The decision to open with Dravid, in Australia, is not turning out to be a wise one after all. The Indian batsmen (Dravid in particular) have negated all the hard-work done by her bowlers and the initiative now rests with Australia. 5 runs in 66 balls is extremely slow by any standards and is responsible for allowing the Australian bowlers to be on top.

Avoiding the follow-on must now be the top priority of Indian batsmen

R Dravid lbw b Clark

Yes some good bowling by Australia, I think looking at how Lee has bowled:Australia will regret not including Tait.

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Ern

Indians have, on most occasions, struggled against quality pace bowling. In addition, given the fact that the Indian batsmen had virtually no time to settle under Australian conditions before the 1st test, speed over spin should have been the obvious choice.

Pretty undignified effort from VVS punching a lee short ball to the slip cordon. Maybe the die hard Indian fans might feel he should have dropped his hands and taken one on the body for the team? Or better still just stand up straight and play it?

More pressure for Sachin and the never dull Ganguly on his 100th appearance.

As I type Tendulkar plays the most imperious cut you'll ever see; great is an over used word in sport but we have had the prevelige to have witnessed this man play. Genius.

We should also give a mention to lee who has moved up to 6th in the oz wicket taking list. Congrats to him and I wouldn't be surprised to see a few more before this game is out.

One way or another hogg v Ganguly is going to end in tears sooner rather than later. This is going to be interesting viewing for the next half hour or so I reckon. India seem intent on targeting the leggy; hogg looks a little nervous to me. Imperative he continues to toss it up and give Ganguly a chance to make a mistake IMO.

Big regret Ern

Hogg is bowling cream pies and that is his better ball's..Tendulkar has smashed him

Michael Clarke will get a lot of overs in this match ..

There is no point putting a spinner in the side for the hell of having a spinner, if they are not up to test standard.

Hogg is not test standard...bring Tait back into the squad Clarke and Symonds can take care of spinning and I dont think any up and comers including Hogg are any better than them at the moment.

Goodbye Ganguly another victim to Stuart Clark...343 is looking like a good score.

Merry Christmas stuart clarke as Tendulkar chops a rank longhop onto his stumps. Oz right in the driving seat and unless Ganguly, Youvraj and Dhoni have something special up their sleeve the boys from down under are going to canter this one.

As far as hogg is concerned it looks like Acker is winning the debate hands down as the leggy has looked well out of his depth so far. He has a chance now however to fight back; lets see how he does.

Youvraj ......a duck another $18000 to breast cancer research from Gilly's sponsors courtesy of b S.Clark c A.Gilchrist

5-122 on the stroke of tea

Mitchell Johnson has been the unluckiest of the bowlers dropped catch and then a catch off a no ball.

Brett Lee and Stuart Clark both look deadly

gggrrrr the less said about Hogg the better

Par is starting to look more like 275 on this MCG track. Hell of a lot of variable bounce.

Raull Dravid ????? I think the end of career might be coming sooner rather than later. Surely Shewag must be knocking hard on the door to get back in the Indian team.

Dhoni easilly the best keeper currently in the world.

hogg may not now get the chance as Youvraj is triggered by bowden.

3 points here; first Youvraj should have been given the over before for a clear inside edge catch, secondly he should not hang around the way he did and will probably pick up a fine and thirdly can we now, on the evidence of this dismissal, stop this ridiculous fanatasy that gilly is "as honest as the day is long" when it comes to his conduct re walking appealing etc.

Youvraj was no where near that one and gilly was chancing it at best. No problem with that but lets once and for all stop saying gilly is the modern day st. innocent in terms of his conduct.

Everything going for oz now; they are a terrific side. The only problem they have is with the spinning position. Apart from that they progress in their own sublime way.