Australia in India 2001: News and Articles

Sydney, January 31: Leg spinner Stuart MacGill was in doubt for the India tour with his finger injury been diagnosed as chronic. MacGill has been unable to bowl properly due to pain and swelling, but his real test will come on Sunday when Australian selectors may give him a chance to bowl in the one-dayer against Zimbabwe. His medical examination result is expected on Thursday.

Chennai, January 31: Nagpur will be the venue for the Australian team's opening match against Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai from February 17 to 19. The match was originally scheduled to be held in Baroda.

The Australians will arrive in Mumbai on February 15. Cricket board secretary Jaywant Lele told PTI on phone from Baroda that the change had been necessitated due to the earthquake in Gujarat.

“Board president A C Muthiah had cleared the venue this evening,” Lele said.

Asked whether Hyderabad had been in the reckoning for hosting the match, Lele said, "Hyderabad was never in the reckoning."

Lele had told reporters in Bangalore on Tuesday that Nagpur could be the likely venue.

Chennai, January 31: Players who perform well in the Challenger cricket series and the two three-day fixtures against the visiting Australians too have a chance of making it to the Indian Test team, coach John Wright said on Wednesday.

"We all know that Anil Kumble will not be fit for the series. Now we have to think of the talents available and pick the best for the coming matches, as the series against the Australians is a challenging one," he said.

"Myself and captain Saurav Ganguly held discussions with Chandu Borde, chairman, selection committee, on this subject (on Kumble being not available). Seven spinners have been given to us and the best ones will be in the final team," he said.

On the duration of the camp, Wright said "even camps of shorter durataion help players to be together and work out plans and strategies. In fact, we might have another camp after the challenger series is over, before we play the Aussies in the first Test in Mumbai from March 6."

Asked to comment on the presence of a leg spinner among the probables, Wright said, ``it is the job of the selection committee to decide as to who should be in the team.''

Wright, who had watched Indians during the Zimbabwe tour to India last November, said "there has been a lot of improvement in fielding. But, they have to show accuracy and consistency in that department, especially against the strong Australian team.''

He said the accent during the camp would be on fielding and sharpening the players skills to achieve the best results.

Bangalore, January 30: Coach of the Indian cricket team John Wright feels that leggie Anil Kumble's absence will affect the Indian team a lot against Australia in the home series beginning next month. Speaking to the media persons he said, "Kumble's absence would affect a lot".

Kumble was operated upon recently for his shoulder problem and has been advised rest for six months. He will not only skip the matches against Australia but will also miss the Triangular Series in Sharjah.

Wright sensed that though India enjoys a home advantage and has a better record against the Aussies at home, the Steve Waugh-led Aussies, would be a formidable opposition. He said, "Tough cricket is ahead of Indians. We've to work and fight hard. It all depends on how well we take catches."

Sydney, January 30: Australian cricket team may play in an exhibition cricket match to raise money for the survivors of the worst earthquake to hit India.

Steve Waugh, the captain of the national Australian cricket team, is believed to have given his tentative consent for this game that may be organized either in Australia or India, by expatriate Indians in Sydney and other parts of Australia who swung into action to collect donations for the victims of the earthquake, which hit Gujarat Friday killing more than 20,000 people.

More than 2,000 strong expatriate Gujarati community in Sydney has also joined in the efforts to provide relief to the survivors of the earthquake. "We have issued appeals to the Australian community through television and print media to donate the maximum money into the "Gujarat Earthquake Relief Fund." Our first priority is to collect maximum money at the earliest as it can be converted to suit the needs of the earthquake survivors," Hari Gohil, president of the Gujarati Samaj of Australia, said.

Anil Kumble will be missed: Ravi Shastri

Kolkata, January 30: India's chances against Australia in the forthcoming series at home have certainly suffered a major blow in the absence of Anil Kumble, feels Ravi Shastri. "He is the kind of bowler whom many a side would even prefer to Shane Warne, more so under the Indian conditions," said the former Test star.

Speaking on the occasion of a book release in the city, Shastri harped on the effectiveness of a bowler like Kumble on the under-prepared wickets of this sub-continent. The shoulder surgery, recently performed on him at Johannesburg, has ruled the former Indian vice-captain out of the forthcoming series.

Kumble, nevertheless, is expected to be present at the Indian probables' nets in Chennai from January 6-10 to be close to physio Andrew Leipus who would monitor his progress.

