The setting seemed near perfect, and the way Tendulkar started today, one just felt he was destined to get there. Alas, it wasn’t to be as fans were left disappointed yet again. Clearly, it was his over anxiety to get to the mark that undid the legend once more. The ball from Ravi Rampaul outside off wasn’t short enough to cut, and as Darren Sammy had hoped, he played spoilsport by holding on to the catch that broke a million hearts. Credit to both Rampaul and Sammy for working Tendulkar over.

Tendulkar’s latest dismissal was the 28^th time he was out in the 90s in his international career. And while that is a far from alarming stat considering the humungous number of matches he had played, the delay in crossing the landmark is beginning to become uncomfortable. Twice in two consecutive series he has fallen in the 90s; the last one being in the fourth Test in England. And if he is rested for the ODI games against West Indies, it would only mean that the wait would get longer and more uncomfortable. The next Test match India feature in will be against Australia Down Under, which is a good month away.

While everyone wishes that Tendulkar gets to that hundred, it would be in the team’s as well as the Little Master’s interest if he gets there sooner rather than later, for the burden of expectations has definitely affected Tendulkar, and this could harm the team too. He may be a great, but cricket is a team game after all, and when an individual’s feat begins to become the bigger focus as opposed to the team’s fortunes, it is not the healthy sign.

Mind you, this is not Tendulkar’s fault. It’s got more to do with his well-wishers and followers, who are so desperate for him to get there, possibly more than the man himself. And the media is equally to blame too. There has been just too much hype about what is a significant yet far from game-changing achievement. If only they can exercise a certain amount of restrain in their coverage, we would be convinced that the world will not end if Tendulkar does not get his 100^th hundred.

To look at the positive side of the whole scenario, Tendulkar could now get a chance to achieve the landmark against the Aussies, a much better side than West Indies in spite of their recent decline, i.e. if he doesn’t take part in the ODI series or plays, and misses it again! Wouldn’t it be great if Tendulkar registered his 100^th ton in a winning cause against Australia? It would give the entire of India and fans across the world double the reason to celebrate. Of course, Tendulkar supporters would protest stating that there couldn’t be a better place than the Wankhede Stadium, which incidentally also encloses the Sachin Tendulkar stand, to raise the mega century. But, where would a ton made on a flat deck, with no assistance for the bowlers rank among his best knocks? Definitely very low on the scale. And, for all that has been said and written about the elusive hundred, it deserves to be a memorable one.

Emotions are running high at the moment, and disappointment is the buzzword among Tendulkar fans. But, for a moment, let’s just detach ourselves from the entire hoopla, and appreciate that we saw another exhibition of near flawless batting from the master – yes it was, but for that one stroke that ‘cut’ short his innings. Another six runs would have been great, but 94 wasn’t bad in itself. The time has come to leave Tendulkar alone for a while. The more we pressurise him, the greater the chances of Tendulkar succumbing to it. In other words, we are doing a big disservice to him. Wait, watch, hope, support, but don’t burden ‘Ton’dulkar.

By: The Pinch Hunter

Ever since The Pinch Hitter was introduced to cricket at the age of nine, he fell in love with the gentleman’s game. While his desire to take up the sport professionally remained unfulfilled, he substituted the bat with the pen. And since 2003, he has been commenting on the sport for various magazines, websites, enjoying every moment of it. With ‘Over the top’ he hopes to continue enlightening and enlivening ‘cricket companions’ the write way.

English conditions always have more to offer for sides which are good at playing in humid conditions where ball is seaming, moving either sides, but has not much to offer for spinners. Conditions which are diametrically opposite to what Indian side is used to. In India, there is hardly ever a hint of grass on the wicket, which is hardened further by the mercurial temperatures, and having hardly anything for seam bowling, but a lot for spin. India is never known for pace bowling, its bowling is always known by the likes of Bishen Bedi, Chandarshekar, Venkatragwan, Anil Kumble and now Harbhajan. Therefore, English batsmen are very good at playing seam bowling but quite ordinary when it comes to spin, whereas Indian batsmen are brilliant against spin but don’t tend to star when seam starts to act.

Therefore, India vs England could never be an evenly poised challenge except for a neutral venue which offered each a chance to exhibit their potential.

