once again india stopped australia

Twice now, India have snatched a potential record from Australia, having denied them their 17th straight win. The first instance was at the Eden Gardens in March 2001, and now, at Perth. So whatever Australia did before or do now, they will never live this down.India had gone to Perth with a lot to prove, with some individuals out to show that they belong, none more so than man-of-the-match Irfan Pathan. There were others too, who needed to prove to themselves that they could indeed still serve a purpose and Rahul Dravid's first innings score of 93 was a testament to that effort.Australia on the other hand were under pressure, and it is not a situation they relish. After Sydney, they were indeed taken by surprise by the intensity of the reactions all around. Added to that was the desire to claim that 17th win. But a combination of hesitant play and some tactical mistakes left them with a lot to do, even as India thrived on the challenge.
One big mistake Australia made was to play Shaun Tait, who was supposed to have a serious impact on the Indian batting. But he has miles to go as a bowler and in his efforts to knock the Indians’ blocks off, he missed out on the main issue – get wickets and not go for runs. Brad Hogg would certainly have had something to say in this game. After all, lesser bowlers like Andrew Symonds and Virender Sehwag had their moments in the sun here.