"The Australians may be the best team in the world, but then we have got nothing to lose. The young Indian team under Sourav Ganguly has received enough support from all quarters, and I'm sure they would give it a best shot," said Shastri.

The topic of last year being a turbulent one for Indian cricket cropped inevitably, but the former star asked the average Indian fan to keep his chin up. "No individual is bigger than the game, and cricket will only emerge stronger out of this crisis. The last home series against Zimbabwe saw that interest in the game was returning once again, and it was heartening to see so many young fans thronging the stadiums."

However, the scar left will certainly take time to heal, not to speak of the unpleasant fallouts. Otherwise, how does one explain the government's decision of keeping cricketers out of it's official awards like the Padmashree or Arjuna this year?

When pointed out that Sourav Ganguly's name was struck off the list of Padmashree awardees, Shastri minced no words: "It's unfortunate... However, I am sure his turn will come next year again.

Mumbai, January 29: The national selectors today roped in seven spinners, including India discards Venkatapathy Raju and Rahul Sanghvi, and six pacemen in the 25-strong probables list for the conditioning camp at Chennai ahead of the tough three-Test home series against the Australians here on Monday.

The list contains the name of four left-arm spinners - Sunil Joshi, Murali Kartik, Raju and Sanghvi. Off-spinners Sarandeep Singh and Harbhajan Singh have been included as well, along with Tamil Nadu's promising leg spinner D Balaji Rao who has obviously been given a

chance in the absence of Anil Kumble who has been ruled out of action for four months.

Among the seven pacemen who have been chosen are Debashish Mohanty, who took all ten wickets in the South Zone first innings for East Zone recently at Agartala in the Duleep Trophy, Delhi's left-arm paceman, Ashish Nehra who too performed well in the inter-zonal tournament which concluded recently and new face Surinder Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, also a left-arm bowler. Javagal Srinath, Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan and Venkatesh Prasad complete the pace bowlers' list.

Punjab left-handed batsman Dinesh Mongia who was in superb form during the Duleep Trophy event and scored double hundreds against South Zone (201) and Central Zone (208) for North Zone has been a new addition in the batsmen's list.

Nayan Mongia, who has been cleared by the CBI from the match-fixing report, has been recalled to do the wicket-keeper's job and his only other contender for the post is Delhi's Vijay Dahiya who kept wickets during the entire home series of Tests against Zimbabwe recently.

The five selectors, with chairman Chandu Borde heading the team, along with India captain Sourav Ganguly and coach John Wright held a four-hour deliberation at the Mumbai Cricket Association's premises before choosing the camp probables and the 36 players for the Hero Honda N K P Salve Challenger Trophy day/night limited overs tournament to be held at Chennai in between the camp.

The tournament, to be held among India seniors, India A and India B teams which will be led by Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar respectively, is scheduled from February 12 to15 and the camp is to be conducted from February 6-11 and from 16 to 20 at Chennai itself.

Chandu Borde heading the team, cautioned that the selectors had to cast the net far and wide keeping in mind the tough series against the all-conquering Australians.

"It's going to be a challenging series. We are looking out for good spinners. We will be experimenting on the types of wickets to be prepared for the series during the camp and the challenger series. What sort of wickets will have to be prepared will be decided in Chennai in consultation with Ganguly and Wright. The matches will be watched by the selectors", he said.

Asked about the selection of Srinath, who has stopped playing the limited overs game at the international level, Borde said "we thought he should be there in the challenger series. Let's see (whether he will play or not)".

Board secretary Jaywant Lele said that the India A team to take on the Aussies in the tour opener which is scheduled from February 17-19 will be selected on the first or second day of the camp and the squad for the first Test (at Mumbai from February 27) will be picked during the tourists' tour opener. "The venue of the match has been shifted away from Baroda because of the severe earthquake which hit the entire Gujarat state. The venue of the tie will be either Nagpur or Hyderabad", he added.

The camp probables are as follows: Saurav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Shib Sunder Das, Sadagopan Ramesh, V V S Laxman, Dinesh Mongia, Hemang Badani, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar, Debashish Mohanty, Ashish Nehra, Venkatesh Prasad, Surinder Singh, Nayan Mongia, Vijay Dahiya, Rahul Sanghvi, Murali Kartik, D Balaji Rao, Sarandeep Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Venkatapathy Raju, Sunil Joshi and Mohd Kaif.

