Andrew
Symonds who was involved in a row with Harbhajan Singh on the previous occasion
that Australia met India in Tests, was sent home from Darwin
by the team's leadership group before the winter ODI series against Bangladesh
after he chose to go fishing while skipping a team meeting. He was not
considered for selection until he demonstrated a changed attitude.
Following bomb blasts in Delhi a few days before the team left for India, Cricket Australia commissioned a special
security report but decided to proceed with the tour.
After dominating the first Test
Australia
was outplayed in the rest of the series.
Shane Watson was fined 10% of
his match fee and Gautam Gambhir, the Indian opener, earned a one-Test ban
after the two players clashed while Gambhir was taking a run in the Test at Delhi.
Ponting's tactics at Nagpur, using part-time slow bowlers to boost the
over-rate instead of his main strike bowlers who might finish off the Indian
innings, drew criticism for its part in contributing to Australia
losing the match.
Andrew Hilditch(chairman),David Boon?,Jamie Cox,Merv Hughes.
Selection
The tour party was chosen as the Australia
A tour of India
drew to a close. Five members of the Australia A side were chosen for
the Test tour - Katich, Bollinger, Krejza, McGain and Siddle.
Unavailable: Stuart MacGill (retired).
Tour Party Announced :12 September 2008.
Matthew Hayden was chosen
subject to recovering from his heel injury, Mike Hussey from an achilles
tendon problem, Ricky Ponting from wrist surgery, and Bryce McGain from a strain
to his right shoulder.
Not selected : Andrew Symonds (he was sent home from Darwin ahead of the ODI series against Bangladesh by the team's
leadership group after he chose to go fishing while skipping a team meeting); Beau
Casson, Ashley Noffke.
Time between selection and departure from Australia
9 days
(12-21 September)
Travel
SydneyQMumbaiQJaipur
Australia were at first scheduled to arrive in India on 29
September, one day after the Champions Trophy final in Lahore (which was
eventually cancelled), and fly to Hyderabad. But they decided to arrive
earlier and have a week’s preparation in Jaipur (arranged by Greg Chappell,
an advisor to the Rajasthan
Cricket Academy),
including a 2-day practice match.
Departure from Sydney
was on Sunday 21 September.The 15-man
team flew via Dubai and Mumbai’s Chatrapati Shivaji International
Airport, proceding to
Jaipur.
They arrived at Sanganer
Airport, Jaipur, on
Monday 22 September and were immediately escorted to the team hotel amidst tight
security.
Cameron White replaced Bryce
McGain before the First Test. McGain had arrived in India with a
shoulder injury: the tendons in his right armpit would not mend and surgery
was required. White landed at Bangalore on 6 October.
S E
Marsh
W
25
LHB
Shaun Marsh replaced Peter
Jaques who went home on Friday 17 October for treatment to his back.
Stuart Clark was kept out of the Test matches by an elbow injury,
but did not return home early.
•Mike Hussey in his first Test innings in India, scored 146 at Bangalore.
•Ricky Ponting earlier scored a century (123)
as well, adding 166 with Katich (66) for the second wicket
•Michael Clarke (112) was dropped three times
but scored a match-saving century at Delhi.
•Jason Krejza's return of 12 for 358 (8-215
and 4-143) in nearly 75 overs was on debut at Nagpur. Only one bowler has conceded more runs in a Test match (Tommy Scott took 9 for 374 for West Indies in 1929-30)
•Mitchell Johnson took most wickets for Australia
(13) in the series, and Hussey scored the most runs (394).
Tour
Summary
P
W
L
D
Aban
Test Matches
4
0
2
2
-
Other first-class matches
1
0
0
1
-
ϯ Minor matches
1
0
0
1
-
§ One-day internationals
0
-
-
-
-
All Matches
6
0
2
4
-
Return
to Australia
MumbaiQSydney
Injured player Bryce McGain flew from Bangalore
and arrived home in Melbourne
on Monday 6 October. Phil Jaques flew home on Friday 17 October.
The team arrived home at Sydney Airport
on 11 November 2008.
Time away from Australia
51
days
(21 September to 11 November)
Finances
…..
Accounts
of the tour
Postscript
India proved
they were becoming the dominant force in world cricket by winning the
Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Despite losing Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly to
retirement during this series, younger players strengthened the team over the
next few years. Australia
were outplayed and Ponting said his team needed to play at a higher level
than they did through the India
tour. The Australian newspaper
said: “...Questions will be asked about a tour where several senior players
failed to provide the results expected of them.”