Chandigarh, Sept. 24: Ricky Ponting-led Australians will be keen to get some vital match practice and key Indian players, who are returning from injuries, would assess their fitness when the visitors and the Board President’s XI lock horns in a three-day tour game that starts here on Friday.
Skipper Gautam Gambhir and paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, who suffered injuries in the Sri Lankan tour, are making a comeback to the competitive cricket.
Eyes will also be on Cheteshwar Pujara, who replaced Yuvraj Singh in the Test squad.
The Saurashtra batsman has been a prolific run-scorer in the domestic circuit and for quite some time the right-hander was in the reckoning for a place in the national team.
His dominance with the bat in domestic circuit can be gauged from the fact that he has so far made 14 centuries and 13 half centuries in his five-year first class career.
Sreesanth, who hurt his knee in the lead-up to the first Test in the Sri Lankan tour, would be looking to get back his rhythm while left-handed Gambhir, who missed the second and third Tests in the Emerald Islands with an injured knee, would also be keen to get some runs under his belt before the first Test begins against the mighty Australians at the same venue.
The Australians who have been mostly confined to their hotel rooms and gymnasium courtesy inclement weather will hope to make the most of the time they get out there in the middle.
Sachin vulnerable too: Hauritz
Australian spinner Nathan Hauritz on Friday admitted that it would be a “tough challenge” to bowl against Sachin Tendulkar in the upcoming Test series but said the champion batsman too is vulnerable to mistakes.
“He (Tendulkar) is the world’s best batsman, he is unbelievable. I am looking forward to bowl to him, in what I know, is going to be a tough challenge. But people make mistakes and Tendulkar too can make mistakes,” said.
“I would be looking to bowl in the right areas but lot depends on the wicket as it has been raining here. Generally, the wickets don't turn much here after the first two days,” said the off-spinner, who is returning after an injury.