With just hours to go before the Grand Sporting, I am all excited. I am sure it will be a huge event with India emerging out as Victorious, not without opposition tough. Indiaaa !! Indiaaa !! Can’t wait to see how Indians will bat against the Aussies. I hope not even for a nano second you were not thinking I was talking about CWG. You see India – Australia test series is strategically placed during CWG. Officials in Delhi will say that in October:
1) Indians were only following Sports. (So what if its cricket and not CWG).
2) Indians were watching only Sports Channel. (So what its Neo Sports and not DD Sports)
3) We had a lot of foreign tourist coming in for sporting events. (So what they were for cricket)
A news report said from a initial estimate of 2,00,000 tourists during CWG, Government revised it to 1,00,000 but tour operators expect real number would be just 10,000. (Irony is that Travel agencies are designing "Commonwealth Escape Packages" for Delhites. They are making more money by sending people out rather than bringing people in during CWG. Wah re India!!!). Another Interesting fact, during an event like IPL, Bollywood chooses not release any movies but between October 1 – 15 as many as 13 movies are being released.
Coming back to Cricket, I guess India will hold on to its No. 1 Rank. India’s batting has been doing well and with Aussies, likes of Sachin, Shewag and VVS have always produced something special. Indian bowling is weak but Zaheer’s return and Ishant’s X factor could be a boost. With Harbajan missing, choice of spinners could be a headache for Dhoni. On the other hand, Aussies will have to play out of their skin to win this series as they have a fragile batting line up and not so penetrating bowling force. However, it should be a gripping series (only 2 test tough) and India will have to fight well to win it.
P.S. – Guys who are planning to watch CWG on DD sports just be prepared for bad reception, as people who would be telecasting the games would be busy watching the cricket.
Disclaimer - the above picture is just to authenticate my claim of "Commonwealth Escape Package". I do not get any money from the Company so don't endorse it.