India seniors: S Ganguly (capt.), S S Das, Yuvraj Singh, H Badani, V V S Laxman, V Sehwag, V Dahiya (wk), A Kapoor, D Mohanty, J Srinath, Zaheer Khan and S Joshi.

India A: R Dravid (capt.), S Ramesh, S Sriram, J Martin, R S Sodhi, H Kanitkar, N Mongia (wk), B K V Prasad, A Agarkar, I Siddiqui, R Sanghvi and D Balaji Rao.

India B: S R Tendulkar (capt.), J P Yadav, M Kaif, D Mongia, Robin Singh, A Khurasia, Sukhwinder Singh, N Chopra, Rakesh Patel, Surider Singh, D Ganesh and V Rathour (wk).

BCCI revises itinerary for Australia tour

Kolkata, January, 29: - India's cricket board has swapped the venues for the second and third cricket tests in an India-Australia series scheduled to take place in March, officials said on Sunday.

Calcutta, which was scheduled to host the third test, will now be the venue for the second test from March 11 to 15, an official at the Cricket Association of Bengal said. He said the Board of Control for Cricket in India agreed to a CAB request for the unexplained change.

The third test on March 18-22 will be held in Chennai, which was to host the second test, said the official, speaking on customary condition of anonymity.

The CAB official said authorities are preparing stringent security measures inside and outside the venue of the Calcutta test, which had witnessed widespread violence in the stands during the 1996 World Cup semifinal match between India and Pakistan.

Chennai, January 26: Former Australian great Dennis Lillee on Friday cautioned India to bear in mind the absence of Anil Kumble while preparing pitches for the coming three Tests series against Australia as they could fall victims to Shane Warne instead.

The Australians are on high, said Lille who watched them walk out on the field, and their approach to bowling, batting and fielding. “The Australians are on a high.”

“It is hard to beat them and they are coming at full steam to win the series in India". Lille added.

Explaining how the absence of Kumble, recovering from a shoulder surgery, would be felt by the Indians, Lillee said Sharne Warne was back in his element after a lay-off due to injury, and with Colin Miller and Stuart MacGill, they would form the spin attack.

If the BCCI is going to prepare turning wickets, they should remember Kumble's absence, he said, adding in the case of flat wickets "the Australians will be more successful than the Indians".

The Australians arrive in Mumbai on February 14 and play a three-day match against the Board President's XI in Baroda, before taking on the Indians in the first Test in Mumbai from February 18

Melbourne, January 25: Mark Waugh will be available to play for Australia tomorrow against the West Indies after he agreed today to meet with anti-corruption investigators next month.

Australian Cricket Board investigator Greg Melick and the International Cricket Council's Anti Corruption Unit want to talk to Waugh about allegations by illegal Indian bookmaker Mukesh Gupta, including one that he paid the Test batsman $US20, 000 for information during a 1993 tournament in Hong Kong.

ACB chief executive Malcolm Speed said a meeting would be held next week to set out the protocol for the interview.

"We can't dictate to the investigators how they go about their business," said Speed.

"They are independent and have a job to do and the fewer fences around them the better."

After his manager issued a statement on Monday saying he would not talk, Waugh backed down today following Speed's ultimatum yesterday that he would be dropped from the Australian team if he didn't agree to be interviewed.

Speed said the ACB had gone beyond its duty by complying with Waugh's request for information on what the investigators would ask him.

Waugh's manager Leo Karis said Waugh had always been willing to talk to the investigators if he was supplied with information on what they wanted to discuss.

However, on Thursday morning, Mark Waugh’s manager Leo Karis said that Mark Waugh will talk to investigators probing cricket's match fixing and illegal betting scandal.

A letter was faxed to Australian Cricket Board (ACB) chief executive Malcolm Speed on Thursday morning confirming Waugh’s reconsideration to be interviewed.

Karis said Waugh's lawyer, Raff Pisano, would discuss the timing of the interview with ACB officials to set a time and place for the interview.

He also said Waugh had always been willing to talk to the investigative team, headed by Britain's Sir Paul Condon, if he was supplied with an agenda for the interview.

Speed said he received a call from Waugh's solicitor early this morning giving an undertaking that he would attend an interview with the investigators next month.

Waugh, who has denied the allegations, trained with the team in Adelaide this morning for tomorrow's one-dayer after missing yesterday's session to hold meetings with his solicitors.

