INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
INDORE: The Holkar Stadium pitch is bald as a cue ball at the extremities, and on this day there are two rather odd-looking rectangular
There is some grass apparent through the middle, and on this sweltering Sunday afternoon, unexpected heat for this time of year, there is
The surface is being preened and polished for the big occasion, the third Test between India and Australia starting from Wednesday
There is a veritable army of ground staff fussing and fretting over their latest creation
Just a few feet away, India coach Rahul Dravid adopts a no-interference policy
Instead his eyes are focused on the struggling KL Rahul, who has decided to have an extensive nets session
this is all hoodoo, intended to conjure up instant fear
It is becoming increasingly exasperating for visiting batsmen to read these pitches, the varying properties of the soil from one venue to
another, the extent of turn and wear
these supposedly undercooked pitches have failed to serve up the expected diet of poisonous turn and toxic natural variation, they have
the turn of events in the previous Test of this series at the Ferozeshah Kotla, where Australia imploded from a position of strength on the
mastery of spin-friendly home conditions now stretching back a decade
The mastery of the bowlers has meant the top order has often had to sacrifice its hunger for big, easy home runs in the quest for victory
Leading 2-0 in this fourgame series heading into Indore, India have won 15 consecutive home series in a streak stretching back to February
Just how good have India been? The great Australian teams of the 90s won 10 series in succession between Nov 1994 to Jan 2001, and again 10
in succession the following decade between July 2004 and December 2008
Since the start of 2013, India have won 81.82% of their home games, or 36 out of 44 played
In 2019, India became the first team in Test history to notch up 4 successive wins by an innings
Of the 16 (out of 18) Tests India have won at home since 2018, they have won 2 inside 2 days, 9 inside 3 days, 4 in 4 days and only 1 in the
full 5 days.Does this mean Steve Smith and Co
cannot win in Indore, or even stretch the game the distance? Certainly not
After all, they did have their moments in Delhi
However, they are up against a formidable attack which knows how to intelligently exploit home conditions
It is quite a challenge the Aussies must now embrace
