Date:19/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/19/stories/2007121957812100.htm

Sport

Conquer Aussie frontier, says Kumble to seniors

Australia has not lost a Test since Aug. 2005India will play its only warm-up match against Victoria

Melbourne: A Test series win over Australia in its own backyard will be one of the most cherished achievements for India’s top cricketers, many of whom are on their last tour Down Under, captain Anil Kumble said on Tuesday.

The ace-leg-spinner, in an apparent reference to players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and V.V.S. Laxman, urged his senior mates to make a final push to glory.

“Most of the senior cricketers are here on their last tour of Australia, so it’s very important we go back victorious,” Kumble told reporters after arriving here with the Indian squad to play a four-Test series, beginning at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 26.

Major incentive

Kumble said beating Australia in its den was a major incentive for his team.

“It means a lot to all of us in the team and also it means a lot to Indian cricket. We came pretty close to doing that the last time we came here (in 2003-04),” he said.

India has never achieved a series victory against Australia on its soil and the last time a team beat it Down Under was West Indies in 1991-1992.

Daunting task

What makes the task even more daunting is that the Australians have not lost a Test since August 2005 and are on a 14-Test winning streak at the moment.

India will play its only warm-up game — a three-day match against Victoria — from Thursday, to kick start its preparations for the tough series. — PTI