Melbourne, January 24: The Australian Cricket Board said on Wednesday that Mark Waugh will be omitted from the Australian team if he does not reconsider within 24 hours his decision to refuse to be interviewed by anti-corruption investigators.

ACB chief executive Malcolm Speed announced the board of directors had met via telephone hookup to discuss the Waugh issue.

Mark Waugh's lawyer’s announced two days ago he would refuse to meet with ACB special investigator Greg Melick and the International Cricket Council anti-corruption unit following an Indian police report last October which looked into allegations of match-fixing.

Waugh was named in that report and was alleged to have received $20,000 from an Indian bookmaker in return for team information.

"I have written to Mark on behalf of the directors, asking him to reconsider his position," Speed said. "The board implores Mark Waugh to change his view and submit to the interview process."

"It's disappointing that we've got to this stage and weren't able to resolve another way. There has been no suggestion of court action, but it's not something that phases us." Speed said.

Waugh has Thursday as a deadline to give a written undertaking to the ACB that he would submit to the interview, planned for early next month in Sydney.

Speed said the board's primary responsibility was to preserve the integrity of the game.

Steve Waugh, Mark’s twin brother and the Australian captain, said he had not spoken to his brother since Mark made the announcement but he left a message on Mark’s phone.

"We haven't had a chance to talk," Steve Waugh said. "At some stage we will, but he probably feels like keeping to himself at this stage."

"No one else knows what's going on behind the scenes or what's occurring," Steve Waugh said.

"People have all got opinions about it but I think I'll keep mine to myself.” He added.

"It's a tough situation at the moment and Mark's obviously being guided by his lawyers and hoping he's going in the right direction."

Steve Waugh said it was up to Mark to make a decision on whether to speak to the investigators.

Mumbai, January 25: BCCI on Wednesday clarified that Mumbai would play the touring Australians at the Brabourne stadium and not Baroda as was reported earlier.

Australians, who arrive in Mumbai on February 14, will travel to Baroda to play their opener against India ‘A' from February 17-19. They play Mumbai from Feb. 22-24 and then play the first Test from February 28 at the Wankhede Stadium.

Former West Indian Test star Cammie Smith is the International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee for the series.

Meanwhile, the list of umpires for the tour games has been finalized and it is as follows

February 17-19:	Aussies vs. Baroda - Dr B.K.Sadashiv and S.V.Ramani.
February 22-24 :	Aussies vs. Mumbai at Brabourne - Ashok Saheba and Dr M.S.Mahal.
February 28- March 3:	First Test S.Venkatraghavan and ICC umpire Third umpire(III) Narendra Menon Fourth umpire (IV) Vinit Gupte
March 6-8:	Aussies vs. Board President's XI Delhi--Sanjeeva Rao and Subroto Banerjee.
March 11-15:	Second Test Chennai: A.V. Jayaprakash and ICC umpire.(III)C.R. Vijayaraghavan, (IV) T.R. Kashyappan.
March 18-22:	Third Test Kolkatta- S.K. Bansal and ICC umpire. (III) C.R.Vijayaraghavan and T.R.Kashyappan.

First ODI:	March 25, Bangalore: S.K. Sharma and Devendra Sharma (III) K.G. Lakshminarayan, (IV) Ravi Subramanian.
Second ODI:	March 28, Pune: I. Sivaram and S.C. Gupta. (III) C.R.Mohite, (IV) R.Y. Deshmukh.
Third ODI:	March 31, Indore: Vijay Chopra and K.Hariharan (III) Suhas Phadkar (IV) K.S. Giridharan.
Fourth ODI:	April 3, Vizag: G.A. Pratapkumar and Shavir Tarapore. (III) A. Bhattacharjee, (IV) Dr K.N. Raghavan.
Fifth ODI:	April 6, Goa: S.K. Porel and Francis Gomes (III), K.Murali (IV) K.R. Shankar.

Chennai, January 23: The National Selection Committee will meet in Mumbai on January 29 to pick the three teams for the Challenger Trophy series -India Senior, India A and India B, to be played in Chennai from February 12 to 15 and also the probables for the training camp for the Indian team to play against Australia.

BCCI Secretary Jaywant Lele said from Baroda that the camp would be held in Chennai from February 6 instead of February 5 since the South Zone players may stop over for a day in Bangalore on the way from the Duleep Trophy match in Margao.

Asked as to how a five-day camp would help the players, he said "It is more to study the fitness of the players and giving them a chance to be together before they plunge into a difficult series against the Australians, who will try to win their first series on Indian soil in more than three decades."

