We will need a team effort to beat India : Katich

From individual to a team performance — that is what the transition has been in the Australian squad, feels Simon Katich. “We no longer have Hayden, Waughs (Steve and Mark), Gilchrist or bowlers like Warne and McGrath to bail us out in a crunch situation. On this tour, and in subsequent tours also, it will take all the 11 players performing to get the desired results,” he said. 

Katich, who is a senior member of the squad with 52 Tests experience, feels last time Australia lost trying to play catch up.

“We were on the back foot from the day we lost the toss. Chasing 400-plus scores on cracking sub-continent wickets is never easy. We have talked about these scenarios a lot in the meetings. But in the end, we will have to perform and there is no alternative to it,” said Katich, who is returning after an eight-week break to overcome shoulder injury.

Katich got the required confidence and feel of the wicket with a century on Day 1 of the three-day Board President XI match against some ordinary bowling from their hosts. He and Shane Watson’s ton must have put some worries in Ricky Ponting’s head to rest.

“Watson and I have enjoyed batting together and our main focus has been to build in blocks of tens and give a good platform for our team,” said Katich who at 35 is perhaps on his last trip to India.

The Aussies were done in by the reverse swing, which was exploited to the hilt by the Indian bowlers and that is something which is still playing in Katich’s mind. The problem is compounded by the fact that many of the players are still to play a Test match in India.

“You don’t have much of a chance if the ball is reversing late. We have spoken about this in the meetings and also about the batting in trying conditions. We have practiced with scruff older balls and that is what you can do to prepare against it,” he said.