Octozone: Series will be forgettable for India

India have never won a Test series in Australia. The chances are that the wait would continue!

The Test series may be billed as experience versus youth but astrologically it would be India’s fading Superstars versus Australia’s rising stars. Australia may be in the phase of rebuilding but astrologically, India’s dependence on their aging legends would just go against them. Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman, playing together,

isn’t an astrologically favourable pattern anymore as they are past their prime and their stars are on the decline. They may do well and one of them may even go on to help win or draw a Test but their collective output will not help India win the series. The only consolation is that Tendulkar has bright chances to complete his century of centuries. Despite a spate of injuries, Australia will do well with the available resources. Ponting may find form, Warner would do a Sehwag and the young Australian bowlers would clinically sliver through the Indian middle order. Debutant Ed Cowan, Watson and Marsh would only add insult to injury.

On the other hand, the Indian batsmen would squander chances and Dravid and Laxman may not be able to do an encore of their famous Houdini acts against Australia. The Indian spinners would do a decent job but the young Indian fast bowlers would leave a lot to be desired. It would either be a drawn series or end in Australia’s favour.

The One-day series may see a more even contest. But the Aussie skipper would show more gumption and imagination than his more illustrious Indian counterpart. In all, this would be one trip the Indians would want to forget quickly.

—Lobo is a city-based astrologer