Its quite fascinating and somehow resembles that typical Indian psyche of revenge, but also demonstrates the shaky and infirm foundations on which both the sides are building themselves for the ultimate contest of 2015. There are big black holes out there for both to fill in. The true sense of supremacy is yet to be attained. Australians and to some extent South Africans – perhaps had that supremacy for almost a decade. Australia’s brilliance in all forms of the game was what made them number one. At home or abroad, the advantage that any number one side has, Australia had. They had batters who could ruin any opposition in any part of the world, bowlers with an almost military discipline. They demonstrated the heroics of true champions, and still we get to see those lights shining sometimes.

Indian dominance and mastery of skill in their home is not new found. They beat Srilanka 6-1 in 2005, England 5-1 in 2005-06 season and choked English in 2008-09 for another 5-0 at home. Other than Australia or South Africa, every non-Asian side touring India finds it very difficult to resist mortification. Last time England won a series of any kind in India was in 1984/85 – before even many of us could speak the work ‘cricket’.

Indian ordeal in England was at the hands of top-class cricketing performances as well as English showers. Twice were the tourists in a position to salvage some pride after a rough start, but weather wasn’t kind enough. English seemed to imitate the scruffy Indian fielding of summer on their tour to miss those rare chances to atone for poor performances with the bat. Both sides did everything to confirm that air of surrender and to be good guests.

England has relatively a much poor record as it has won only one ODI since 2002, when playing in and against India. Umpiring was indeed poor this time in India, and there were enough instances for many to be concerned about. There were 11 dubious decisions but because of no UDRS, decisions prevailed.

Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin are perhaps the best finds of 2011 for Indian bowling. Rahane has that promise which can make him a part of permanent Indian limited over eleven. However, Bairstow is a brilliant find. He can come down the order to hurry the innings and up the rate when it is needed most with old ball. Whereas Finn needs to be projected, promoted and be given exposure of more international cricket especially abroad for him to further his control on line and length and also to learn variations with pace.

This summer has left two top teams with their thinking hats on, as their current performances are not going to make them favorites on those fast and furious Australian tracks in 2015.

By: Sheikh Usman N.

“Author is a computer software engineer by profession but a very keen follower of cricket. With his blog ‘Doosra’, he intends to express his views candidly to a wider audience.”

The above words spoken by the character of Bhuvan, in trying to spur on the rest of his villager teammates had the same intent and fire as those spoken by Strauss and Pietersen in that advertisement.

The battle is on no doubt; and its not only Strauss and Pietersen, but one just gets the feeling the entire English squad is charged up for the upcoming series. And why shouldn’t they be? They have won the last 5 test series they have played, and it’s a perfect opportunity for the in-form and balanced English team to show the No.1 Test side what they are capable of.

On the other hand, the Indians by no means will be any less eager to show the cricketing world that they deserve to be on the top of the ranking charts. With Sachin and Gambhir back to bolster the batting line up, and Zaheer adding muscle to the bowling department, the Indians will surely be looking forward to the battle! They too have an impressive recent test record, with not having lost a series in the their last 11! However they sure will be aware that this will be a different ball game altogether!

While the teams make their final preparations before they step foot onto the battleground, I can’t wait for series to begin. It undoubtedly is going to be a cracker of a series, and the things highlighted below explain just why!

Historic Occasion!
What better way to start such a highly anticipated series! When the two teams make their way down that famous slope at Lords, Test match cricket will be 2000 matches old; and it will also be the 100th Test between the two teams! Historic setting indeed!

A Century of Centuries!
A little genius by the name of Sachin Tendulkar has racked up 99 international centuries, and hence is one away from a truly monumental achievement.

If he reaches the landmark at Lords, it will be a bollywood-esque moment indeed. (My blog post on the ‘Magician approaching the Magical Landmark‘, delineates just why) But just the anticipation of him reaching that three-figure mark itself will have viewers watching the series with rapt attention!

Battle of the Quicks!
The combination of Chris Tremlett’s pace and bounce, and Anderson’s swing will be quite a challenge for the Indians. The result of this series, in my opinion, will depend to a large extent on how the Indian batsmen handle the combination of Anderson and Tremlett. But the Indians too have a decent pace bowling attack in their arsenal. With Zaheer’s experience and shrewdness, and Ishant bowling the best we’ve all seen of him so far, the battle between the quicks is a mouth-watering contest indeed!

Bhajji Vs Swanny!
Harbhajan must surely be buoyed after his 400th Test scalp, and it doesn’t take much to get him charged up, but there is little doubt that Swann has been the better bowler in the recent past. The two offies will surely want to prove a point to each other. While they try and do so, we, hopefully, will be treated to a fine display of spin bowling!

