Ponting and Co shrug off injury list woes

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About the only consistent factor in the Australian camp these days is the one of fitness. Roll call before a game is becoming a dodgy exercise to see who is able to open the attack.

Practice sessions are now becoming a dangerous routine and although there is no stretcher or ambulance on standby, the Australians are starting to look at the squad of now 13 and wonder if they will need either crutches or a walking stick to support who is next to get a hamstring or broken finger or even a strained elbow.

Normally you need one hand to tick off who is fit and who is the replacement. However, the coach, Tim Nielsen, and skipper Ricky Ponting are starting to wonder about whether they do have a genuine bowling attack to front up over the next few days as the lengthening injury list creates a revolving door situation. The only people who have benefitted so far from this are India with their hopes of clinching the series, the airlines being paid for their shuttle service, and the doctor writing scripts.

With Moises Henriques, the Portuguese-born all-rounder and the latest with a hamstring twinge, excuse Ricky Ponting for wondering if this particular Indian sojourn is really worth the effort. After all, the side has been on the road as it were since their South African tour began in February and that ended in April after a tough summer at home.

The multi-lingual speaking Henriques has had his career mapped out for him from an early age, and among other roles, captaining the Australian Under-19 side at the 2006 youth World Cup in Colombo. He was already a replacement for James Hopes, which is a sort of having a brief tour of India before falling to the injury bug.

Peter Siddle’s injury had him joining Brett Lee, Hopes and Tim Paine already back home, the bench strength is starting to get that empty as Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard look. And a side already minus four of their top players – Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Callum Ferguson and Nathan Bracken – any side that loses eight proven Test and ODI members makes you wonder why Australia agreed to this tour knowing that it was after a tough Ashes Test series, the NatWest slogs and Champions Trophy events.

The Indian spectators are having a fine old giggle at Australia’s expense, with the snide comments emerging from the multitude of critics, also laughing at the touring team’s discomfort; they are all more than happy it is happening. Yet if India were to lose eight of their top players in similar circumstances, it is so easy to imagine the wailing and angst.

At least it gives the Australian selectors a chance to dish out another new cap to one of the remaining duo yet to get a game on the tour: Clint McKay or spinner Jon Holland as the replacements for Hopes and now Henriques will only arrive in time for the sixth game of the tour. Ponting is hoping that the last week will be injury free and that Andrew McDonald and Burt Cockley can bring some added value to the side.

What is interesting is that both players have experience of playing in India, with Cockley attached to the Kings XI Punjab side while McDonald returns to India after playing for Victoria in the Champions League and has a contract with the Delhi Daredevils as well. In which case, the Modi franchise has done some good in being able to give the Australians an idea of how to adapt to Indian conditions.

It is why the Aussies, knowing there is still another five months ahead of them, shrug off the losses and get on with it, as they did enough to level the series while the Indian nation, selectors and coach sweated over the fitness of Gautam Gambhir. Although what possessed Mahendra Singh Dhoni to have such a senior member fielding so close to the wicket for bat-pad catching purposes is surprising. Whether or not Gambhir agreed is another matter.

At least the Indian selectors were wise enough to give Virat Kholi a chance instead of that clumsy pretender to the Dhoni throne in Dinesh Karthik. Persisting with Kholi and Suresh Raina makes a lot more sense than giving Karthik a game he doesn’t deserve.

If India were to recall someone like Karthik, the selectors may as well do more intelligent thing if that is possible by bringing back Rahul Dravid. That at least would make a lot more sense than playing Karthik. He has had his chances, it’s time to move on.

There are those who are also wondering if Ravindra Jadeja is the answer to the side and that Kholi is still the better option. But selectors have their own agendas and trying to fathom it out is another case of listening to their double-speak or even obfuscation at which the Sri Lankan selectors have become masters.