I have to admit that these 2 test matches have really surprised me, as at the start of the series I was worried that they would probably fizzle out into batsman dominated bore draws.
With just one day of the tests remaining I am pleased to be proved wrong. The 1st test was a great advert for test cricket and this one looks like going down to the wire as well.
At the moment Australia don’t look to have enough runs on the board (although we all probably thought that in the 1st test and look what happened), I’m sure they would want around another 70 runs to give India something too go for, but with only the 3 wickets left that option looks likely to be taken out of Ricky Ponting’s hands.
In a way, I believe that is of some help for Ponting as he won’t be put in the position of having to make a silly looking declaration. A decision I think he would have had to make, had Australia had enough wickets in hand. Afterall, it would have been most unlike Australia to just settle for the draw and a 1-0 series defeat.
At least now he knows he can just bat out the innings and then have a real good go at India with the new ball and see what happens.
I think India will probably win, but I wouldn’t give up hope yet were I an Aussie. Looking at India’s batting line up and I see a relative amount of inexperience in there, Vijay and Raina are both new to test cricket and Pujara is on debut.
Add to that the extra pressure of batting 4th and also the prospect of closing out the series win and Australia will be hoping that India’s batting might crumble under the pressure.
It is also probably the last time Ricky Ponting will captain a side here and it is the one country he has never won a test match in, as a captain. Cricket is a game full of ironies and the prospect of Ponting pulling one last rabbit out of the hat isn’t lost on me.
The bookies see India as favourites with them at a best price of Evens with Bet365. The Draw is 2/1 with William Hill and Australia are 
5/1 with Paddy Power.