DRS under the radar!
There has been plenty of talk and controversy about India’s objection to the ball-tracking technology. Some of the English players have played their share of mind games by adding fuel to the DRS fire! But now will be the time when it’s put into action, and will surely be under the microscope. The question on everyone’s mind is: Will India’s decision backfire? The 4 test matches over the next month holds all the answers!

Raina Vs Yuvraj
A mini battle within a battle! It’s interesting to note that since Yuvraj made way for Raina in that 2nd Test against Sri Lanka in July 2010, Yuvi hasn’t got a game as a result of Raina grabbing his opportunities with aplomb! With the quick fire century in the practice game at Taunton, Raina has more or less booked his spot in the middle order for the first couple of games atleast. It’ll be interesting to see how this battle pans out over the next few weeks!

There’s plenty to look forward to no doubt; and as the series is about to get underway, its time to sit back and buckle up for a contest that I think will be worth all the hype. The Caribbean appetiser was quite bland no doubt, but the English meal looks rather sumptuous!

By: Rohan Rao

“The writer is a freelance cricket columnist who takes guard on leg stump! Currently based in the UK, he is pursuing his undergraduate degree in Management Studies at the University of Nottingham. Having captained his school team, represented clubs in Delhi & Shanghai, and currently playing for his University, Rohan pretty much breathes, eats and sleeps cricket! A die-hard enthusiast, Rohan finds his inner peace when ripping his leg-spinners past the batsman, apart from when seeing, his God, Sachin Tendulkar bat!”

The Pakistan-Australia series earlier this year saw a spate of low scoring encounters because of a dusty pitch. However, that was not the case in this series as scores such as 287 and 303 were achieved by the teams batting first. With the pitch behaving as it is, another high scoring game can be expected during this deciding encounter.

Temperatures: Min-22C Max-32 C | Forecast: Clear Skies

Team Updates:

Pakistan: Pakistan captain Younus Khan finds himself under pressure as his team heads into the series-deciding third and final one-day against New Zealand. Under Younus, Pakistan lost the one-day series against Australia in the UAE and against Sri Lanka while touring the Island Nation earlier this year. Pakistan, who have not won a one-day series since beating the West Indies last year, achieved a thumping 138-run win in the first match thanks to efforts of Afridi, Latif and Kamran Akmal. However, they could not produce the same in the second match and ended up letting the Kiwis level the series. They now would now have to comeback hard to clinch the 3-match series.

New Zealand: Kiwis, on the other hand, would be riding high after a clinical victory in the second match. After losing the first game, the Black-Caps came back well to win the second, thanks to a rousing century from Brendon McCullum. He was well-supported by Martin Guptill who came up with a useful half-century. These efforts were backed up Scott Styris who picked up three wickets to cause a stumble in the Pakistan middle order from which they could not recover. Vettori and Mills too picked up a couple of wickets each, reinforcing the fact that the Kiwis have a stable bowling attack. The New Zealanders would look to maintain the same form that they showcased in the previous game as they aim to seal a series victory.

Trivia:

New Zealand has never won a bilateral series against Pakistan either while touring the country or while playing against them in a neutral venue. (The current series is the first bilateral one between these countries in a neutral venue)

Sound Bytes:

It can happen to any player. I am sure that he can come good anytime, maybe in this crucial, must-win game: Pak coach Intikhab Alam, backing Younus Khan to come good when it matters.

Pakistan can come back hard on us. We need to make sure that we head into this final game with more confidence and put more pressure on Pakistan : Daniel Vettori, mentioning that they would not take Pakistan lightly.

Teams:

Pakistan (From): Salman Butt, Khalid Latif, Younis Khan(c), Mohammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal(w), Abdul Razzaq, Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamer, Saeed Ajmal, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Imran Farhat, Shoaib Malik, Rao Iftikhar, Wahab Riaz

New Zealand (From): Aaron Redmond, Brendon McCullum(w), Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Neil Broom, Daniel Vettori(c), Jacob Oram, Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, Shane Bond, Nathan McCullum, James Franklin, Ian Butler, Bradley-John Watling

Temperatures: Min-23C Max-34C | Forecast: Clear Skies

Team Updates:

