Ricky Ponting returns as Australia’s captain for the fourth and final Test against India in Bombay from Wednesday, determined not to show the beleaguered hosts any mercy.
The tourists have already clinched their first series on Indian soil since 1969 after winning two of the three Tests, which Ponting missed due to a broken thumb.
The Tasmanian, who will take over from stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist for the last Test at the Wankhede stadium in Bombay, will settle for nothing less than a 3-0 scoreline to end the tour in style.
”We have been on the receiving end here a few times, and I think the guys will be keen to finish off the series how we started,” Ponting told reporters on Monday. ”I don’t think our performance will slip.”
Coach John Buchanan, already looking ahead at the home series against New Zealand starting in Brisbane on November 18, was equally keen for a win in Bombay.
”Habits are important, and winning is a habit,” Buchanan said. ”It’s important we finish off well here to go in against New Zealand.”
Ponting will replace the injured Darren Lehmann from the side that crushed India by 342 runs in the third Test at Nagpur last week and wrested back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
While Ponting returns, his counterpart Sourav Ganguly will be sidelined for a second consecutive Test after failing to recover from a groin injury sustained earlier in the series.
”I have not recovered and still can’t run,” the Indian captain said.
Ganguly plans to return home to Calcutta to recuperate, leaving vice-captain Rahul Dravid in charge of a new-look home team likely to see at least four changes for the ”dead” tie.
Opener Akash Chopra will make way for Delhi teammate Gautam Gambhir, while wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel goes out in favour of another 19-year-old, Dinesh Karthick.
Both Gambhir and Karthik are yet to play a Test although they have featured in one-day internationals.
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who missed the Nagpur Test with a viral infection, and left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra are expected to replace Murali Kartik and Ajit Agarkar.
With young all-rounder Irfan Pathan still sidelined with a rib injury, India are in danger of losing 0-3 in a home series for the first time since the West Indies achieved it in 1983.
The firm pitch, prepared by former Test captain Polly Umrigar, will not be as bowler-friendly as the rare greentop in Nagpur, but promises to assist bounce and movement at the start.
That should cheer Australia’s seasoned pace attack of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz, who destroyed India’s batting with 34 wickets in the first three Tests.
The 100-Test veteran McGrath claimed star batsman Sachin Tendulkar as his 450th victim at Nagpur, but Gillespie remains India’s bugbear with 16 wickets in the series, including nine in the third Test.
”A lot has been made of the Indians’ batting during this series,” said McGrath. ”That comes down to one of two things — they are either sadly out of form or we have had the perfect plans against them.
”I tend to think it’s the latter. For every one of their top order, we have worked out a way to bowl to them, a way to set the field, and that has enabled us to get on top.”
India hopes Tendulkar will fire on his home ground after making just 10 runs at Nagpur on his return from a tennis elbow injury, as will Venkatsai Laxman, who has managed just 53 runs in the series. — Sapa-AFP