The team to play against the Australians would be chosen after the Challenger Series is complete on February 15. The selected players may undergo a three-day camp and also play a match before they regroup in Mumbai on February 24 for the First Test against the Australians.

Karachi, January 22: Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan said on Monday Australia's overall talent made them favourites in the upcoming Test series against India.

"Australians play with an attacking mindset and have all-round abilities which make them favourites in India," Khan said.

"They have an all-round bowling attack; their fast bowlers are excellent backed up with spin bowlers."

However, Khan further stated that Steve Waugh's all-conquering side could not be compared to the greatest Test teams ever.

"I don't agree they are the all-time greatest side. My all-time great side was the West Indies under Clive Lloyd who had a battery of match winning bowlers," he said.

Australia plays three Tests and five one-day internationals in India starting from February 17. (Gavaskar Border Trophy).

“Australia have won a record 15 Tests in a row, mostly against weaker sides at home, and Waugh has said he is willing to put the team's reputation on the line in India. “ he said.

"Pakistan and South Africa are two teams who can catch them anytime," Khan added.

Cricketer turned politician Khan further stated: ” Steve Waugh has instilled a confidence in the team and any new player breaking into the Aussie side is brimming with confidence and knows he is playing for world champions,”

New Delhi, January 21: BCCI has finally decided on the venues to host the five one-day Internationals and three Tests for the Australia's tour to India next month.

The five one-day Internationals will be held in Bangalore (March 25), Pune (March 28), Indore (March 31), Vishakapatnam (April 3) and Goa (April 6), while the Test matches will be played in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The three tour matches will be held at Baroda, Mumbai and Delhi.

The panel of umpires for the forthcoming series have also been announced by the joint secretary Jyoti Bajpai after the umpires committee meeting.

Bajpai announced that S Venkatraghavan, AV Jayaprakash and SK Bansal will be the three home umpires for the Test series and will stand in the three Test matches in that order with a colleague from the National Grid panel of umpires.

The new rotation policy of the board has annoyed some of the cricket associations of the country. Like the Assam Cricket Association was suppose to host a match as per the earlier rotation schedule, but after being left out, they have lodged a complain for being robbed on an International.

The following is the detailed schedule of the Aussies' tour to India starting next month:

Australians arrive at Mumbai on February 14 and play their first game, against India A at Baroda from February 17 to 19.

The second tour game follows, against Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) from February 22 to 24.

The third and final first-class game, against Board President's XI will be played at Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi from March 6 to 8.

Test venues and umpires:

Ricky Ponting says Australia has full focus on India’s tour

Melbourne, January 20: Australia might have three weeks of a limited overs series to negotiate but their focus was already on next month's Indian tour, vice-captain Ricky Ponting said at a fitness training session in Melbourne on Friday.

"It's a really big tour, something we've spoken about right through this summer is making sure we get ourselves prepared for India," Ponting said of the three-test tour.

"We know how big a series it's going to be and we know how big a series the Ashes in England is going to be as well."

Star leg-spinner Shane Warne left the training session early with a knee complaint but is expected to play in Sunday's match against Zimbabwe.

During the session coaching staff videotaped the running styles of the Australian squad to help with developing their speed and power.

The first test against India starts on February 27 in Mumbai and the tour finishes in early April. Australia have not won a series in India since Bill Lawry's side scored a 3-1 victory in 1969.

Johannesburg, Jan 18: Recovering from a successful shoulder surgery that will keep him out of cricket for at least four months, ace leg-spinner Anil Kumble on Thursday regretted that he would be missing the important series against Australia.

"The problem has come at a bad time," Kumble said referring to the Australian cricket team's tour of India beginning next month.

He said recovery would be a gradual process and it would take him four to six months to be fully fit. He would be in South Africa for two weeks.

Asked when the shoulder trouble started, Kumble said the niggling problem had been there for a long time but it had flared up during the ICC Knock-out tournament in Nairobi and then at Sharjah during the tri-nation series.

Expressing his satisfaction over the surgery Kumble said that he was very keen and raring to get back on the cricket field.

Mumbai, January 16: Indian cricket coach John Wright on Tuesday said the team would sourly miss the services of leg-spinner Anil Kumble, who is to undergo shoulder surgery in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

"It's a pity that leg spinner Anil Kumble will not be available for the home series against Australia, starting in February," Wright said.

