Two teams, Australia and India, with on-field cricketing issues of their own, play the first game of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26.
We’ll bring you the live scores and commentary of the action throughout the first Test match, with the match starting at 10.30 am AEDT from December 26.
Usually not one to incite controversy, Indian captain MS Dhoni’s ‘this is our best chance in Australia’ line was no show at gamesmanship or pre-tour sledging.
Never since the late 1980s has the Australian side looked this vulnerable at home.
Their 1-3 home defeat in the Ashes an year ago led to the captaincy changing hands but some fans were still disappointed that ageing legends like Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey were not shown the door as a part of their build-up for the future.
Injuries and form have ensured five of those who played the Boxing Day Test last year are no longer a part of the Australian 11. This number, however, could have easily risen to six or seven but Ponting, Hussey and Haddin have been saved the axe. For now that is.
Dave Warner’s debut century, Shaun Marsh’s average of 57 in his first three Test matches and a hundred in the tour game for debutant Ed Cowan gives Australia hope.
Ponting needs a big one under his belt while Hussey will hope to recapture the form that won him the man-of-the-series award in Sri Lanka this year.
This is no McGrath-Gillespie-Kasprowicz-Warne bowling combination but James Pattinson, who has two five-wicket hauls in as many games and in-form Ben Hilfenhaus should ask the right questions of willow-wielders.
In Nathan Lyon they have a spinner who has held his own in his short career so far. It will be a different proposition when he faces up to the Indian batsmen.
Dhoni and his men have their own set of problems.
The misery afflicted from the 4-0 whitewash on their English tour will be at the back of their mind for starters. And then there are fitness woes.
Even before the side had boarded the flight to Australia, India lost two of its pace bowlers to injuries. A third, Ishant Sharma, is battling problems with his ankle which leaves only experienced but physically vulnerable Zaheer Khan and greenhorn Umesh Yadav as the leaders of their attack.
Notoriously slow to begin, captain Dhoni will hope for a better start from the batsmen.
Opener Virender Sehwag has gone 19 innings without a three-figure score. His partner Gautam Gambhir last scored a century 29 innings ago.
Since getting to his 99th international century, Sachin Tendulkar averages 41 in Test match cricket, a drop of around 15 runs an innings from his overall figure. How he copes with the mounting pressure of a 100th international ton could well be one of the deciding factors.
When he is not winning hearts with his excellent speeches, Rahul Dravid has been scoring truckload of runs these days. He was the only Indian batsman who came out unscathed from that ill-fated English tour and his five centuries this year is the best this year by any batsman.
There must be a word about the two coaches, both of whom took over their respective roles this year.
Mickey Arthur’s first four Test matches as coach have resulted in two wins and two losses against former team South Africa and trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand.
It is the defeat to New Zealand at Hobart, the team’s first in Australia against the Kiwis in 25 years, that will hurt.
Duncan Fletcher’s initiation was less severe in the West Indies but the series against his old wards, England would have jolted him back to reality.
India has won the three home series to follow but Fletcher will know that this will be a crucial tour for not only his side but also for his own future.
We will bring you the coverage throughout the game from the Melbourne Cricket Ground and hope to receive your opinions as the action unfolds.
Chris
Guest
I agree - I think the umpiring needs to be reviewed. Australia has consistently copped bad decisions in this match. The Indian team had a not-out for a plumb LBW. Whereas in the 2nd innings the ball was possibly clipping the top edge of off stump and the same umpire raised his hand immediately.
Zac Zavos
Editor
Day two's live blog is here: http://www.theroar.com.au/2011/12/27/australia-vs-india-boxing-day-test-day-two-live-scores-blog/
CJ
Guest
Besides, unless you think the DRS is WORSE than umpires, and definitively at that, it's "just" a money thing, not a laws thing. Don't really want to comment on that. Anyway, the sport is professional. If umpires can't handle dissent ([a difference] in sentiment or opinion", according to a dictionary) professionally, when said difference in sentiment or opinion have been sanctioned by the laws, well... Besides, it's not as if the umpires are striking over the DRS. They have to use it half the time anyway... it's not as though we have to shuffle umpires who refuse to use technology, it's the players.
CJ
Guest
So Hussey cursing after being dismissed isn't dissent?
lolly
Guest
He hasn't bought himself a couple of tests as he wasn't in danger of being dropped this series. They'd dump Huss before him as they dumped Kat before.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Then why dont we go the whole hog, and allow players to dissent from every decision and refer it to the shed for review ? And what if captain thinks the shed gets it wrong - do we wait for the super-slo-mo system to finish processing ?
