Australia's captain Michael stated:
"Consistency is obviously very important for us and I've said before this series that we've played some really positive cricket at times and some cricket we'd like to forget," He further added, "I guess this is another test of our character to be able to back up after such an impressive win in Melbourne. It's important our preparation has been just as good, which is a big part for our team improving our consistency - making sure we're doing the hard work whether we have success on the field or not. I've been really happy with the way the guys have trained over the last two days so our preparation has been spot on. Now it's about the same commitment, the same determination and the same execution, we have to be able to execute our skills again like we did in Melbourne to beat this Indian team."
The role of pitches in Australia’s superb performances have been marvelous and having improved their cricket games admirably to defeat Sri Lanka on a tinder-dry Galle pitch, Australian players poorly failed in Cape Town and same performance was in New Zealand. Do keep in mind that there was not a single excuse from Clarke. He added:
"I think it's a mixture of things, I think conditions have played a big part. There's no coincidence in Cape Town, South Africa were 9 for 47 we were all out for 47, Hobart not many runs were scored from both teams, throughout the Melbourne Test we rolled India for 150-odd in the second innings. So there's been seam and swing consistently in the last half a dozen Test matches we've played - it's not an excuse but it's a reality, it's there. I think we're learning from it, I think our techniques we're working on our techniques at training, we're working on our techniques at training we're working on batting in tough conditions at training, as you guys see all the bowlers are using either brand new balls or reverse swinging balls and it's a real challenge at training. When you've played, like a lot of guys have, so much cricket over such a long period of time it's hard to change your technique, you can certainly improve little parts of it but it's hard to really change, so it's just about trying to do your best in fighting conditions I guess."
As far as Melbourne is concerned, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus developed the most strong and powerful fast bowling union in Melbourne, using intelligence and aggression in equal measure to keep the Indians uncomfortable. Indian players were highly confused and to my knowledge Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag were the primary and most important participators to India's ascent to No. 1 in the world, and have been equally important to the subsequent decline, their returns petering out in 2011.
Clark explained that:
"Hopefully they continue not scoring too many runs, they're two very good players. It's the game, your time comes around, you score runs, you don't score runs, good form, bad form it's just the game, they're two class players and we'd love for them to continue not scoring too many runs in this series, but if they do they're class players and it won't surprise anybody if they do. We have plans to every Indian batsman and we will continue to look at footage of them and improve those plans but I think we stuck to our guns well in Melbourne and that worked well for us so hopefully it won't be any different in this Test match."
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