After a meeting with the cricket board officials, Wright said that he had been informed about the operation to be conducted on Kumble's right shoulder.

"It would have been nice to have everyone fit against the Australians and my first priority during the one-week camp to be held at Chennai from February 5 to 10 would be towards physical fitness," he added.

Predicting a tough series for India, Wright said he would also give importance to catching, fielding and running between the wickets.

"We (Indians) have enormous talent and with a little more discipline the team can be moulded into a winning combination," he added.

Sydney, January 14: - Australia is considering fielding only one spinner in the forthcoming three-Test series in India, despite the sub-continental wickets having a tradition of favoring spin. This may happen if skipper Steve Waugh remains convinced that he can beat the Indians with his pace trio of Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie.

"If Steve Waugh is convinced that he can beat the Indians with his trident of paceman McGrath, Lee and Gillespie, Australia might opt for only one spinner," national selector Allan Border has said.

The coming series is crucial for Australia on two counts - first they have not beaten India in the sub-continent since 1969 and secondly Waugh feels that the all-conquering Aussies could claim to be the all-time great team only if they win against India in India.

But according to media reports, Border feels there is a good chance of beating the Indians in India this time. "We have firepower across the board with spin bowlers and quickies. Our batsmen have all been to the Indian sub-continent quite a few times in recent years so they are a little more au fait with living conditions, the lifestyle and the culture shock and then the cricket conditions as well. I reckon this is a real big chance for us," Border said.

As the selection process gets underway, Border said: "Depending on what Steve Waugh reckons, we might get down to taking only one spinner in the Tests if he thinks we are better off attacking them with pace.

"However, logic says we will take three spinners to the haven of spinners that is India". Leg-spinner Stuart MacGill, spin wizard Shane Warne and off-spinner Colin Miller, are the front runners for the spin bowling slot in the Australian team.

Waugh's confidence in his fast bowlers is propelled by Clive Lloyd's West Indian victory in the sub-continent. The Aussies are expecting turning wickets in India.

Border said: "If need be we will take 15 players. As far as the balance is concerned, if we looked at 14 and it meant a very good player would miss out, we would send 15. Let's have the right players there". It is going to be a tough selection meeting, Border contended.

Indore, January 14: -ICC match referee and former Sri Lankan cricket captain, Ranjan Madugalle, will visit Indore on Monday to inspect the local Nehru Stadium, according to the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association.

The visit would be important in view of the fact that on January 22 a detailed itinerary of Australia's tour of India would be announced by the BCCI, the MPCA said.

If Madugalle submits a favourable report, then Indore might get a chance to host one of the matches to be played between India and Australia. Along with Madugalle, Board observer and former India skipper Polly Umrigar too will visit Indore.

Sources said that during his last visit, Umrigar was satisfied with the pitch condition at the Nehru Stadium. MPCA president Madhavrao Scindia is also arriving here Sunday to chair the meeting of MPCA in this regard, sources added.

It may be recalled that it was the same ground and pitch where a one-day international between India and Lanka was abandoned here on Christmas Day in 1997.

New Delhi, January 9: Australia's cricket tour of India will go ahead as scheduled next month after the hosts agreed to revert to the original itinerary. The Australians were upset that India wanted to cancel a three-day match so that the tour did not clash with the Sharjah tri-series between India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka from April 4.

Sharjah organisers have now agreed to postpone the tri-series by four days, making way for the Australians to complete the Indian tour by the originally agreed date of April 6.

Jayawant Lele, secretary of the BCCI announced that the Australian tour program would be formally unveiled in New Delhi on January 22. However, it is believed that the tourists, who arrive on February 14, will play two three-day matches at Baroda (Feb 17-19) and Bombay (Feb 22-24) before the first Test starts in Bombay on February 27.

Another three-day match at New Delhi from March 6-8 will be followed by back-to-back Tests at Madras (March 11-15) and Calcutta (March 18-22).

There will also be five one-day internationals at various canters across India before the tour ends on April 6.

Lele has asked ACB to send its chief executive Malcolm Speed to India this week to sort out the itinerary.

New Delhi, January 8: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has changed the itinerary (relating to the much awaited Australian tour) drawn up six months ago to accommodate a limited-overs tri-series to be played at Sharjah in the first week of April by canceling a three-day match ahead of the first Test (against Australia) to ensure that the Australian tour ends by April 2.

India agreed to take part in the Sharjah tournament from April 4 even though the Australian tour was due to end only on April 6 with the fifth one-day international at Bangalore.

