History says it all. Before Perth, where we last beat Australia in Australia was at Adelaide Oval in 2003. Seven men from the current squad were playing then.
With the final test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy heading to the Adelaide Oval, Gautam Sheth goes down memory lane to relive some moments at the picturesque ground.
History says it all. Before Perth, where we last beat Australia in Australia was at the Adelaide Oval in 2003. Seven men from the current squad were playing then and it was Irfan Pathan's debut too.
All these seven men had given their best to script that historic win. To go by the records, Kumble got a fiver in the first innings.
But it was Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman's first innings special followed by Ajit Agarkar's spell of a life that led to the Australian whipping.
Other players who are a part of the current squad also played made their mark. Sehwag gave India a good start with 47 in both the innings.
Sachin got 2 wickets in the 2nd innings followed by a 37. Sourav didn't contribute much to the game, but his in-your-face captaincy won him critical acclaim.
But it's interesting to note that only three from the Australian playing eleven then are a part of the current squad, namely Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist.
Ponting scored the bulk of the mammoth score of 557 in first innings with a brilliant 242.
The Adelaide Oval pitch is famous for being the place where batsmen make merry. The curator has also said that the pitch will definitely produce a result.
History beckons for a result as the last draw on this ground came in 1993. It was a tantalizing finish between the Proteas and the Kangaroos.
That draw might give India some reason to cheer as the Proteas onslaught was led by Indian coach-elect, Gary Kirsten who scored 77 in first innings and 108 in the second.
But after going through the records, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting stands at the top of the heap scoring maximum number of hundreds (4 centuries and 4 half centuries in 11 matches) by a player at Adelaide Oval.
Coming back to ground zero, India have faced the Australians at Adelaide Oval eight times of which two matches were drawn, five won by Australia and India winning the last encounter.
For both captains, team selection would be an easier-said-than-done job. Team India has a problem at the top of the order with an out-of-touch Jaffer.
For once in the history of Indian cricket, the team's strength lies in its bowling attack than the usual batting thunders. A splendid show of swing bowling by Irfan Pathan and RP Singh with Ishant Sharma bowling his heart out, accommodating Harbhajan Singh in the squad would remain Kumble's biggest fret.
Ponting's headache would have been eased after a fit Hayden back in the squad. In all probability, Shaun Tait would be warming the bench and Brad Hogg will be reinstated to add some variety to their bowling attack.
To end on a nostalgic note, India played it's first ever test in Adelaide Oval on 23rd January, 1948 and exactly 60 years hence, we are playing against the same opposition at the same venue.
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