India vs Australia Mohali Test: Michael Clarke and M S Dhoni’s a few good men

It is not always easy to believe a cricket reporter’s pitch analysis,even if the person has had full access (as was granted on Wednesday) to the most important strip on a cricket field.

The inexact science of soil curation plays a role,as does the writer’s ignorance. But on the eve of the match,it was quite evident even to the untrained eye just why Clarke was amused. “I saw the wicket yesterday and am yet to look at it today,” he said.

“But I imagine it wouldn’t have changed much. There’s not much grass to cut off and it was quite dry yesterday so it’s probably even drier today. I think the conditions are going to be very similar to what we’ve seen in the first two Test matches.” On a bed that looks like the Rann of Kutch,it sure is going to be harder for Clarke to declare his first innings with a wicket in hand.

For that,however,he first has the unenviable job of putting eleven players on the field by Thursday morning. After having four men suspended and Matthew Wade (a man who has suffered more injuries on this tour than Australia has losses) all but ruling himself out,the Australian captain has the simple yet arduous task of choosing from 12 players.

In all likelihood,the unfortunate one could just be Glenn Maxwell,with Clarke playing two genuine spinners in Nathan Lyon and Xavier Doherty to justify the wicket and two genuine pacers in Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc to sponge up the juice in the morning.

The batsmen of course pick themselves — with Ed Cowan,David Warner,Phillip Hughes,Michael Clarke,Steven Smith,Brad Haddin and Moises Henriques filling up the top seven.

Incidentally,as of Wednesday,these seven players put together have played a sum total of 195 Test matches between them. Sachin Tendulkar,as he entered the training arena today,alone had 196.

Dhawan to make debut

Since Tendulkar first appeared in the Indian dressing room in Pakistan,1989,he has witnessed several players make their Test debuts for India. On Thursday morning,his official debut-witnessing count will go up to 89 when Delhi opener Shikhar Dhawan receives his Test cap.

For the cricket trivia junkies,this is a record. Also on his way to creating some kind of record on the same front is Tendulkar’s Mumbai team-mate,Ajinkya Rahane. Rahane,a member of India’s Test bench since November 2011,will see a seventh player leap-frog him into the playing eleven. That bench must be simmering by now.

On a day of smiles,the biggest one was worn by India’s 277th Test cricketer – Dhawan. He smiled his way into the nets area,smiled as he middled the ball with sweet precision,smiled as he punched fellow opener Murali Vijay’s fist with joy,smiled as he sauntered into the press conference hall for the announcement and grimaced as he was asked a question on living up to the standards set by his Ranji team-mates,Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir.

Straightening the handle-bars of his moustache,Dhawan said: “There is no comparison,so no pressure.” Then the smile returned as he answered with some clarity. “Viru paaji and Gautam’s achievements happened over a period of time. It doesn’t happen overnight. Hopefully if we perform well over a period of time,we will be regarded as good as them.” Confident words from a to-be-debutant.

Incredibly,neither inside the press room nor outside on the field were furrowed brows visible over India moving on from their one-of-his-kind and twice triple century-making opener,Sehwag. Maybe this truly was Huxley’s brave new world or maybe,just maybe,the opposition had a role to play in it.

For once,the Aussies’ problems not just outweighed India’s,it made everything else seem trifle.

To better understand the depth of the disaster in Clarke’s dressing room,consider this. In a hypothetical situation,were the experience of 104 Test matches (Sehwag) to just vanish from Australia’s batting order,they would be left with a net worth of just 91 Test matches. As of Wednesday,Clarke has played exactly 91 Tests. Now imagine the equivalent of him walking out to face the wrath of India’s spinners alone. He surely wouldn’t be smiling then.

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