Pointing Led Australia Arrive In India For Four Test Series

Ricky Ponting is escorted by security officials on arrival in Jaipur, September 22, 2008

Jaipur: The 15-member Australian cricket team, led by Ricky Pointing, arrived here on Monday for a week-long training camp prior to the four-Test series against India, which begins on Thursday October 9 in Bangalore.

The team, received by Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) official amidst tight security, was taken to a five star hotel where a complete wing was been booked for the visitors.

The squad arrived at Sanganer airport from Mumbai. Tired and jet-lagged after a long journey, the Aussies preferred to head straight to their rooms.

The team is scheduled to have net practice for three days before a two-day practice game on September 27-28 against RCA's centre of excellence' team.

Former Indian coach Greg Chappell, who accompanied the visitors,said that the boys wanted to rest. "The will be fresh after a dip in the RCA academy pool tomorrow. Some of them will got to the nets if they wish to," said the former Indian coach who is here with the Australian team as an expert.

The visitors would leave for Hyderabad on September 29 for their first official warm-up game.

Australian Squad: Ricky Ponting (C), Brad Haddin (WK), Brett Lee, Bryce McGain, Doug Bollinger, Jason Krejza, Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke (VC), Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Phil Jaques, Shane Watson, Simon Katich, Stuart Clark.

Schedule: Sep 27-28: warm up v Rajasthan at Jaipur, Oct 2-5: warm up v Indian board president's XI at Hyderabad, Oct 9-13: First Test at Bangalore, Oct 17-21: Second Test at Mohali, Oct 29-Nov 2: Third Test at Delhi, Nov 6-10: Fourth Test at Nagpur

Number Game for Series

• 4 Players have appeared in Test cricket in India: Pointing, Hayden, Clarke and Katich
• 4 Players yet to make Test debut: Kretza, Siddle, McGain and Bollinger
• 5 Test matches lost by Aussies to India in he 21st century. It remains the most number defeats by Australia against a specific country after they lost four games to England during the same period. They lost three in India and two at home.
• 6 Players have appeared in each of the last five touring or home squads: Matthew Hayden, Pointing, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussy, Brett Lee & Stuart Clark.
• 12.28 batting average of Aussie captain Ricky Pointing in India. In eight matches, he could score only 172 runs with 60 during the Kolkata Test in 1998 as his highest. This remain his lowest batting average in 9 nations in which he has appeared.