It is difficult for even the most die hard Indian cricket supporter to be optimistic about India's chances on the eve of another Test series in Australia. Both past record and present form - two very important criteria when it comes to analysing a team's chances - are very much against India. The fact remains that India have never won a series in six rubbers in Australia. The fact remains that they have only three victories against 16 defeats in 25 Tests on six previous visits to Australia. The fact remains that on present form Australia will vie with South Africa for the top spot while India are somewhere in the middle. The fact remains that India have won only one Test abroad since 1986 - in Sri Lanka in 1993. The fact remains that India have not had a very good tour of Australia so far, notwithstanding their victory over lowly placed and depleted New South Wales.

There is no denying that Australia are a formidable squad right now. In batting - both at the top and in the middle order - and bowling - both pace and spin - they are very well equipped. That they were able to make a clean sweep of the series against Pakistan is enough evidence of the Aussie strength. In Slater and Blewett they have openers of the highest class. But it is the middle order that is bound to give the Indians sleepless nights. The two Waughs, Ponting, Langer and Gilchrist is the kind of batting line up that bowlers see in their bad dreams. And a bowling line up of McGrath, Fleming, Miller, Kasprowicz and Warne is the line up that batsmen see in their worst nightmares. To make matters worse for the Indians, all of them - match hardened by the series against Pakistan - have already run into top form.

What have the Indians got to confront this formidable outfit, obviously geared up to seek revenge for their losses in India both in 1996 and 1998? If the batting presents problems, the bowling presents bigger problems. And the side has a wicketkeeper who has just landed in Australia, thanks to a wrong selection policy. However seasoned a cricketer Nayan Mongia may be, it must not be forgotten that he has no experience of Australian conditions.

The two four day games against Queensland and NSW and the one day `festival' match at Canberra, far from solving the tour management's selection problems would seem to have made them tougher. Who is to open the batting? Who is to go in at No 6? Which trio of bowlers should constitute the seam attack?

On form, Ramesh and Laxman would seem to be the best claimants for the places as the two opening batsmen. But would it be fair to break up the Ramesh-Gandhi partnership which was so successful in the series against New Zealand? Given this background it would be better to have Ramesh and Gandhi open the batting and have Laxman at No 6.

There are certainly no problems with the batting positions three to five. The `big three' of Indian batting Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly fill the slots and the trio remain India's best bid if India are to perform well in the series.

Mongia takes the No 7 slot, even if MSK Prasad is fit, simply because the former is the better wicketkeeper. It was foolhardy on the part of the selectors to expect Prasad, a mediocre stumper, to solider on all alone during a long and arduous 76-day tour and one is glad that Prasad's `injury' has led to the happier situation of two wicketkeepers being on the tour.

That leaves the bowlers slots to be filled. Srinath as pace spearhead and Kumble as spin spearhead are automatic choices. But about the two remaining places. The claimants are Kumaran, Mohanty, Venkatesh Prasad and Agarkar. Kumaran has run into form, Prasad is the most experienced, Mohanty is a game trier and Agarkar can do his bit with the bat at No 8. All the four would then seem to have some factor in their favour and the tour management's final decision could well be taken after a good look at the wicket.

The pitch at the Adelaide Oval generally favours batsmen. But that has not stopped India from losing the Tests played on the picturesque ground in 1947-48, 1967-68, 1977-78 and 1991-92. Only the two Tests in 1980-81 and five years later were drawn. Yet another factor in the home team's favour.

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