We have prepared very well.”
Cricket Australia recruited ex-England spinner Monty Panesar and former India left-arm spinning all-rounder Sridharan Sriram to work with their slow bowlers.
Smith will rely more on the pace duo of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who would have to generate enough reverse swing to be effective on relatively docile Indian tracks.
The visitors can also take heart from the fact that three of the four matches will be played on new venues — Pune, Ranchi and Dharamsala — which will negate some of India’s home advantage.
India v Australia test series
NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – Factbox on the four-test series between India and Australia, which starts at Pune tomorrow:
FIXTURES (all start at 0400 GMT):
1st test – Feb. 23-27, Pune
2nd test – March 4-8, Bengaluru
3rd test – March 16-20, Ranchi
4th test – March 25-29, Dharamsala
INDIA
Test ranking: 1
Captain: Virat Kohli
Coach: Anil Kumble
Squad: Kohli, Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Karun Nair, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund, Hardik Pandya
Recent form:
Beat Bangladesh in one-off home test
Beat England 4-0 in five-match home series
Beat New Zealand 3-0 in three-match home series
Beat West Indies 2-0 in four-match away series
AUSTRALIA
Test ranking: 2
Coach: Darren Lehmann
Captain: Steve Smith
Squad: Smith (captain), David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Wade, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Nathan Lyon, Stephen O’Keefe, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Swepson
Recent form:
Beat Pakistan 3-0 in three-match home series
Lost to South Africa 2-1 in three-match home series
Lost to Sri Lanka 3-0 in three-match away series
Beat New Zealand 2-0 in two-match away series
HEAD TO HEAD:
Total: 90
Australia wins: 40
India wins: 24
Draws: 25
Tied: 1
IN INDIA:
Total matches: 46
India wins: 19
Australia wins: 12
Draws: 14
Tied: 1
Last eight tests:
Sydney Jan, 2015 Drawn
Melbourne Dec, 2014 Drawn
Brisbane Dec, 2014 Australia won by four wickets
Adelaide Dec, 2014 Australia won by 48 runs
Delhi March, 2013 India won by six wickets
Mohali March, 2013 India won by six wickets
Hyderabad March, 2013 India won by an innings and 135 runs
Chennai Feb, 2013 India won by eight wickets
