It was great to catch up with the vibrant Indian players, who are growing in strength. The experience was completely different to what I had during my playing days. The pensive moods before the game and the happy and all-ecstatic atmosphere after the win give the dressing room various colours.
For the first time (not as a player) I could see the players growing into the tense moments of the game. The concentration levels slowly build up on the eve of the match, as most of players prefer a quiet night, avoiding visitors and friends. At the breakfast table next morning, pleasantries are exchanged even as each player's mind delves deep into his own game plan.
Runs came in abundance as the Indian willows swung well enough to score the highest total at the Gabba. For the last couple of years Sachin Tendulkar has played the sheet anchor role while letting others, like Virender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly, dominate. The same formula was used as Sourav led the charge, while Sachin stayed and settled down.
Although Sachin suffered a twisted ankle, he has always showed a peculiar instinct to carry on the innings ignoring the pain. This is one quality, which the youngsters in the team should emulate from the little master.
Man of the match Laxman's desire for runs remains unabated as he powered to his third one-day century. The Hyderabadi's impeccable placing pierced through the Australian fielders from every angle. His most successful partner, Rahul Dravid, came in to give the required momentum and put healthy score on the board.
Brett Lee came into this game with a recent benediction by none other than the guru of fast bowling, Dennis Lillie, but it had no effect. Lee, scrambling for line and length, was destroyed by the Indian batsmen.
The Australian innings started off with equal brutality. The man-mountain Mathew Hayden was all-powerful once again, disdainfully attacking the Indian bowlers. His hundred signalled danger for the tourists. Young Pathan bowled with ferocious resolve and stoic determination to claim the important wicket of Hayden and the dangerous-looking Michael Clarke.
The turning points of the match were these two dismissals, which sealed the fate of the hosts. Balaji and Nehra chipped in well, especially the former's performance must have done a world of difference to his confidence.
Debutant Rohan Gavaskar had everything to smile about in this match. With his quickish left-arm spinners, with low trajectory, Rohan came up with a great return catch of Symonds to induce much needed confidence at this international level.
The magnificent Gabba did bring back memories of my Test debut way back in 1991. In Australian cricket, it is not only the cricket that has graduated with time but also the cricket grounds. Most of the grounds have been upgraded into highly developed arenas.
Since the ground in Brisbane is used for both Australian football during winters and cricket during summers, it generates enormous amount of revenue which has been rightly sowed back into the development of overall sporting infrastructure.
The corporate boxes, the media centres, the players dressing rooms and the seating arrangements for the 37,000 spectators along with the fantastic lights facilities all around the ground have made it one of the most modernized cricket fields in the world.
