Indians need to prepare well for Test series now

Its been a bad couple of months for the Indian team but it has to be out in the past and plans must be chalked out for the future, writes Kris Srikanth.

By the team you read this, the Indian team members should be back in their respective homes for a short break before the much-anticipated Test series against the Australians. They should use the enforced break to recoup mentally. Its been a bad couple of months for the Indian team but it has to be out in the past and plans must be chalked out for the future.

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A huge task lies ahead of Sourav Ganguly's men, what with the South Africans set to follow world champions Australia. I was very pleased to learn that a three or four-day encounter is being planned for the Indian team, probably against a Rest of India side. This is a great idea, for having played so many one-day games of late, a longer duration match is very match needed.

I would actually want the Indian board, the selectors and the team's think tank to go beyond a straight match against a Rest of India side. With just one match possible before the first Test starts in Bangalore on October 6, it would be a good idea to have the main Indian batsmen play against the main Indian bowlers. Let Tendulkar (if he is fit) Sehwag, Laxman and company face upto Pathan, Harbhajan and Kumble in a proper match situation, rather than play against the Indian second string.