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Aussies aim to win Mumbai Test

October 31, 2004 15:49 IST
Last Updated: October 31, 2004 17:05 IST


Australia want to cap off their successful India tour with another win in the fourth and last cricket Test to prove their supremacy over the hosts.

Aussie skipper Adam Gilchrist said now that his team had clinched the series, its next target will be to win the match starting at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.

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"Though it has been a very good away series win for us after nearly 35 years, I would like to win the Mumbai Test to prove our supremacy," he told reporters after a promotional programme in the city.

"We have been fortunate to win the toss in all the three Test matches during this series and I am quite happy to be leading the series 2-0 though I personally would be happy with a 3-0 verdict," said Gilchrist.

On the Nagpur Test, Gilchrist, who led his team commendably in the absence of regular skipper Ricky Ponting, said: "I think the Indians were psyched down by the wicket at Nagpur even before the Test started.

"Indians should have gone in with three seamers and should have included Ashish Nehra as our batsmen would have found it difficult to play two left arm seamers on a wicket which helped new ball bowlers throughout.

"Even in the Chennai Test the Indians had an opportunity to close us down but they did not take it and left us off the hook when our batsmen managed to hang out in the middle," he said.

Hailing Ponting as the best captain of Australia, Gilchrist said there was no pressure whatsoever when he took over as the acting captain.

"As every player has been contributing consistently on this tour, there has been no pressure on me as a captain. Though the absence of Ponting was felt in the initial stages of the series, the younger lot proved themselves with important contributions," Gilchrist said.

"Like India missed Sachin Tendulkar in the first two Tests due to tennis elbow, we too missed Ponting but thankfully for us things went well with everyone sharing the responsibility," Gilchrist said.

He admitted that winning the series had been a very emotional experience.

"It was indeed a very emotional experience specially when you consider that we have not won a series here since 35 years. All the preparations which had gone prior to coming here has been worthwhile and it is a very good feeling to win over here."

Gilchrist also said that at the start of the tour he had not expected a 2-0 lead going into the last Test.

"Before we landed here, I had not expected to be in the position that we are in now as the Indian team is a very good team on their own soil. But we had made a lot of efforts in our planning and thankfully we could execute it as planed," he added.

Praising Indians' hospitality, Gilchrist said: "it is a great feeling to be in India and their hospitality has to be experienced to be believed and every member has something good to take back home".

Commenting on the future set of Aussie bowlers, Gilchrist said  there are youngsters who can fill the void which could exist after the retirement of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Shane Warne in the Australian team.

"We have Shane Watson, Nathan Bracken, Shaun Tait and Cameroon White who have lot of potential and with a little bit of experience they can take over from great bowlers like McGrath, Warne and Gillespie," Gilchrist said.

Gilchrist also said a 3-0 verdict here would help them go into the series against New Zealand, commencing in another two weeks' time, in a confident frame of mind.

The Australian team decided to take a well earned rest on Sunday and will start practising from tomorrow.



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