— Photo: S. Subramanium

BIG BLOW: India's Yuvraj Singh is in obvious pain, having pulled a calf muscle during a game of kho-kho during the practice session on the eve of the match between India and Australia.

MOHALI : Like a true leader, Rahul Dravid comes up with brave defence everytime his team is savaged on the field. "We are trying. We are just one game away from finding the rhythm. We have the potential; be patient."

That's fine; but the interesting question is when would Dravid and his team get down to the business of playing good cricket? It has been a long time indeed.

Dravid did confess that the team was not playing good cricket. "I have not said we are playing good cricket at the moment. I have constantly said that batsmen need to start performing. In fact, I will look silly if I say that we have been playing well over the last ten matches or so."

On the eve of the important Champions Trophy game against Australia here, the famed Indian batting line-up faces a severe test. "We need performances, not miracles," said the India skipper, himself under pressure to execute, his 49 against the West Indies at Ahmedabad in a losing cause notwithstanding.

Lean batting patch

The lean collective batting patch has lasted too long. "We are working hard at the `nets.' It is a critical moment and we need to put up our hand and be counted," Dravid said with the composure that marks his character.

A lashing for some players from coach Greg Chappell in public did not go down well with Dravid, who rightly termed it a "private conversation" that should have remained private. In his view, it was "taken out of context by the media. People have assumed lot of things. It only reflects the time that we live in."

True, but it also shows the mindset of the Indian team management, grappling with challenges that keep growing. The unsettled batting line-up must have surely engaged the attention of the selectors but the moot point is whether they are convinced of some of the moves or the time has come for them to intervene actively.

"Irfan (Pathan) at No. 3 was essentially to make use of the field restrictions with his array of shots. Without exception, everyone has to deliver, why pick on individuals. What can you do if the batsmen are not clicking. I know they are trying and in any case there are no exceptional replacements at the moment," said a defensive National selection committee chairman Dilip Vengsarkar.

Chance for Mongia

The message is clear. Perform or make way. A pity, the team ran into problems this morning when Yuvraj Singh hurt his calf muscle during training to be ruled out for four weeks. Looking at the brittle middle-order, the chances of Dinesh Mongia walking out at No. 3 appeared certain. In any case, this is his home turf and he should be confident of doing well.

One thing is certain, the pitch for Sunday's game, with grass being shaved off, will not even remotely be looking like the one on which Pakistan and South Africa played on Friday. The situation it is in, the team would prefer playing with seven batsmen.

The Indians have at last realised the importance of not throwing wickets away in search of quick runs at the start. Vengsarkar knows the value of the best man at the No. 3 in a bid to steady the ship and he must have something to share with not only the team management but also the players.

Luckily for India, its resurgence script has Australian inputs. The Australians do not look all that invincible and that should give the Indians some heart. The Aussies have had their share of worries and skipper Ricky Ponting was honest to admit "We are desperate to win the Champions Trophy but that is not the only motivation."

The teams (from):

India: Rahul Dravid (capt.), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Mongia, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, M.S. Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Munaf Patel, S. Sreesanth, Ramesh Powar and R. P. Singh.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (capt.), Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Adam Gilchrist, Brad Hogg, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Damien Martin, Glenn McGrath, Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson.

Umpires: Billy Bowden and Steve Bucknor; Third umpire: Mark Benson; Fourth umpire: Rudi Koertzen; Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle.

Hours of play: 2.30 p.m. to 6 p.m.; 6.30 p.m. to close.

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