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Chris, No, it does not. At certain times, the captains can dissent from the umpires ruling on the field, and demand another umpire reviews it. It is legalised dissent. And it *STILL* gets things wrong.
Chris
Guest
Everyone seems to be forgetting (or don't know) that an umpire still makes the decision when the DRS is used. It's just not the on-field umpire. At the end of the day, more correct decisions are arrived at when using the DRS, and that is hard to argue against.
Chris
Guest
Ian, the DRS still means the umpires are in control. Please understand the system before you criticize it. I think we should use every available means to get decisions correct. I hope Haddin goes on to get a century to balance out the Hussey and Cowan errors.
Boo
Guest
Yes, but if bowlers bowl bad bowls, or batters hit bad shots we can't take them back - nor should we. With this new technology, we can, at least, take bad umpire decisions back- so why not use it?
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Then no DRS and Im happy. Regrettably, the money disappears somewhere between the World Cup and the Associates, and this is a matter of expenditures not revenue. Either the umpires are in charge, or they arent. This legalised dissent crap gets on my nerves, and replays dont always get it right either. Hire professional umpires and let them do their jobs.
jamesb
Guest
its not always about revenue Ian. For once can't we look at it as a sport. You can't have a situation where one week we are using DRS, than the following week we're not. You got to make it simple for fans to follow the game. Don't confuse the fans. Once you do that, you'll find it hard getting those fans back. It has to be black and white. DRS or no DRS. ATM its half pregnant. As far as who will give the money to the BCB or WICB, I thought those long drained out world cup tournaments every 4 years was all up about revenue raising and therefore giving revenue not only to BCB and WICB, but others like Kenya, Ireland etc. Not to mention you also have T20 world cups also.
Harry
Guest
Thanks Ian for the response and respect, though disagree, with your point of view opposing the use of the DRS.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Harry, Not in place,. The umpire makes their decision, and we get on with the game. Bowlers will bowl bad balls. Batsmen will make bad shots. Fielders will miss catches they should get. And umpires will make bad calls. This is all part of the game. Oh, and TJ ... even when the match fixing scandals were at their worst, there was not a hint of a rumour of a whisper that any umpire was on the take. Oh, and you mentioned instant replay and the NFL. Vinny Testaverde's helmet broke the plane of the goal line. Not the ball. Replays clearly show this. But on review, the play held.
Harry
Guest
Agree with that. Cowan's determination not to give his wicket away prevented what IMO could have been yet another collapse. Once again the middle order proved fragile. The Ricky of old would have gone on to a century, and Clarke and Haddin always give the bowlers a chance. That said, they should get 300+ and thats about par, any more than 350 a bonus. Though the return of Hilfenhaus does not inspire confidence in Australia's ability to bowl sides out. Anyone know what the weathers going to be like tomorrow?
TJ
Guest
Completely agree. Here are three good reasons; 1) Whether you argue it is 100% or not, it is clearly more accurate than the umpires and by a large percentage as well, if recent tests are evidence. It being clearly more accurate is reason enough. The point of DRS is not about 100% but being more accurate than the umpires. 2) Cricket, whether you like it or not is a professional sport, and the reason cricket exists for the entertainment of the masses is that it has emerged as a professional sport. This means getting the decision right more often than not is critical, because there are careers, prize money, fan's reward for success inc gambling, sponsors success measures all at stake. The old saying of everything evening out is obsolete. Players and players in waiting can have their fate decided by singular bad decisions. See both Hussey and Haddin today potentially. 3) Almost every other professional sport that involves frequest critical game impacting decision making uses it. And each if those sports there has been no debate about it's usefulness nor about whether it is used match to match or any thought of removing it. See Tennis, Union, Rugby League, NFL, NHL, NBA etc.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Jamesb, Who will give the money to the BCB, the WICB and so on to pay for that ?
jamesb
Guest
Geoff its time the ICC puts its foot down and says, "yes all countries will be using the DRS", irrespective what the BCCI board or other boards says. ATM, we have some test matches that has the review system, while others we don't. Its stupid. All for one, or one for all.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Geoff, Look at this link ... even Pakistan fans are argiung if Tanim was called out off the helmet http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?t=142719&page=6 Then harden up, and realise there is a Test match there to be won.
geoff rickarby
Guest
I turned off the set after Hussey's 'dismissal'. I thought that such a huge blunder affecting the course of the whole match was so unnecessary considering 21st Century Cricket prevents it happening. Imagine if this had happened to Sachen Tendulkar, then India would be asking for the fairness of modern technology to be used very quickly. Ifi the cricket boards want us to continue our interest in Test Cricket they need to face this issue directly.