Pakistan: Following the semi-final loss to New Zealand in the Champions Trophy, the Pakistan team has gone through a controversial period. Captain Younus Khan had tendered his resignation after an allegation of match-fixing was levied upon him. The board later convinced him to take over the reins again. That was followed by reports of disharmony in the team which was later dismissed by Afridi and Younus Khan. The Pakistan team, unpredictable as ever, would look to put these aside and let their cricket do all the talking. They have a balanced bowling attack with the likes of Umar Gul, Mohammed Aamer and Saeed Ajmal along with quality all-rounders like Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq, who returns to the side after being dropped for the CT. The batting department has a blend of youth and experience which is an ideal combination for any side. Pakistan would look to extract revenge after suffering a CT ouster at the hands of New Zealand.

New Zealand: Since finishing runners-up in the Champions Trophy last month, New Zealand’s problems have multiplied. Following injuries to key players and the sudden departure of coach Andy Moles, Brendon McCullum was asked to give up the vice-captaincy to concentrate on his batting. Moles’s resignation after differences with some of the players left a void, but skipper Daniel Vettori, who is also without a deputy, is confident his team is capable of rising to the occasion. The Black Caps will also be without Jesse Ryder, Grant Elliott and Daryl Tuffey – all out due to injuries. Their places go to the uncapped Bradley-John Watling, the recalled Scott Styris and fast bowler Tim Southee. Although hampered by injuries, New Zealand are a pretty confident side with the likes of Bond and Butler doing well with the ball and the batsmen too being amongst the runs during the CT, which enabled the Kiwis to upstage many a major side.

Captains’ plight:

Younus Khan: Controversies cannot stay away from a Pakistan skipper. Younus Khan is no different in this aspect. Match-fixing allegations and rifts with his team-mates were a few of those which the captain experienced in recent times. However, he is a spirited cricketer who would do well to rubbish these claims by letting his bat talk loudly.

Daniel Vettori: The Kiwi skipper has had his share of problems with Andy Moles quitting as the coach of the team and Vettori then given the responsibility of being the the de-facto coach. If that was not enough, the New Zealand board removed McCullum as the vice-captain which means that Vettori would now have to work without a deputy. Not to mention, Vettori is also holding the position of a selector, and principal match-winner for his team.

Head to Head:

New Zealand and Pakistan have faced each other 79 times in the ODI format. New Zealand have been victorious on 30 occasions while ending up on the losing side 47 times. There is also one tied game between these sides and one match yielding no result.

Sound Bytes:

We can only win if we play above our potential and play as a unit. New Zealand are like Australia and Sri Lanka, who play as a unit and you have to play like that to beat them: Younus Khan

It is disappointing because you would always want to bring your top team for a series. Despite injuries we did well in the Champions Trophy and hope we can do the same: Vettori

Teams:

Pakistan (From): Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal(w), Younis Khan(c), Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Aamer, Saeed Ajmal, Imran Farhat, Abdul Razzaq, Rao Iftikhar, Khalid Latif, Wahab Riaz

New Zealand (From): Aaron Redmond, Brendon McCullum(w), Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Jacob Oram, Nathan McCullum, Daniel Vettori(c), James Franklin, Tim Southee, Shane Bond, Kyle Mills, Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Bradley-John Watling

With three ODIs done and dusted in the 7-match series, the action now shifts to Punjab Cricket Association stadium, Mohali. Home to the Punjab cricket team, the PCA hosted its first ODI when India took on South Africa during the Hero Cup in November 1993. Compared to the other grounds, the Mohali stadium has an unconventional lighting system with the light pillars placed low to avoid any collision with an aircraft as the airport is situated nearby. The pitch here is a true surface offering an equal opportunity for the batsmen and the bowlers. If the teams are to go by the curator’s words, there is plenty on offer for the batsmen.

Temperatures: Min-13C Max-27C | Forecast: Clear Skies

Team Updates:

India: The Indian team came back well after losing the opening match of the series by winning back-to-back games. While they came up with a power-packed performance in the batting friendly conditions at Nagpur, they also showed that they can put in the hard work and battle it out during the Delhi encounter where the pitch behaved indifferently. Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni were the protagonists who combated the spirited Aussies to help India go 2-1 up in the series. The bowlers too did a good job by restricting the Kangaroos to a score of 229. The only concern now for the team is that the injury devil seems to have hit them again. Gautam Gambhir was hit on the neck by a Ponting pull and Virender Sehwag hurt his ankle while trying to dig out a Siddle yorker. The Delhi duo are in doubt to play the 4th ODI and Dinesh Karthik has been brought in as cover for them. However, the Indians would prefer not to look too much into the injuries, rather put the best foot forward as they attempt to stretch the lead over the Aussies.

