Vizag all set for the cricketing feast

Deep blue skies, the sun out in all its glory and the sound of the ball thudding into the bat. Both the Indian and Australian teams could not have asked for more after spending last weekend at wet and windy Kochi. The conditions here seem ideal for a good contest with the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ADA-VDCA Stadium all set to host the second ODI of the three-match series on Wednesday.

History's clues will gladden Indian hearts. India has won both matches it has played at this new ground. For M.S. Dhoni, the venue is a significant signpost in his glittering career.

The Indian captain, then a rookie, had carved a blistering 148 against Pakistan in a winning cause on April 5, 2005. He then returned again as a key member among Rahul Dravid's men who defeated Sri Lanka in 2007.

Dhoni is back again at a place of pleasant memories and this time around, he is the man at the helm. It has been a remarkable career growth but Dhoni would rather not dabble into nostalgia.

“That time was different, this is a different tournament and in every tournament you have to start from scratch. I have happy memories from here but to be on top, you have to be well prepared for everything that comes your way.

All about the present

“It's not about the past, it's not about the future. It's all about the present and about what you are doing. All of us are focused on the three-match series, which now has become a two-match series,” the Indian skipper said.

Ahead of the match, the Indian team trained at the practice area close to the ground that is fringed by the Eastern Ghats. Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan were the first batting duo to step in and it was a pointer to the opening combine that the think-tank prefers due to the absence of the rested trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir.

Dhawan, who is all set to make his debut, has an ideal opportunity to impress the selectors and it remains to be seen whether Saurabh Tiwary or R. Ashwin will also get a look-in.

Yuvraj Singh, who scored a double ton while leading Rest of India to a title triumph against Mumbai in the Irani Trophy, had a long stint at the nets and seemed at ease. The southpaw, who is often a force-multiplier within the Indian ranks, has had a rough patch in recent times.

Yuvraj scored a mere 194 runs in his last 10 ODIs and has also lost his Test spot to Suresh Raina. The match here and at Margao, should hopefully offer glimpses into his power and panache at the crease.

On to the Ashes

The Australians meanwhile seem to have jumped ahead into the Ashes, at least in their minds. At the pre-match press conference, skipper Michael Clarke mumbled about England before correcting himself and referred to the Indian team.

Clarke's men need to fire in unison to salvage some pride after the Test series debacle stirred up a captaincy debate among former Australian cricketers and evoked a chuckle from Ian Botham.

Doug Bollinger, the lynchpin of the attack, had a bowl at the nets in two spells here on Tuesday but the final call on his selection has not yet been taken. In the event of Bollinger failing to recover from his abdominal strain, then fellow left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc might make his debut.

Both teams are wary of the dew-factor but are primed to shine under lights that will be switched on for the first time in an international game at this venue.

The teams: India: M.S. Dhoni (captain), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Saurabh Tiwary, R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel and R. Vinay Kumar.

Australia: Michael Clarke (captain), Cameron White (vice-captain), David Warner, Shaun Marsh, Callum Ferguson, James Hopes, Michael Hussey, Tim Paine, Clint McKay, Doug Bollinger, Steve Smith, Nathan Hauritz, Mitchell Starc and John Hastings.

Umpires: Billy Bowden (New Zealand) and Shavir Tarapore; Third umpire: Sudhir Asnani; Match referee: Chris Broad.

Hours of play: 2.30 p.m. to 6 p.m., 6.40 p.m. till end of play.

Keywords: India-Australia ODI series