Pakistan in Australia Tour Schedule, 2009-10

Date	Match Details	Time	Venue
Dec 26 - 30	Australia v Pakistan, 1st Test Aus won by 170 runs	00:01	Melbourne
Jan 03 - 07	Australia v Pakistan, 2nd Test Aus won by 36 runs	00:01	Sydney
Jan 14 - 18	Australia v Pakistan, 3rd Test	00:01	Hobart
Jan 22 - Fri	Australia v Pakistan, 1st ODI	03:15	Brisbane
Jan 24 - Sun	Australia v Pakistan, 2nd ODI	03:15	Sydney
Jan 26 - Tue	Australia v Pakistan, 3rd ODI	03:15	Adelaide
Jan 29 - Fri	Australia v Pakistan, 4th ODI	04:30	Perth
Jan 31 - Sun	Australia v Pakistan, 5th ODI	04:30	Perth
Feb 05 - Fri	Australia v Pakistan, Only T20I	08:35	Melbourne

MS Dhoni takes India to No.1 in Test

India stormed to the peak of the ICC test rankings with a booming 2-0 series victory against Sri Lanka. This is the 1st time India are ranked No.1 in ICC Test cricket.

This win is India's 13th against Sri Lanka in Tests. In the 32 Tests they have played against Sri Lanka, India has 13 victories under their belt while ending up on the losing side only 5 times. 14 matches draw. This is also India's sixth series victory against Sri Lanka.

Gautam Gambhir unavailable for 3rd Test

India will be without the services of Gautam Gambhir for the 3rd cricket Test against Sri Lanka at Mumbai as the left-handed opening batsman will be attending his sister's wedding on December 3.

December is usually the wedding season in North India.

Gautam Gambhir's unavailability means a spot will be open in the team for an opener. The man expected to benefit is Murali Vijay who is part of the team and has played for India before when Gambhir was unavailable.

Murali Vijay had previous filled in for a suspended Gambhir against Australia, and looked solid in his debut match.

The Senior Selection Committee maintained the same side for the 3rd Test to be played from December 2-6 but said because of Gautam Gambhir's unavailability, the strength of the team will be fourteen.

"The All-India Senior Selection Committee has retained the same side for the 3rd Test of the ongoing series against Sri Lanka, to be played at Mumbai from 2 December 2009 to 6 December 2009," said BCCI secretary N Srinivasan.

"Gambhir will not be available for the Test, on account of his sister's wedding on 3 December. The strength of the team for the Mumbai Test will thus be fourteen," he added.

Indian Team: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, S Badrinath, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, M Vijay, Pragyan Ojha and S Sreesanth.

India won by an innings and 144 runs

India produced a command show to win the 2nd Test against Sri Lanka by an innings and 144 runs - their 3rd largest margin of victory ever. It was India's 100th Test match win. It was fitting that the final moment belonged to India's newest participant into the Test arena - Pragyan Ojha.

India pretty much leaded throughout the test. India won the toss and batting first, India's top three scored big hundreds as India posted a very big 642. S. Sreesanth was the wrecker-in-chief yesterday, getting 5 wickets to give India a massive lead. Following-on, Sri Lanka started dreadfully losing their first four batsmen in one session. Samaraweera and Mendis delayed the predictable with a 73-run dogged stand for the ninth wicket. As far as Sri Lanka are concerned, their 1st win on Indian soil still remains exclusive and they want to pull up their socks before the final test.

Margin of Victory	Opposition	Venue	Date
inns & 239 runs	v Bangladesh	Dhaka	25 May 2007
inns & 219 runs	v Australia	Kolkata	18 Mar 1998
inns & 144 runs	v Sri Lanka	Kanpur	24 Nov 2009
inns & 140 runs	v Bangladesh	Dhaka	10 Dec 2004
inns & 131 runs	v Pakistan	Rawalpindi	13 Apr 2004
inns & 119 runs	v Sri Lanka	Lucknow	18 Jan 1994
inns & 112 runs	v West Indies	Mumbai	09 Oct 2002
inns & 109 runs	v New Zealand	Chennai	06 Jan 1956
inns & 106 runs	v Sri Lanka	Nagpur	27 Dec 1986
inns & 101 runs	v Zimbabwe	Nagpur	21 Feb 2002

The win here ensured that India couldn't lose the Test series, with only one Test left and left the team with many positives. The big one was the return of S. Sreesanth, giving India a strong new ball pair once again. Sreesanth's good show should also inspire Ishant Sharma to find again his form, rhythm and pace, and give India a very good seam attack. Pragyan Ojha also had a good debut, and exhibited wonderful control. He had the cushion of a vast total to bowl to, and there will be more challenging situations in the future, but the starting signs were tremendously encouraging. The batting has been in good hands for a while now, and when the team has wanted it, one or more batsmen have put their hands up and performed. Last, but not least, it was cheering to see Rahul Dravid back to his free-flowing best. He looked to have find again his touch in New Zealand, but now he was back to his best self, converting starts to massive scores and looking steady at the crease.

