08 October,2010 07:43 AM IST | | A Correspondent
Australian Ricky Ponting has a message for his opposite number Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Mine's better than yours. Ricky Ponting
Ponting, who suffered the frustration of a one-wicket loss in the opening battle of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Mohali on Tuesday, wrote in his The Australian column that his pace attack (Mitchell Johnson, Doug Bollinger and Ben Hilfenhaus) is superior to India's (Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma).
No way
"There is talk among some people that we don't match up with them on paper, I don't believe that. I don't care about reputations or records because our ethos is that we will find a way to be ultra-competitive. That is what I expect of any team I take on the field," wrote Ponting.
"They are a powerful side. You saw VVS Laxman play a fifth-day wicket like it was a first day wicket and never look like getting out. That's the strength they have over here, they play the last day as well as they play the first day. They have learned a way to do that and only batsmen who can do that survive.
"One area we have over them, I think, is with the fast bowlers. Our seamers are a better unit than theirs and I think we played their spinners very well."
Ponting stressed that his team is not going to be bogged down by what happened on Day Five at Mohali.
"There is still a lot of laughter and, more importantly, intent to play good cricket. It is important after having the stuffing knocked out of us that we find a way to respond."
Australia's chance has come.
PA Sport adds: Ponting identified Laxman as a final-day threat to the tourists as they aim to square the series and boost their morale before resuming Ashes hostilities with England next month.
Laxman, who also hit 281 against them in Kolkata in 2001, turned the match on its head by scoring 73 not out and adding 92 invaluable runs for the last two wickets on the final day after the team had been reduced to 124 for eight in pursuit of 216 runs for victory in Mohali.
"We got Sachin (Tendulkar) early and (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni early but could not get Laxman when we needed to and he played very well," said Ponting.
Ponting had said, "VVS Laxman might be the guy to watch out for" during the team dinner after the fourth day, when India were reeling at 55 for four.
"Come day five and he is someone who has got a very good record against Australia," said Ponting.
Australia know their performance in Bangalore in the second and final Test, which starts on Saturday, will have a bearing on the morale of the side when they face England in the first Ashes Test starting on November 25 in Brisbane.
For India, who are currently the number one Test side in the International Cricket Council rankings, the stakes are not that high. But injury worries have dogged the home team, with Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma, who took three top-order wickets in the second innings and scored a dogged 31 to take India to the verge of victory in Mohali, will sit out the second Test following injuries to their right knees.
Tamil Nadu opener Abhinav Mukund and Saurashtra quick bowler Jaidev Unadkat, both of whom are uncapped, have been called up as replacements, but Murali Vijay and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, who are already in the squad, are likely to get the nod ahead of the rookies.
For Australia, injured Doug Bollinger remains in contention to take part in the second Test after scans revealed that he suffered only a very minor abdominal strain.