Caught in a puddle, the BCCI decided to reschedule the whole itinerary but this move has drawn loud protests from the Australian Cricket Board (ACB). "After agreeing to the tour six months ago, the Indian board has changed it unilaterally," the Hindu newspaper quoted ACB chief executive Malcolm Speed as saying.

"It's not acceptable to the Australian Board," Speed said, adding he was willing to fly to India this week to sort the problem.

BCCI secretary Jayawant Lele said a final itinerary would be announced on January 22, just three weeks before the Australians land on February 14.

"There is no problem, everything will be sorted out," Lele said, refusing to concede the BCCI erred in agreeing to play the Sharjah tournament before the Australian tour ended.

BCCI sources said Sharjah organisers might be persuaded to postpone the tri-series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka by a few days if the Australians refused to accept a changed itinerary.

Australia is due to play three Tests and five one-dayers during the Indian tour, which captain Waugh considers the ultimate test of his world-beating team as Australia have not won a Test series in India since last 31 years.

Perth, January 8: Recovered from a finger injury, Australia’s best leg-spinner revealed that he aimed to snap 34 wickets during the three Tests against India and five in England later in the year to add to his 366 (average 25.97) which makes him Australia's biggest wicket-taker.

Shane Warne, who is back to his best after two months, has set himself two targets -- a bagful of wickets during the India tour starting next month and an aggregate of 400 Test victims by the start of next Australian summer.

In a headline-making return to first-class ranks he captured 9-102, kicking Victoria home to an outright win by 77 runs. "My bowling is back to its best," said Warne.

"In the three one-day matches against South Africa in Melbourne in August, I bowled as well as I have done for a long, long time. That's why I was so disappointed to get the finger injury.

"My comeback game has been encouraging, and I think the future is going to hold some good stuff. I'm on the verge of maybe getting some of the golden years back because I've been working on the basics.

Warne is yet to be named in the Australian side for India, but he can make himself certain of leaving Australia February 13 with Steve Waugh's all-conquering side by performing well in a triangular one-day series with the West Indies and Zimbabwe starting Thursday.

Only five bowlers have topped 400 Test wickets in the 124 years since Tests began and West Indies fast-medium veteran Courtney Walsh heads the honor board, with 494.

The 38-year-old is followed by India's Kapil Dev (434), New Zealand’s Richard Hadlee (431), Pakistan's Wasim Akram and West Indies Curtly Ambrose (405).

Sydney, January 9: In regard to the forth-coming tour of India next month, the Aussie skipper, Steve Waugh has advised his teammates to stay calm and composed and appreciate India's 'idiosyncrasies'.

Waugh warned that India had some quality players and if they (Indians) were to be beaten, they would have to play real good cricket. He also spoke about the noisy crowds of India and the wickets being different, adding that the conditions would be tough for fast bowlers on the slow wickets there.

He expressed his confidence with McGrath and Gillespie representing potentially the most lethal Aussie pace attack to tour the sub-continent, "If we can get a lot of reverse swing, it should work in our favour", Waugh said.

"If we don't perform well in India, possibly we are not as good as these other sides that have won in the other eras," he added.

Australia, who haven't won a series in India since the 3-1 triumph by Bill Lawry's side in 1969-70, are to play three Test and five one-dayer series beginning next month.

Sydney, January 7: Steve Waugh wants to put Australia's record 15 Test wins on the line when the team undertakes the great challenge of winning in India from next month.

The Australians, unofficial world champions, have not won a series in India since Bill Lawry's tourists' 3-1 success in 1969-70 in four subsequent tours and Waugh sees success in India as the final part of the jigsaw.

Australia have beaten Zimbabwe (away), Pakistan (home), India (home), New Zealand (away) and the West Indies (home), but view India and their sapping dry pitches as one of cricket's ultimate tests.

"We haven't won there for a long time and I know we have the side to win there, it's just a matter of attitude and enjoying the culture, the people and the surroundings over there," Waugh said in the wake of Australia's 5-0 series clean sweep over the West Indies here Saturday.

"That will be crucial to how we perform over there, whether we enjoy ourselves and open up to the things around us, obviously it's different to Australia, but I believe we're going to do that”.

"We're a pretty mature side, we have of a lot of experience and there are a lot of level heads in the side, so we're going over there to give it our best shot."