Australia: The team from Down under have been spirited fighters during this series, but did not have enough steam in them to overcome the Indian might. Injuries to multiple players made it difficult for the Aussies who now find the going tough in the absence of Brett Lee. Mitchell Johnson, also having his own injury problems, has rendered a below-par performance in this series. The saving grace in the bowling line-up have been Siddle and Hauritz, who have been asking a question or two at the Indian batsmen. When it comes to the batting, Michael Hussey’s performance has been top-notch throughout the series. The left-hander seems to have regained his ‘Midas Touch’, cracking three half-centuries on the trot. The skipper too has been in good nick, coming up with consistent performances. However, it is the performance of the middle order that has been a concern for the team. Lack of runs from them has meant that the team ended up 20-30 runs short in the previous match. However, the Aussies being World Champions, would put the losses behind them and look to comeback hard at the Indians.

Captains’ Form Guide:

MS Dhoni: The Indian skipper has had a good series so far, coming up with impressive batting performances. After notching up an explosive ton at Nagpur, Dhoni once again showed his responsible side by bringing up a sedate knock of 71 at Delhi. He would no doubt look to extend his good form throughout the series.

Ricky Ponting: The Aussie captain has been a consistent performer with the bat during the series. With two half-centuries under his belt, Ponting would now look to get a big one against his name. A century from the skipper would certainly help the team’s cause.

Numbers Game:

37: The number of runs MS Dhoni requires to reach 1000 ODI runs in 2009. He averages a mighty 80.25 this year as against his career average of 51.02.

11: The number of half-centuries scored by Michael Hussey in ODIs this year. He has the most ODI fifties this year. The second place is taken by Ponting and Dhoni, who have 8 fifties each against their name.

Sound Bytes:

We cannot afford to relax. It is important we keep up the winning momentum. It is a good habit though its tough to maintain a winning habit: MS Dhoni

We hope Mohali would be a better wicket and we will have to pull up our socks to bounce back into the series: Ricky Ponting

Teams:

Australia (From): Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting(c), Cameron White, Mike Hussey, Adam Voges, Moises Henriques, Graham Manou(w), Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Peter Siddle, Doug Bollinger, Ben Hilfenhaus, Shaun Marsh, Jon Holland, Clint McKay

India (From): Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni(w/c), Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Praveen Kumar, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, Ishant Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, Munaf Patel, Virat Kohli, Sudeep Tyagi

The Feroz Shah Kotla, established in 1883, is one of the premier grounds in India. Although the wicket is traditionally known to favour the batsmen, the pitch proved difficult for stroke-making during the recently concluded Champions League. Toss will play a crucial role as the side batting first will be at an advantage.

Temperatures: Min-17C Max-31C | Forecast: Clear Skies

Team Updates:

India: After losing to Australia by just 4 runs in their opening encounter, the Indian team came back strongly with a resounding win in the second match that was mainly possible due to the superlative knock by the captain MS Dhoni along with two very useful half centuries by Gambhir and Raina. The bowling department too shined during the match although they would have hoped for a victory by a larger margin than that of 99 runs. The batters seem to be in good flow with Sehwag, Gambhir Raina and the skipper himself displaying good form. The bowling sector is also well taken care of with the likes of Nehra, Praveen and Ishant putting up a good display in the previous match. However the form of two major players in the team is a matter of concern – that of Sachin Tendulkar, who is due for runs, and Harbhajan Singh, who has had two expensive outings. Having said that, Tendulkar is a master craftsman who just needs a short time in the middle to bring out the best in him, while Harbhajan Singh is a spirited fighter who can turn the heat on Australia at any time. Although they would be a confident lot after their previous match, the Indians need to ensure that complacency does not creep in.

