Great wars recalled in India

The great thing about the India and Australia series is that it will be cricket at its best whereas the down-point is the injury to Sachin Tendulkar, writes Richie Benaud.

The great thing about this forthcoming series between India and Australia is that it will be part of the best 17 months' cricket I have seen in the past 50 years. I won't be there, on the spot, but I will see just about every ball on television and I am anticipating some great entertainment.

The down-point, and it is a real down-point, is the injury to Sachin Tendulkar, one of the greatest batsmen the world has seen and a wonderful competitor whose absence from any team is only likely to make the captain's heart-rate start thumping. Tennis elbow, which never assails Roger Federer, housemaid's elbow which has never struck me down bowling leg-spinners, has this tournament in something of a tizz.

When India played in Australia in 2003-04 the cricket was as good as you could get. Australia scrambled and clawed and fought their way to a drawn series to provide a fitting farewell for Stephen Waugh, but it was the quality of the games that so captivated me. Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Tendulkar were three of the stars, though Tendulkar not all of the time. In the final Test in Sydney his double-century fell slightly short of his usual class but it was right up with the usual courage and sheer guts he shows, even when not always hitting the ball with the middle of the bat.

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