In the Spirit of Boxing Day!
(BOXING DAY TEST MATCH BETWEEN AUSTRALIA vs INDIA FROM 26 DECEMBER TO 30 DECEMBER 2014)
By Disha Mashelkar
After a straight two match loss at Adelaide and
Gabba (Australia) it is now a do or die situation for Team India at Melbourne
(to save the series). With the Christmas celebrations on in Australia, it will
be interesting to see the presence of enthusiastic spectators (Boxing Day) and an
array of performance from both the teams. (As Ryan Harris and Joe Burns makes a
place in Australian team and the likelihood of play by Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and
Suresh Raina.)
This test match is important from the Indian fans
perspective as it will decide India’s fate in this ‘Border-Gavaskar’ trophy;
whether India will continue holding it or handing it over to Australia. This
series has always been special to the hearts of every Indian cricket fan as it
has given some resonant records in our favour. To mention a few, Sachin
Tendulkar became the leading run scorer in Test cricket in 2008-09 followed by
his highest runs in test record of completing 15,000 runs mark in 2010-11. India’s
spinner Harbhajan had become the first Indian to take a test match hat-trick in
2000-01 series. From Australia’s side this series remains special as it reminds
us of the fourth wicket partnership of 386 runs in Adelaide which is the
highest in India-Australia series for any wicket piled up in 2011-12 by the
Australia’s ace batsmen Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke. Recently Virat Kohli
became the second test Captain to score 100 in both the innings on the
captaincy debut.
It is now evident that with changing times,
relations between the Indian team players are also taking an unhealthy state. In
the presentation ceremony of the second test match Indian Captain MS Dhoni
mentioned about the last minute call to send Virat Kohli on field who was suffering
an injury and the unfortunate result was open for all to see. Further there
were reports stating there was a war of words between Virat Kohli and Shikhar
Dhawan on which MS Dhoni has sardonically laughed off. Dubious clouds hover on
whether swing bowler Bhuvaneshwar Kumar is fit to play the upcoming test? It’s a
call not taken yet by the Captain. On the other hand it will be interesting to
see the runs showering from the bat of Suresh Raina if he makes a place for
himself in the playing eleven.
A strong Australian team composed of thunderbolt batsmen
like David Warner and Shane Watson, storm of runs could be witnessed at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). In such a whimsical situation, it will be
interesting to watch how hassle free does Indian Cricket team manage to rescue
itself from the Australian aggression.
As the Santa Claus comes to the mesmerizing city of
Melbourne, let’s see which team receives Santa’s gift of ‘victory’ in this
series. In whose champagne glasses will the New Year’s champagne be poured? Only
the end of this test match will reveal.
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