Waugh said with Australia's battery of pace bowlers and spinners, the tourists will have options against the Indians.

"I'm not too worried if the wicket's going to turn or whatever they do, we have to go over there and play positive cricket and believe we can win on any surface, in any conditions, whether it's hot, humid, and uncomfortable and block it out of our minds, this is a great challenge for us.

"I think we're good enough and I think it's fair enough for people to judge us on the next tour.

"I am willing to put that on the line. If we're don't perform over there, then possibly we're not as good as these other sides that have won in eras."

Dubai, January 7: The Indian cricket team will reach Sharjah on schedule before April 4 for the tri-nation series involving Pakistan and Sri Lanka and to make that possible Board President's XI match against Australia in Kochi may be cancelled.

India is to play against the visiting Australians till April 6, which will clash with the dates of the Sharjah match that begins on April 4.

As the Aussies are not willing to cancel the warm up matches, the Kochi tie may be given up, the source said.

It is believed that efforts are on to cancel this match, which was scheduled from March 6 to 8 after the first Test (against Australia). Suggestions to reduce the number of one-day matches have been rejected by some of the hosting states.

New Delhi, January 4: India's leading spinner Anil Kumble could miss the upcoming home series against Australia because of a troublesome shoulder injury.

Kumble, who has been out of International cricket since April, said he was leaving for South Africa this week to consult noted orthopedic surgeon Mark Fergusson in Johannesburg.

"I am going there to undergo physiotherapy," he said. "But if the doctor suggests orthoscopic surgery, so be it. I will know my situation by January 15 and will keep the Indian board informed."

If Kumble undergoes surgery, he could be out of action for at least three months, ruling him out of the Australian series, which starts in the last week of February.

Australia are scheduled to play three Tests and a limited overs series during the seven-week tour.

Kumble, who developed pain in his right shoulder during the Sharjah tri-series in April, missed the Asia Cup in Bangladesh, the ICC Knockout series in Kenya and the recent home Tests against Zimbabwe.

Sydney, January 1: Shane Warne faces a tough fight to win a place in Australia's squad for next month's tour of India after his spinning rivals were lined up for another crack at the West Indies in the fifth and final Test, which starts here on Tuesday.

Colin Miller and Stuart MacGill were both included in the Australian team that will attempt to clinch an unprecedented 5-0 series clean sweep.

After inspecting a grassless wicket at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the selectors relegated paceman Andrew Bichel to 12th man even though he took a five-wicket haul in last week's fourth Test in Melbourne.

While Miller and MacGill were preparing to present their final case for selection for India, Warne was told he would not walk back into the Test team when he recovered from a broken finger.

Warne takes his first step back from injury Tuesday when he plays a one-day match for Victoria against Western Australia at the WACA Ground in Perth.

"It's up to him," Australian skipper Steve Waugh said. "He's got to get in there and do the hard work, take some wickets and get some bowling under his belt.

"The guys in the side are playing well and it's up to Warney to get his form and wickets in order and get ready for selection.

"Shane Warne has got 360-odd wickets under his belt, so that's got to help him, but he's got to get in there and put the form on the board as well”, he added.

"He hasn't played a lot recently, so it's given the other guys an opportunity to show what they can do and it really will depend on who wants the spot the most."

Miller has cashed in on Warne's absence, becoming Australia's first-choice spinner when he kept MacGill out of the fourth Test.

But MacGill has the chance to fight back on his home track this week after selectors made the difficult decision to omit Bichel after his great form at the MCG.

MacGill took 12-107 in his last Test in Sydney two years ago and a similar return would make it hard for selectors to overlook him on the turning tracks in India.

The battle between the slow men looms as one of the most intriguing in Australian cricket in recent years. But Australian selectors have not shied away from tough decisions, tinkering with the bowling attack this summer despite watching Waugh's team build a world-record winning streak which is expected to stretch to 15 matches in Sydney.

"It doesn't matter what team we put on the park - we've shown that in the last couple of Tests when we've had injuries," Waugh said.

The West Indies have had just three days to get over the 352-run thrashing in Melbourne but captain Jimmy Adams believes his team could win in Sydney.

The tourists will have the extra motivation to play well for veteran Courtney Walsh, who will play the last of his 25 Test matches in Australia.

"It's been a tough month I will admit. But you keep moving forward and looking forward," Adams said Monday.

"Tomorrow is another tough day of international cricket. I haven't had that much to smile about but there's still a smile there. Don't worry."