Off to Adelaide

And so we're off to Adelaide later this morning, looking towards securing the 4-0 result that will lift Australia level with India in third place in the Test rankings.

Well, as far as the LHoC is concerned we're not physically heading that way, but we will be watching with interest.

The interest this time around goes a little beyond the eventual score line, since we've already got a few things that need to be looked at.

You could, for example, start by looking at comments from the Indian camp about the tracks they've been given and Gambhir's call for raging turners when we're next in their neighbourhood, which hardly comes as a surprise, but was interesting to read after previously noted comments about result reversals on the subcontinent.

We might just let the possibility of a repeat of the minefield on which Clarke took 6-9 go through to the keeper without further comment.

Right around the Test venues so far this summer we've had pace bowler friendly conditions, though one would hardly describe that as earth-shattering news in Brisbane and Perth, would we?

Adelaide is, traditionally, flatter, and you'd expect the Indian batting lineup to go better there, but the big question is going to involve the damage inflicted on confidence in the first three Tests, isn't it?

That, in turn, raises the question of what they were thinking of and how they prepared before setting off on tour, doesn't it?

We're due to head across to India in 2014, so preparations for that tour will be a matter of interest here in the LHoC. We might get a little insight from Adelaide, since the four quicks approach in Perth has reverted to the three quicks and a spinner that's been in operation through the rest of the summer.

The first issue that comes out of that is, of course, the question of rotation, with Siddle having played through the summer and looking tired towards the end in Perth. Under a rotation policy you'd think he'd have been the logical bloke to rest, but he's been given the nod to play, with Starc combining the drinks waiter role with a chance to play in the Big Bash Final.

I've got no issue with that decision, by the way, provided it's part of a this is something we're working on gig rather than a he's the leader of the attack so he's got to play routine.

Contrary to expectations in these parts he has been the leader of the attack through the summer, though one would have been inclined to be using that term to describe young Mr Pattinson by this stage if he'd been fit throughout the series.

Adelaide, however, with the quickie-friendly factors being taken out of the equation, is going to be a situation where reverse rather than normal swing comes into play on a track that'll resemble what we might find in India in two years' time, so if we're looking at that side of things the decision to go with Siddle rather than Starc would make a fair bit of sense. He can, after all, be given a break through the one dayers, can't he?

So we'll be watching the approach with the ball rather closely.

Spin, on the other hand, will be a significant factor, with India looking towards playing two with a third in acting captain Sehwag. They mightn't actually bite the bullet and do that, since you'd expect Zaheer Khan to be safe, Ishant Sharma to be persevered with and Yadav to be hard done by if he was the one to get the chop. He's an emerging talent, and would have been the first one of their bowlers picked if I was doing the selecting.

But I'm not doing the selecting, so we'll wait and see.

On the spin front, one notes with some alarm that Lyon has been looking to Ponting for advice, which would presumably have the rest of the ex-Test spinners' fraternity raising the odd eyebrow, but the suggestion that they're working on the same lines as Ashley Mallett was suggesting and bowling closer to the stumps to improve his angles and take the shots through the leg side out of the picture. Hmmm. Time will tell.


Predictions? Well, win the toss and bat, for a start. From an Australian point of view we want to see either a substantial opening partnership with substantial runs to Marsh at Three or a disciplined spell with the new ball while the thing is likely to swing.

Not that either of those is an earth-shattering suggestion.

And if India wins the toss and bats we've got the prospect of a final chance to enjoy Messrs Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman at the crease in an Australian free to air friendly time frame.

Add the possibility of a close examination of how far the Lyon as a work in progress has progressed against a batting lineup that would devour a couple of spinners before the daily breakfast and there's plenty to look forward to, isn't there?

Technical issues with broadband usage has been a major preoccupation in these parts recently, which explains the lack of clickable links above, and there's a substantial backlog of writing projects that needs to be attended to, so at this point we might just close the preview, promising to return with a comment on Day One tomorrow morning.