 |  |
As India and Australia head into the final Test at Adelaide, the visitors can take hope from previous performances at the venue to salvage lost pride, writes Norma Godinho.
Did you follow Australia's showing before the commencement of the ongoing India series? Well, if the answer is no, and you are an Aussie fan, you did not miss much!
The Aussies were all over the place against their trans-Tasman rivals in the series preceding the Indian team's tour. Having thrashed New Zealand by nine wickets in the opening Test in Brisbane, they suffered a severe jolt as the Kiwis extracted sweet revenge in the second Test in Hobart. It was New Zealand's first win on Australian soil in more than two decades and helped them level the series.
Even though Australia went on to retain the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, by virtue of their victory at the Gabba, the defeat in Tasmania was a dampener, considering it came close on the heels of the humiliating loss to South Africa at Newlands, where Michael Clarke's team was dismissed for a paltry 47 in the second innings.
However, a little over a month later, the same Australian squad appears living on some sort of magic potion. With Clarke, Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey hitting form, and the bowlers doing their job with precision, Australia are staking claim to regaining the No 1 Test ranking.
