Preparations key to Aussie success
The Aussies, smarting under the unexpected 1-2 defeat against India in the 2000-01 series, learned their lessons well from that failure.
Notwithstanding the dramatic 13-run defeat suffered in the fourth and final Test at Mumbai on Friday, Australia held a distinctive edge over India right through the high-profile series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The Aussies, smarting under the unexpected 1-2 defeat suffered against India in the 2000-01 series here, learned their lessons well from that failure by planning meticulously to beard the lion in its own lair this time around.
The 2-1 victory achieved by Australia was well-deserved as they looked far better prepared than India whose form had slumped severely since nearly conquering the Kangaroos in their backyard and then recording a historic Test series win in Pakistan.
As was revealed later by stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist, who led the Aussies to the series-clinching triumph in the third Test at Nagpur in the absence of regular captain Ricky Ponting, the planning had started soon after the defeat in the deciding Test at Chennai in the previous series.
Gilchrist said when the team played and won the TVS Cup one-day tournament last season, he and the others were preparing themselves to take on the twin threat of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh for their next visit to this country.
