Australia captain Ricky Ponting has done some extra homework on Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh ahead of the fourth Test at the Adelaide Oval, starting on Thursday.
Harbhajan was dropped by India for their third Test win, but expectations of a spin-friendly wicket are likely to see him return to resume his duel with Ponting.
Ponting has fallen to his Indian nemesis eight times in as many Tests, and was dismissed by the off-spinner three times in the first two Tests of the series.
With just 128 runs at 21,33 in the series, Ponting has been well below his prolific best and said he realised he needed to counter the hold Harbhajan appeared to have over him.
”I’ve analysed things a little bit,” he said.
”I’m not a huge analyst of things that have happened in the past but I’ll sit down — well I have already this week — with the likelihood of him coming back in, and just have a think about how I’m going to play him.
”I think a couple of times this series he got me out either first or second ball … so I haven’t really had a chance to try to impose myself on him too much there.”
India captain Anil Kumble conceded that his team’s ability to contain Ponting had been a big factor in the series thus far.
Although Harbhajan had the early ascendancy over Ponting, the Australian was also troubled by young paceman Ishant Sharma in the third Test and fell to him in both innings.
Kumble said he didn’t mind who dismissed Ponting, as long as the trend of low scores by the Tasmanian continued.
”As long we keep doing that, it doesn’t matter who the bowler is, if he can get Ricky out quickly that will be great for us.
”He’s definitely a key batsman for the Aussies and as long as we can keep that going for the next two innings, I’ll be really happy.
”It doesn’t really matter if it is Ishant, or Harbhajan, or myself, or RP Singh, or Irfan Pathan.
”It is important we get him out early.” — Sapa-AFP