Australia: Injury plagued the Indian team during the Champions Trophy and now it is the turn of the Aussies to bear the brunt. Their premium speedster Brett Lee has been ruled out of the match due to an injured elbow while their reliable allrounder James Hopes would be missing the action due to a hamstring injury. Not to mention, the wicket-keeper and opening batsman Tim Paine, who has been ruled out of the entire series after he broke his finger while Mitchell Johnson will be playing despite an ankle injury. Apart from the injuries, the bowling form of Hilfenhaus and Johnson has been a concerning factor for the Australian team. The duo gave away 158 runs in their 20 overs in the previous game which might prompt Ponting to employ an extra spinner. On the other hand, Siddle and Hauritz have impressed with the ball in the two games that they have played. When it comes to batting, Ponting and Hussey have been the main-stays for the team while, CT hero Shane Watson is due for runs. With Tim Paine not playing for the rest of the series, Shaun Marsh might fill in to make up for the void while Voges, who prodded his way to 36 in the Nagpur game, and Cameron White would be the key for the Aussies in the middle order.

Due for Runs:

Sachin Tendulkar: The master batsman has been going through a glum patch since the Champions Trophy. With scores like 8, 14 and 4 in his last three games, Sachin is certainly due for runs, and being a big match player, he would definitely relish the opportunity of getting a big one against Australia.

Shane Watson: Although he did exceedingly well in the Champions Trophy with back to back centuries, the Aussie allrounder was out for a duck in the first match and could only manage 19 in the second game of this series. However, one good outing is all Watson needs to get back to his aggressive best.

Numbers Game:

7: The number of ODIs India have won at the Feroz Shah Kotla. They have played 12 matches here and have lost 5 times.

40.16: Sachin Tendulkar’s batting average in ODI games at Delhi. He also has a hundred and a fifty against his name here.

Sound Bytes:

I am not the same what I was three or four years back, less responsibility and more flair. But now there is more responsibility whenever I turn up on the field: MS Dhoni

The team balance has been thrown out a bit with Hopes going out the side and Brett, our most experienced bowler, not being in the side: Ponting

Teams:

India (From): Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni(w/c), Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Praveen Kumar, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel, Virat Kohli, Sudeep Tyagi

Australia (From): Shaun Marsh, Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting(c), Cameron White, Mike Hussey, Adam Voges, Graham Manou(w), Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Doug Bollinger, Peter Siddle, James Hopes, Brett Lee, Ben Hilfenhaus, Jon Holland

The first match was won by the better team, there is no doubt about that – but it was also won by the team that held its nerve better. Sure, some of the Australian bowlers – notably Shane Watson – seemed to lose it towards the end, but when it mattered, when it came down to the crunch, the Aussies stepped up, while the Indians just couldn’t. If India are to seriously challenge for the Number One ranking, they will have to do what Australia did – grit their way through tough patches but grimly hold on and emerge victorious more often than not.

They have their best chance of coming back into the series in the second match, with several things working in India’s favour:

a) The absence of Brett Lee, James Hopes and possibly Mitchell Johnson. Even if MS Dhoni says (as he should) that the other team’s injuries don’t affect India’s plans, the reality is that with three key men gone, Australia will have become that much easier to beat. If India can’t beat them here, then not only do Australia gain a huge psychological edge at having beaten India with an almost second-strength team (remember Clarke, Haddin, Fergusson and Bracken are also missing), but India will then be faced with the rather unenviable task of winning four out of the remaining five ODIs if they want to win the series.

b) The return of Yuvraj Singh. When on song, as he has been quite often, Yuvraj is a man who can send shivers down the spine of the opposition. Not only is he capable of sending the ball in orbit, he is ideally placed in the middle order to take advantage of the second power-play, when Dhoni decides to take it. Add to that the useful overs he offers with his left-arm spin, and you can see why India have missed having Yuvraj in their ranks.

c) The venue. The stadium has hosted only one match so far, but it was a memorable one. Not only was it a match where India beat Australia to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but it was Sourav Ganguly’s last match, and VVS Laxman’s 100th one. India’s fond memories of this venue will only be rivalled by Australia’s bitter ones.

Australia, meanwhile, have to contend with a missing spearhead, a missing all-rounder and a possibly missing Mitchell Johnson. At least one among Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger will be a part of the playing eleven, and possibly both. The injuries have brought one positive with them and opened up a spot for the talented Shaun Marsh. Marsh had a fabulous run in the IPL 2008, and performed well for Australia until being sidelined by injury. Now that the injuries are with other players, he will do all he can to seize his spot in the side. Peter Siddle bowled a fine last over in the previous match, but his ability to lead an attack on his own is still untested. And faced with a batting line-up that reads Tendulkar, Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvraj, Dhoni and Raina it will require a very disciplined effort from a relatively inexperienced attack to rein in the Indians. One man who did that very well was Nathan Hauritz, who continues to impress with every outing. Hauritz will need to turn it on – literally and figuratively – once again to give Australia the cushion of a 2-0 lead, rather than the tenterhooks of a 1-1 scoreline.

