India have yet again conceded vital advantage by allowing a champion side like Australia to crawl their way from a precarious position on the first day to take inevitable steps towards recording a significant and morale boosting win in the first of the four test series of the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. But more than berating the Indian team for the lacklustre performance, especially so with the bat, there is a significant and enlightening annotation for the Indian administration.

The Australian experience is perhaps the best way to drive home the point. India did well to peg back the Australians after the latter won the toss. With Australia looking shaky at 149 for the loss of four wickets, India had more than just a foot in the door. And this is why. Australia are a different team from the one that lost the previous series by a 2-1 margin. Sure, they are smarting from that memorable turn around at Eden Gardens which gave India domain over the reigning world champions. But that has not tarnished their self-belief by any stretch of the imagination. In fact perhaps it has made them more quietly and fiercely determined to set the record straight they way they see it. But that is not the point.

The doggedly defiant Steve Waugh, who incidentally made his debut against India, no longer holds the reins of the mighty team from down under. The hard-line approach of Waugh has made way for an aggressive and superiorly confident captain in Ricky Ponting. But Australia set foot on Indian shores without the services of their skipper who sustained a finger injury, elevating Adam Gilchrist to a position yet uncrowned on him. While Adam Gilchrist would have been ecstatic at the opportunity to lead the side in such a significant series that could bring honors elusive to the Australian team since the 70's, he must have had a his heart thumping at such a tremendous responsibility thrust on his shoulders in such a foreign land.

To say that Ricky Ponting's absence equalises the absence of Sachin Tendulkar, tortured by a chronic tennis elbow, would be misleading. Sachin Tendulkar's presence in the final eleven has more bearing than that of Ponting in the Australian side. Australia are like a well oiled machine, not given to the vagaries and flamboyance of their players. Their approach is a rather clinical methodology, laying single minded emphasis on getting the basic right. India, on the other hand, have the habit of accommodating the accomplishments and capabilities of their players which also means having to make some compromises that could well affect the result and consequently, morale of the team.

Most former and senior Australian ex-players were astonished to find the name of young debutant Michael Clarke in the list of the final eleven, terming it as too much of a gamble for the first Test of a series, whose victory would be their crowning glory. Simon Katich has been a name floating in cricketing circles with less than ten Tests to his credit. However, the reputation of the man precedes his place on the field. Simon Katich, rated very high in the Australian media, was left in the dark in the series against Sri Lanka in spite of a valiant and pugnacious knock of 125 against India in the Sydney Test when Australia struggled to avoid the follow-on.

Damien Martyn's resurrected career continues to face crucifixion in the media despite boasting on a Test average of above forty. Darren Lehmann is constantly fighting to secure a consistent place in the side despite being such a forceful player in the squad. Judging by the performance of the relative newcomers in Simon Katich and Michael Clarke, the two senior players will in all likelihood go fighting down into the twilight of their careers. Simon Katich has once again reaffirmed the management's faith in him with a valiant knock of eighty-one in a hundred partnership with the twenty-three year old Michael Clarke that swung the momentum for Australia and nullified Indian efforts earlier in the day.

Michael Clarke, who initially looked like a chicken just hatched, came into his own and when Australia relaunched their fight back on the morning of the second day's play, he had aged into a mature and self assured batsman. Such was his composure and command over the proceedings, he made stand-in skipper, Adam Gilchrist, seem insignificant despite carving a terrific a-run-a-ball century. Gilchrist's jubilation at not just his own century but also, that of the young debutant, exuded the tremendous pride that the players take in representing their land. Michael Clarke's conscious decision to replace his helmet with the baggy green cap, presented to him earlier by Shane Warne, was a gesture not unnoticed.

Michael Clarke's tremendous 150 on debut was not just celebrated by Les and Debbie Clarke, Margaret and Raymond Fox. Apart from his family, it was a great validation for the team management to blood the young, hungry and more importantly, in-form player at the start of such a crucial series. Australia's depth in batting has not suffered by the loss of Steve Waugh and the temporary absence of Ricky Ponting.

India's woes are for all to see. As they struggled to come to terms in the one day arena with the collective disaster of their batting prowess, there is such a deep chasm when it comes to finding suitable replacements who are not just warming the benches but breathing down the neck of the players who do make the cut. Sachin's absence is not the only cause. There are deeper issues that have to be addressed. That requires a significant change in mind set. With so much weighing on their minds, the last thing the team needs is excess baggage.