ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 quarter-final: Australia v India
Venue: Ahmedabad Date: Thursday, 24 March (0900 GMT)
India batsman Virender Sehwag faces a race to be fit for Thursday's quarter-final crunch match against Australia at the Cricket World Cup.
A knee infection kept India's leading run-scorer at the tournament out of the win over the West Indies last week.
"We'll take a call on Viru's fitness on Wednesday evening or in the morning," said captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Holders Australia go into the match having had their 34-game unbeaten run at the World Cup ended by Pakistan.
They also go into the match with problems in the batting department with both Cameron White and Ricky Ponting struggling for runs.
Captain Ponting has managed 102 runs at 20.40 in six Group A matches and he has not made an international century for 13 months.
The 36-year-old, who last winter captained his side to an Ashes series defeat for the third time, was keen to deny reports that he was set to quit international cricket after the current tournament.
"There's been some stuff written about me retiring after the World Cup. That's completely false," said Ponting.
"I've never even thought about or contemplated retiring at the end of this World Cup. I'm enjoying my cricket as much as ever. Whatever you've read, don't worry too much about that.
"You'll hopefully see me playing a lot in the next few years."
Ponting believes the quarter-final will hinge on which of the two different bowling attacks comes out on top.
"We're more reliant on fast bowlers, they are more reliant on spinners," he said.
"We expect to be facing 30 overs of spin, they will be facing 30 overs of fast bowling, those are the strengths of both teams."
India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh is also aware of the danger Australia's pacemen pose but dismissed the myth that his team-mates were susceptible to the ball dug in.
"They have pace and get wickets with pace. We have to be prepared for it and we'll see what happens in the quarter-final," said the 29-year-old.
"I don't think there's an issue with the short ball. If you have an issue with the short ball you won't be the number one Test team and number two ODI team in the rankings."
Meanwhile, captain Dhoni is hoping that his side avoid late batting collapses.
India lost nine wickets for 29 runs against South Africa, seven wickets for 33 runs against England and seven for 50 during an 80-run win over the West Indies.
"It is a concern, but as you say, you can see there's a gradual improvement," said Dhoni after the last group match against the West Indies.
"Hopefully, in the quarters we'll be at our best, that's the positive I'm taking out of it."
One man hoping to avoid giving up his wicket easily is India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, who is still one ton away from 100 international centuries.
International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat has his fingers crossed that the 37-year-old delays reaching the landmark until the 2 April final.
"Can you imagine a fairytale ending with Sachin Tendulkar getting a hundred in the final and India wins at Wankhede which is his home ground?" said Lorgat.
India's sole World Cup triumph was in 1983 at Lord's when Kapil Dev's squad beat the West Indies in the final. They reached the 2003 final in South Africa but lost to Australia by 125 runs.
Australia have featured in six of the nine World Cup finals to date and have won four titles - 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007.
India (from): Dhoni (capt), Sehwag, Gambhir, Tendulkar, Kohli, Yuvraj, Raina, Pathan, Harbhajan, Chawla, Ashwin, Zaheer, Nehra, Sreesanth, Patel
Australia (from): Ponting (capt), Watson, Haddin, Clarke, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, White, Paine, Smith, Hastings, Johnson, Krejza, Lee, Tait, Ferguson.
Umpires: Marais Erasmus (RSA) and Ian Gould (ENG)
TV umpire: Richard Kettleborough (ENG)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)
Source: BBC
Venue: Ahmedabad Date: Thursday, 24 March (0900 GMT)
India batsman Virender Sehwag faces a race to be fit for Thursday's quarter-final crunch match against Australia at the Cricket World Cup.
A knee infection kept India's leading run-scorer at the tournament out of the win over the West Indies last week.
"We'll take a call on Viru's fitness on Wednesday evening or in the morning," said captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Holders Australia go into the match having had their 34-game unbeaten run at the World Cup ended by Pakistan.
They also go into the match with problems in the batting department with both Cameron White and Ricky Ponting struggling for runs.
Captain Ponting has managed 102 runs at 20.40 in six Group A matches and he has not made an international century for 13 months.
The 36-year-old, who last winter captained his side to an Ashes series defeat for the third time, was keen to deny reports that he was set to quit international cricket after the current tournament.
"There's been some stuff written about me retiring after the World Cup. That's completely false," said Ponting.
"I've never even thought about or contemplated retiring at the end of this World Cup. I'm enjoying my cricket as much as ever. Whatever you've read, don't worry too much about that.
"You'll hopefully see me playing a lot in the next few years."
Ponting believes the quarter-final will hinge on which of the two different bowling attacks comes out on top.
"We're more reliant on fast bowlers, they are more reliant on spinners," he said.
"We expect to be facing 30 overs of spin, they will be facing 30 overs of fast bowling, those are the strengths of both teams."
India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh is also aware of the danger Australia's pacemen pose but dismissed the myth that his team-mates were susceptible to the ball dug in.
"They have pace and get wickets with pace. We have to be prepared for it and we'll see what happens in the quarter-final," said the 29-year-old.
"I don't think there's an issue with the short ball. If you have an issue with the short ball you won't be the number one Test team and number two ODI team in the rankings."
Meanwhile, captain Dhoni is hoping that his side avoid late batting collapses.
India lost nine wickets for 29 runs against South Africa, seven wickets for 33 runs against England and seven for 50 during an 80-run win over the West Indies.
"It is a concern, but as you say, you can see there's a gradual improvement," said Dhoni after the last group match against the West Indies.
"Hopefully, in the quarters we'll be at our best, that's the positive I'm taking out of it."
One man hoping to avoid giving up his wicket easily is India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, who is still one ton away from 100 international centuries.
International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat has his fingers crossed that the 37-year-old delays reaching the landmark until the 2 April final.
"Can you imagine a fairytale ending with Sachin Tendulkar getting a hundred in the final and India wins at Wankhede which is his home ground?" said Lorgat.
India's sole World Cup triumph was in 1983 at Lord's when Kapil Dev's squad beat the West Indies in the final. They reached the 2003 final in South Africa but lost to Australia by 125 runs.
Australia have featured in six of the nine World Cup finals to date and have won four titles - 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007.
India (from): Dhoni (capt), Sehwag, Gambhir, Tendulkar, Kohli, Yuvraj, Raina, Pathan, Harbhajan, Chawla, Ashwin, Zaheer, Nehra, Sreesanth, Patel
Australia (from): Ponting (capt), Watson, Haddin, Clarke, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, White, Paine, Smith, Hastings, Johnson, Krejza, Lee, Tait, Ferguson.
Umpires: Marais Erasmus (RSA) and Ian Gould (ENG)
TV umpire: Richard Kettleborough (ENG)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)
Source: BBC
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