The difference between the two teams was very obvious. Not just the performance on the field, which was there for all to see, but other off-field factors that determined the outcome. Some of the most important factors that made all the difference between victory and defeat, so far as the Australians and Indians concerned, were: preparation for the tour, kind of wickets given at various centres, playing to the team’s strength, injuries to leading players in Indian team.

Let’s take these factors one by one.

In recent years, the Australia vs India Test series have assumed as much importance as any Ashes series. Especially after what the Australians experienced in 2001 series in India where despite forcing a follow-on they lost the Test at Kolkata. That defeat, more than anything hurt the Australian cricketers’ pride. They were looking to avenge that defeat.

The Australians, thus smarting under the unexpected 1-2 defeat suffered against India in the 2000-01 series here, learned their lesson well from that failure by planning meticulously to beard the lion in its own den this time around.

The 2-1 Test series win achieved by the Australians was well deserved as they looked far better prepared than India whose form had slumped severly since nearly conquering the Kangaroos in their backyard and then recording a historic Test win in Pakistan.

The Australians’ planning had started soon after the defeat in the deciding Test at Chennai in the previous series. When the team played and won the TVS Cup tournament last season, most of the Australian players were preparing themselves to take on the twin threat of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh for their next visit to India.

The result of this advance planning was evident in the first Test of the recent series, in Bangalore, when the Australians, despite being confronted by a pitch from which all grass was removed by the groundsmen by using steel brushes bested the hosts with consummate ease and conviction.

The Bangalore wicket sported cracks resembling a dried-bed of rivers, but the visitors made light of this and batted resolutely to clinch the match with a huge margin of 217 runs.

The spark for their upswing of fortunes so early in the series was provided by the immensely talented youngster Michael Clarke whose century on debut at Bangalore had class and character written all over it.

Significantly, had Ricky Ponting been available from the beginning of the series, Clarke would have been cooling his heels in the dressing room. On such strange quirks of fortune are the fates of some rubbers decided. Clarke and Simon Katich showed the rest of the Australian frontline batsmen how to tackle the Indian spinners on the Bangalore pitch and none learned lessons from their example better than Damien Martyn, later to be declared the Man of the Series. Martyn showldered the responsibility of carrying the team’s batting on his shoulders from the drawn Chennai Test onwards.

In total contrast, was the batting of the home team which was also handicapped by the elbow injury of Sachin Tendulkar in the first two Tests, and the thigh strain of Sourav Ganguly, which made him miss the last two Test matches. Barring the occasional sparks provided by Virender Sehwag, the lone Indian centurion in the series, the others failed to do justice to their top billing. It showed lack of proper preparation by the Indian team. Much of the time prior to the Australians’ arrival here was spent on the new players’ contract and the ‘controversial’ BCCI elections. While Glenn McGrath was quoted as saying that he was not even aware of who the Australian Cricket’s president or secretary is, Indian cricketers follow the BCCI elections with interest becuase their own interests lie in there.