Trivia:

2 and a half – That was the age of Jon Holland, the youngest member of the Australian squad, when Sachin Tendulkar made his debut in November 1989! Tendulkar is now 83 runs away from scoring 17,000 runs in ODIs and 300 runs away from aggregating a total of 30,000 runs in all international cricket. He has 16,917 runs in ODIs, 12,773 runs in Test matches, and 10 runs in the lone T20 international he has played in.

Soundbytes:

“We are concentrating on areas that can affect us in a direct way. We are not really worried about that (their injuries). They have a squad of 15.” – MS Dhoni speaking about the spate of injuries affecting Australia.

“Brett’s played six one dayers in England, five in the Champions Trophy and then played the Champions League and it is no surprise that he has got an injury.” – Tim Nielsen.

Teams:

India (From): Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni(w/c), Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel, Ashish Nehra, Praveen Kumar, Virat Kohli, Sudeep Tyagi

Australia (From): Shane Watson, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting(c), Tim Paine(w), Cameron White, Mike Hussey, Adam Voges, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Doug Bollinger, Peter Siddle, Brett Lee, Ben Hilfenhaus, James Hopes, Jon Holland

Team News:

New South Wales: New South Wales have lived up to their pre-tournament hype, steam-rollering every opposition they have met, except once. And on that occasion, it was a freak innings by Kieron Pollard that took the game away from them when they had it in control. Other than that game, the strength of the New South Wales bowling attack has ensured that other teams have had plenty of problems facing them. Brett Lee has been hostile and quick, Stuart Clark has been accurate and effective, Nathan Hauritz has turned it on – literally and figuratively and Doug Bollinger has provided excellent support. It’s a dream hand to have for any captain, and most would have been tempted to just toss the ball to the bowlers and let them do their thing, but Simon Katich has taken it a step further and been proactive in his decision making. The move to open the bowling with Hauritz in the semi-finals turned out to be a well-thought out one, which caught his opponents by surprise and effectively sealed their chase in just the second over. The batting too has been explosive with David Warner showing the world that all the fuss about him is justified. Warner has taken power-hitting to another level with his brand of attacking batsmanship, and giving him good support at the top is Philip Hughes, who could well end the tournament as the leading run-scorer. New South Wales have the essential building blocks of victory in place – a well settled and firing opening pair in batting as well as bowling. Their starts – whether batting or fielding – have always put the opposition under pressure from the outset and made the job of the rest of the team easier.

Trinidad and Tobago: Not only have they won every match they have played in, but they have won every heart with the brand of cricket they have displayed. They enter the final as the only unbeaten team, with the confidence of having beaten their opponents in the only match played between the two sides so far. Even though that victory was a close one, Trinidad and Tobago have always found a man for the occasion to bail them out in every match. If it was Kieron Pollard that day, it was Dwayne Bravo yesterday, just as it was Denesh Ramdin in their first match. The West Indies used to be the favourite team of any neutral cricket watcher, and the team from Trinidad and Tobago have re-awakened those feelings in fans – which shows in the rousing cheers that greet the team whenever they have taken the field. They have an astute leader in Darren Ganga and he seems to have imbued the right dynamics of Twenty20 cricket into the side. The team is filled with stroke-makers and the refreshing thing about their batting is that they don’t let wickets bog them down, but continue to attack. In an innings where ten wickets are available over just 20 overs, that approach makes a lot of sense, especially when the batting runs deep as it does for Trinidad. They have thus made the most effective use of the 20 overs they have while batting. The bowling has thrown up surprises in the form of spinners Dave Mohammed and Sherwin Ganga, who have been very tight. It is a surprise because the Caribbean has traditionally not been reknowned as producing spinners, but then this side has been like a breath of fresh air and played very unlike the Caribbean teams of the present. They have, though, displayed the flair of Caribbean sides of the past – and thank god for that!

Numbers Game:

203.38 – Kieron Pollard’s strike rate during the tournament which is the highest amongst batsmen (Minimum 100 runs).

11 – The number of runs separating Phil Hughes and David Warner, who are currently second and third on the list of the tournament’s highest scorers. Hughes has 199 runs, while Warner has 188. The list is headed by JP Duminy who has 224 runs.

