India vs Australia Pre-View

So India meets Australia in the World Cup Quarterfinals at the Motera. Is this a bane or a boon? Bane to the cricket fans who are rooting for India. David Boon for the Aussies who wants to prove their point and go one up over the cricket crazy nation and redeem their loss to Pakistan. But can Australia really do it if the pitch is doctored to Indian needs while predominantly supporting spin? I doubt. The chances of an Indian win are high if India is batting first, as said bymany commentators in the post match discussion, which is true.

What will be the par score for the pitch batting first?I believe it should be nothing less than 270 to have a semblance of a chance against the mighty Aussies even without the likes of 'The Invincibles' team. After scoring 270+, India should defend the score, probably sticking to the same bowling line up which worked against the Windies. Zaheer Khan and Ashwin should open the bowling. I again expect our medium pacers to get tonked barring an exceptional reverse swinging spell from the pace spearhead Khan in the later overs.


Australia is definitely not as scary as it once was to the opposition. It has lost it's invincibility tag but somehow somewhere you still do not want to bet against them. It is primarily because India's bowling surely is not effective to pick 10 wickets or contain the opposition to less than 280 even if the track is assisting the home team. Pakistan sent Australians into submission. But can it's neighbour with a strong batting line up,do it with some fine all round performance is anyone's guess.

Team India is not effective with its bowling line up and not so commanding
in the slog overs when it comes to death batting. Punter has got his work cut facing India. Unless a magnificient performance from the Little Master without a century or a four for by Ashwin, it is difficult to see India crossing the finish line. And if they do, the semi finals should be a blockbuster match with Pakistan in Mohali. (The writer boldly assumes that Pakistan defeats WI in their Quarter final match up)

A match (Ind vs Aus) that is highly anticipated can just prove to be a one-sided affair with just 10 overs of fiery bowling by Lee and Tait. So do not pin your hopes nor get overly excited if Indians commit blunders on the field. Try to enjoy the aggressive bowling and the audacious batting by both the teams.

Kohli is good, Yuvraj is back in form, Tendulkar may not be accounted for big matches, Ashwin can spin the ball and Dhoni and Raina can anchor the innings. The batting line up as always look so sound on paper. Infact it supported that theory till the 40th over in this World Cup.
The bat swinging momentum has to go beyond 40 overs and survive till the 50th to put an end to Aussie dominance in International cricket. India famously stopped Australia twice when they were on a 16 Test match winning streak, Once in India in 2001 and once in Australia in 2004.
Can they do it again and claim the title dragon slayers once for all?

No team wants to given an inch in the much billed match of the tournament, but one person holds the key to provide a rousing start to this match as he did so far in this tournament by hitting a boundary off the first ball he faced in each of the matches. It is not Sachin Tendulkar, but his once clone, Virender Sehwag.