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Australia's critics have claimed the 72-run defeat in Perth was the first real sign their golden era was drawing to a close as the rest of the world catches up.
India fully deserved their win in the third test after outplaying the Australians from the outset to seal victory with a day to spare and are confident of winning the last test in Adelaide to square the series.
The Indian captain Anil Kumble said his team no longer had anything to fear from the Australians and believed they now had the best batting line-up in the game.
India's bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad echoed the skipper's comments when he said the tourists also had the best bowling attack in world cricket.
India's claims drew a prickly response from the Australians, who remain confident they will win the final match to clinch the four-match series 3-1.
"There's no other side in the world comes close to us when we're playing at our best," opening batsmen Matthew Hayden told Australian television after arriving in Adelaide on Monday.
FIRST DUCK
"We've had a bit of a glitch on the radar this week but I don't suspect for one minute that that's going to be in our mindset coming into and preparing for this test match."
Australian middle-order batsmen Mike Hussey, who experienced his first test loss in Perth as well as making his first duck, also bristled at suggestions his team were in decline.
The Australians had won a record-equalling 16 tests in a row before last week's loss and Hussey said it was inevitable they would slip up at some stage.
"That's cricket, you can't win every game you play," Hussey said.
"It is disappointing to lose, but we've just got to move forward and the good thing about our team is we're a very positive group of guys.
"It will probably make us work a little bit harder, prepare better and be even more determined for this test match."
Hussey said he expected India's seam bowlers would struggle to swing the ball as much in Adelaide as they did in Perth while Australia will be boosted by the return of Hayden, who missed the Perth game because of a hamstring injury.
Hayden declared himself fit after completing a lengthy batting session and said he was determined to restore Australia's reputation as the dominant force in world cricket.
"It's unbelievable really because a week and a half ago cricket was boring Australia was so dominant, but I guess that's the melodramatic nature of sport," he said.
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RatingTrue as long as Bucknor
Australian cricketers seem to have started suffering from anxiety neurosis and inferiority complex. Their "mental disintegration" strategy has BOOMERANGED. They might consult some aboriginals (if they have not been wiped out by the "white" people) on the correct way to throw a boomerang.
you don't pontificate yourself, let other pontificate you.
The Indians can try to fool themselves into believing they are the world's best team, but until they can beat all other cricket playing nations in all forms of the game on a consistent basis, they should cease making such outlaidish statements. Best batsmen AND best bowlers.. and this after just one test win?? I don't think so! Granted the bowlers all bowled well, particularly Sharma
India needs to award consistency and not make a big deal of winning 1 test. Aus had won 16 in a row and if India matches that then we can cherish, until then we need to focus and keep playing cricket. Perth should not become one Flash in a pan
All the shine goes away, when a bully becomes civilized. Cricket world is happy that Australian media has recognized that Australian cricket team were UNcivilized be4 Perth. Words like Ba$$$$d has no place in civilized English speaking world. Sydney test is immortalized due to uncivilized behavior of Australian cricket team, ponting, Bucknor and Benson.
This was all a cultural thing. And also Hogg did not say it in an abusive way. If you are talking about words that should not be said what about what Harbhijan has allegedly said to Symonds? In Australia its been reported that instead of Monkey, he said something highly derogatory in Punjabi. Every decent thinking person must surely agree that this is worse, especially considering the abusive way it was said?
South African white judge, Mike Procter should also have long life for his contribution to Sydney test.
thats right.
Whether being still No.1 or not is imamaterial, but it is a fact that Aussies having lost at Perth, their home ground to the dashing indian cricketers under the captaincy of a vetran Anil Kumble, Aussies can not claim that they are unbeatable. while self praise is no recommendation, Aussies should accept their defeat at the hands of Team India gracefully.
if sachin can score more than 50 runs in both innings combined and irfan and/or rp sharma can maintain strike rate of 50 (50 runs per wicket) then india has chance of drawing this match. otherwise india will lose it, forget about beating australia. Perth is just flash in the pan. As far as dravid, laxman and ganguly are concerned, indians must be greatful to them for their excellent performance till now inspite of having mumbaikar's bickerings. Mumbaikars cannot play honest cricket whether it is gavaskar, vengsarkar or tendulkar. They are more good @ politics and less in playing good cricket.
I think you have some personal issue with Mumbaikar. If so please keep it with you as it just exposes your inability to judge things properly.
YES YOU ARE STILL NUMBER ONE, IN CHEATING, AND INTIMIDATING THE OPPONENTS AND NO OTHER TEAM CAN STEAL YOUR CROWN, OF WORLD CHAMPION BY CHEATING
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