'Aussies Up Against Strongest Batting Opposition'

India managed to do what they could not at the MCG, beat Australia by just being ahead all the time.

There was almost perfect batting condition and somehow the groundsmen have foundthe right mix. It's clear that batsmen are tactically ahead of the bowlers. Bowlers must find a way to be counted. It was agood one-day game at the Gabba for the interest stayed alive till the end.

Brett Lee is having that sort of time in his life. He is still very quick and technically looks fine but he has toreassess the length he has been bowling. He is not landing it in the right areas and batsmen are taking a long toll of him.

There are two ways to go about the issue, either he takes a break, get through a few first class games and get himselfright or fights through this present ordeal. It is a quandary for us selectors.

Brett has so far relied on his pace. He might have struggled in the Tests but his one-day form has been absolutelybrilliant. Until now, that is as Australia have come up against the strongest battingopposition in India in recent memory.

Australia have not faced a batting line up like this for quite some time. These batsmen are backing themselves totake Lee on, there have been dropped catches and missed shies at the stumps and somehow the bowlers are left holding their headsin their hands.

Jason Gillespie is another case in point. He has not been bowling a wrong length, is beating the batsmen and yet itdoes not show in his figures. It would have been different had that early catch been taken, a new batsmen could have come inand faced a brand new ball, just lost a bit of momentum, another edge and the whole game would have changed for the bowler. You sometimes get the feeling there is over-analysisdone on the individuals and games these days.

The Australians have set impossible levels of success in recent years and it is not just possible to do it all thetime. There are periods of levelling down for any team.

The Indians have come down hard on them and not allowed them to settle. They have not been able to carry on their demolitionjob.

Two other Australians bear mention. Damien Martyn and Adam Gilchrist have not found their feet against the Indians.

Gilchrist makes 172 on one day and the Indians get them for nothing the next day. When you are chasing 300, you arelooking to get the best possible start and you are hampered as there is not enough time to settle down.

Martyn is also one who is down in confidence. He is still a very, very good player, you see him hitting shots down theground and suddenly there is a good ball or a good catch and he is out. He is not onthe top of his game but it is not as if he looks out of form. He just needs to hang in there and goods would come for he is a quality player.

Sachin Tendulkar's injury was the talking point at Gabba. In certain conditions you wear rubber soles but on wicketswhich are rolled hard, nearly everyone wears spikes. Some batsmen prefer spikes only in front while others also keep itat the back of their shoes, at the heel. It is just a matter of choice. I hope he gets through it quickly.

I thought V.V.S. Laxman's innings was fantastic. He did not approach his innings any differently and the results showed.He can play one-day cricket if he can maintain his composure He does not have to hit fours and sixes all the time, he needsto give himself a chance.

He, along with Tendulkar and Dravid, kept the innings going nicely. They are becoming difficult forthe bowlers to confront these days.

Among the Indians, Irfan Pathan keeps getting points in my book. He is a wonderful young man who has taken hisopportunity with so much passion. He also has a lot of skills. He played a crucial hand for the victors.

How can we forget another Gavaskar whose name went up the scoreboard on Sunday. Rohan had a fine debut, he played abig role in the field and has an excellent good strong arm. He also bowled his left-arm spinners well, lot better than hisold man.

A son also rises. If he is three quarter as good a bat as his father, he has a good future for he is alreadyahead with the ball to his dad!.

PTI