Soundbytes:

“The bowlers have been fantastic. The new ball bowlers are quick and accurate. They (the bowlers) have been mainly instrumental for us to reach this far.” – Simon Katich

“I am quite happy to be in the final. But we are not content with just this (semifinal) win. We have set ourselves goals. We have five wins and it’s final tomorrow and we get that sixth win they (teammates) can celebrate.” – Darren Ganga

Teams:

New South Wales (From): David Warner, Phillip Hughes, Daniel Smith(w), Simon Katich(c), Moises Henriques, Ben Rohrer, Steven Smith, Brett Lee, Nathan Hauritz, Stuart Clark, Doug Bollinger, Aaron Bird, Simon Keen, Steve OKeefe, Dominic Thornely

Trinidad and Tobago (From): William Perkins, Adrian Barath, Lendl Simmons, Daren Ganga(c), Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Navin Stewart, Denesh Ramdin(w), Dave Mohammed, Sherwin Ganga, Ravindranath Rampaul, Samuel Badree, Darren Bravo, Rayad Emrit, Sunil Narine

Trinidad & Tobago: T&T have become crowd pullers after their string of wins at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium and would now play the semi-final game almost like a home team considering the support they have been getting from the Hyderabad crowd. The most powerful aspect about this line-up is their flamboyant batsmen who have made the opposition bowlers look average. The opposition might view Kieron Pollard as their most dangerous batsman but the likes of Barath, Simmons and Stewart proved that they could not be taken lightly either. Their bowlers have always been equal to the task, with Dwayne Bravo leading the pack. He is the highest wicket-taker of the tournament and has proved to be a useful bowler at the death. After their clinical performance in their last game against the Eagles, it seems unlikely that they will make any changes. The Caribbeans will also be well acquainted with the conditions having played their last few games here.

Road to the semis: T&T beat Somerset by a comfortable 44 runs before clinching a thriller against IPL champions Deccan Chargers by 3 runs to top Group A. Pollard’s blitzkrieg saw them defeat NSW by 4 wickets before they clipped the Eagles’ wings to top League A as well.

Cape Cobras: While Trinidad and Tobago are yet to see defeat in the event, Cape Cobras lost one in the league stage on a low and slow pitch against Delhi Daredevils in their last League B match. The Cobras also have a formidable batting line-up with the likes of Duminy, Puttick and Davids in good form. Herschelle Gibbs, with only 1 run from 3 innings, has been a cause of concern but the Cobras are likely to persist with him given his ability to change the game in a matter of minutes. Cobras have a balanced bowling line-up in Kleinveldt, Zondeki and Henderson, who will have their task cut-out as they try to tie the opposition batsmen down.

Road to the semis: Duminy-inspired Cobras defeated hosts Bangalore by 5 wickets in the tournament opener. The Otago Volts were crushed by a massive 54 runs as Cobras finished as the Group C leaders. Victoria were beaten rather comfortably but the Cobras succumbed to Delhi, falling short by 30 runs chasing a modest 114.

Trivia:

203.38: Kieron Pollard’s batting strike rate during the tournament. He also tops the list of the batsman with most sixes, having scored 11 maximums so far.

37: The number of runs JP Duminy needs to score to top the list of the highest run getter in the Champions League. With 163 runs against his name, he is now third on the list.

Sound Bytes:

I think, expectations are lot more now being in the semifinal. We know it’s knock-out. But we have been thinking like that from the start and so are not going to put ourselves under any added pressure: Daren Ganga

The game is going to be massive. We are down to knock-out stage now. The pressure is going to be much greater for both sides. But it should be a good game: Andrew Puttick

Teams:

Trinidad and Tobago (From): William Perkins, Adrian Barath, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Daren Ganga(c), Navin Stewart, Denesh Ramdin(w), Dave Mohammed, Sherwin Ganga, Ravindranath Rampaul, Samuel Badree, Darren Bravo, Rayad Emrit, Sunil Narine

Cape Cobras (From): Andrew Puttick(c), Herschelle Gibbs, Henry Davids, Jean-Paul Duminy, Justin Lee Ontong, Rory Kleinveldt, Ryan Canning(w), Vernon Philander, Claude Henderson, Monde Zondeki, Charl Langeveldt, Derek Brand, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Richard Levi, Francois Plaatjies, Stiann van Zyl