Man of the Match : Sreesanth

India has drawn the 1st test against Sri Lanka

India has drawn the 1st test match against Sri Lanka as Sachin Tendulkar celebrated his 20th year in test cricket with his 43rd Test Century.

A patient unbeaten 100 by Sachin Tendulkar helped India wipe out a huge first-innings deficit of 334 runs to finish at 412-4 in its 2nd innings on Friday.

Left-hander Gautam Gambhir hit 114 and shared a decisive 66-run stand with Tendulkar

Sri Lanka had racked up the highest innings total in India before declaring at 760-7. That was in reply to India's 1st innings effort of 426.

MS Dhoni: "We had to handle our nerves and that's what showed. We're proud of this achievement. The series will go close. We can bowl more disciplined lines, but apart from that the bowlers bowled their hearts out. It wasn't easy. We're not worried about the batting. We expected the track to have a bit more bounce for the spinners, but it favored the batsmen."

Kumara Sangakkara: "A bit disappointed but a few surprises. The Jayawardenes, Dilshan and Samaraweera played well. We showed a lot of fight and spunk. It was a pretty flat track. We were thinking positive and needed something to go our way today but that didn't happen. But we're not too disappointed. Welegedara having to step in on the morning of the match, did fantastically. Prasad showed a lot heart to bowl at 140 plus with a hamstring. It's nice to see people put their hands up."

Man of the Match: Mahela Jayawardene, for his 275, his 27th Test century

West Indies in Australia Tour 2009-10 Schedule

Date	Match Details	Time	Venue
Nov 26-30	Australia Vs West Indies, 1st Test	00:01	Brisbane
Dec 04-08	Australia Vs West Indies, 2nd Test	23:30	Adelaide
Dec 16-20	Australia Vs West Indies, 3rd Test	02:30	Perth
Feb 7 Sun	Australia Vs West Indies, 1st ODI	03:15	Melbourne
Feb 9 Tue	Australia Vs West Indies, 2nd ODI	03:15	Sydney
Feb 12 Fri	Australia Vs West Indies, 3rd ODI	03:15	Sydney
Feb 14 Sun	Australia Vs West Indies, 4th ODI	03:15	Brisbane
Feb 19 Fri	Australia Vs West Indies, 5th ODI	03:15	Melbourne
Feb 21 Sun	Australia Vs West Indies, 1st T20	05:00	Hobart
Feb 23 Tue	Australia Vs West Indies, 2nd T20	08:35	Sydney

One of my most fluent innings: Rahul Dravid

Architect of India's brilliant turn in the 1st Test against Sri Lanka, Rahul Dravid yesterday described his elegant unbeaten knock of 177 as one of his most fluent efforts in recent times.

"It's one of my most fluent efforts in the last two-three years. My feet were moving well and I felt I was in control," said the wall.

The hosts were reeling at 32 for four before Rahul Dravid's 27th Test century, studded with 26 fours and a six, lifted them from the muddle and put them at a sound 385 for six at the end of first day.

"When we were 32 for four, the crumple for 76 against South Africa was at the back of our minds. But we knew it was just a question of having some partnerships going, hang in there till lunch and that's what we did," he said.

"The partnership with Yuvraj Singh steadied the innings in the 1st session, we consolidated in the second and then with skipper MS Dhoni the partnership set it up. Both are attacking players and we knew if they can bat for 150-160 balls then 100 runs would be scored," Dravid said.

Dravid first put the innings on an even keel with a stand of 125 with Yuvraj for the 5th wicket and then increased the stroke with a belligerent 6th wicket partnership of 224 in 306 balls with Captain Dhoni (110) who too notched up a hundred.

Dravid, who completed 11,000 runs and went past Steve Waugh in the leading run-getters lists.