Queensland, who defeated New South Wales twice in a month and also beat Pakistan in the opening match of their current tour, are comfortable leaders at present in the Pura Milk Cup. In the last five years, they have been champions twice -- in the 1994-95 and 1996-97 seasons.

The team has as many as six internationals in the ranks, excluding paceman Michael Kasprowicz who will bolster the Aussie attack against Pakistan in the final Test at WACA, Perth, starting tomorrow.

India have in their ranks three of the best batsmen in the world in Saurav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. The three should do enough to make everyone realise here why they are rated so highly. The match should also be a good testing ground for openers Sadagoppan Ramesh and Devang Gandhi.

The medium-pace bowlers too should find thebouncy Gabba pitch to their liking and the battle would be on in earnest among the five seamers to secure their places in the playing eleven.

The home side is led by 31-year-old Stuart Law, a right-handed batsman and bowler who has played a Test and 54-one-dayers for Australia. The supporting batting mainstays are internationals James Maher and Matthew Hayden who are due to open the innings.

Hayden, who has intermittently played seven Tests since his debut against South Africa at Johannesburg in 1994, is in contention to regain his Test spot. With one century from four Pura Milk Cup knocks, 103 and 80 in two Mercantile Mutual innings, and a tour century against Pakistan, Hayden is reasonably confident. But he is quick to remind everyone that his 1036 runs at an average of 126 in the 1993-94 summer were not good enough for him to get a crack at higher honours.

Maher is a right-arm batsman and medium-pace bowler who turned out in two internationals -- against New Zealand and South Africa -- for Australialast year.

Queensland also has boast of the sensational Andrew Symonds. A former Gloucestershire and Kent pro, Symonds has turned out in nine one-dayers for Australia and his best score of 68 was made against India itself at Galle, Sri Lanka in Aiwa Cup tournament in August.

Queensland is unliklely to miss Kasprowicz much since pacemen Andrew Bichel, Adam Dale and Scott Muller are already capable to set the pitch on fire.

Muller, who played in the first two Tests against Pakistan, is omitted for the Perth encounter since his seven wickets at 36.85 were not considered good enough by the selectors.

Bichel and Dale similarly are out of favour at the moment, having played their last Tests for Australia in 1998. Bichel has played three Tests for two wickets and Dale two for six scalps in their short careers. Dale's best figures of 3 for 71 were recorded against India in his debut in the Bangalore Test in the 1998 series.

Queensland's wicketkeeper Wade Seccombe is also highly rated in Australian cricketcircles and is a true Healy protege.

Teams:

India: Sachin Tendulkar (capt), Devang Gandhi, Sadagoppan Ramesh, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly, MSK Prasad, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, Ajit Agarkar, Debashis Mohanty, Thiru Kumaran, Anil Kumble.

Queensland: Stuart Law (captain), Matthew Hayden, Jimmy Maher, Martin Love, Andrew Symonds, Geoff Foley, Wade Seccombe, Andrew Bichel, Adam Dale, Scott Muller, Matthew Anderson, Joe Dawes.

Hours of play (IST): 5.30 am to 7.30 am. 8.10 an to 10.10 am, 10.30 an to 12.30 PM.