Australia won the sixth ODI in Guwahati on Sunday by a comfortable six-wicket margin and took an unassailable 4-2 lead in the seven match series. The Australian media lauded Ricky Ponting and his men for the way they have humiliated India despite being without their key players. The series win also meant that Australia consolidated their position at the top of the ODI rankings, which was under threat if India were to win the series.

“Courageous Australia remain cricket’s one-day kings after crushing upstart rivals India in a ruthless show of strength,” screamed a write-up in the Courier Mail. “India’s bold ambition to send Ricky Ponting’s men home without the number one ranking proved hollow with Australia’s six-wicket victory sealing the series and one-day bragging rights.”

Headlined ‘Jubilant Aussies take series over India’, Herald Sun newspaper said the series win by Ponting’s men would be even more devastating to the Indian psyche as it had come with a “virtual Australia-A side”.

“Dhoni’s side will be licking its wounds for a while after being bashed by a virtual Australia ‘A’ side, short of front-line names but big on heart,” it said.

“The loss of Brett Lee, Peter Siddle, Tim Paine, James Hopes and Moises Henriques only served to galvanise Ponting’s unit. Australia has depth in young talent who will not only hold the line as reinforcements but win battles of their own,” the article in the Herald Sun said. “Ponting’s injury-hit squad of ‘home brand’ warriors put India back in their box, dealing a huge psychological blow to their psyche.”

The Age lauded Ponting’s men for keeping Australia’s 13-year undefeated ODI series run in India intact. “Australia will fly out this week with both its number one ranking and 13-year unbeaten run in one-day series here intact, after taking an unassailable 4-2 lead over India,” the newspaper said. “Forty-five minutes of lethal new-ball bowling from Doug Bollinger and Mitchell Johnson paved the way for the six-wicket win at the Nehru Stadium at Guwahati.”

Cricket Australia said in a press release on Wednesday that Henriques would return home after suffering a hamstring injury during the fourth ODI in Mohali. The release also said that the CA National Selection Panel (NSP) have decided that McDonald and Cockley would join the squad for the sixth ODI in Guwahati as replacement players for Henriques and Peter Siddle, who returned home early this morning with stiffness in his left side.

“Moises complained of some discomfort after the fourth ODI in Mohali. He had an MRI scan when we arrived in Hyderabad which showed signs of injury to the right hamstring,” Australian physiotherapist Kevin Sims said. “The medical staff believes the injury will not recover sufficiently for him to participate in the last week of the tour and therefore we have decided he will return to Australia where he will continue his treatment.”

Australia’s National Selection Panel Chairman Andrew Hilditch said McDonald’s form in the Champions League Twenty20 was instrumental in getting him a call-up while Cockley was rewarded for his performance in the Ford Ranger Cup.

“Andrew played very well for Victoria in the recent Champions League in India. He was in very good form in the first Sheffield Shield game, scoring a hundred and bowling impressively on a batsman friendly Adelaide wicket and backing that up with a dominant display in tonight’s Ford Ranger Cup match,” Hilditch said. “We are sure that Andrew will grab his opportunity and perform well in the Australian one-day set up.”

“Burt is someone who the NSP has identified in the last 12 months as someone who could have an impact at international level. He performed well in the recent Ford Ranger Cup game against Western Australia and we think he will be well suited to Indian conditions. This is a great opportunity for a young Australian fast bowler to have an impact at the international level,” added Hilditch.

Australia’s injury worries have been increasing by the day. They landed in India without key players like Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin and a string of injuries during the series saw Brett Lee, James Hopes, Tim Paine, Siddle and now Henriques return home.

Siddle bowled just five overs in the match and team physio Kevin Sims said that the decision to send him back was a precautionary measure.

“Peter’s injury does not appear to be a serious problem but it is unlikely he will be able to safely bowl within the next week which would therefore not allow him to have any further participation in the tour,” Sims said. “With this in mind we have made the decision that Peter will return to Australia where he will reviewed by Cricket Australia medical staff to ensure he is available for selection at the beginning of the Australian summer.”

Australia’s selectors are yet to decide on a replacement player and the bench strength of the nation’s bowling has already been tested during the tour. Brett Lee and James Hopes have flown home from India mid-series and the squad was already without Nathan Bracken, who has a knee injury.

Clint McKay and Moises Henriques have joined the squad to boost the attack and the selectors will need to look through the state ranks for a third fast man to add to the group. Their options will include Dirk Nannes and Brett Geeves, both of whom have been part of the squad over the past year.

Cricket Australia on Sunday confirmed Hopes would return to Australia to continue his recovery from a right hamstring injury suffered during the first ODI at Vadodara. “James has done everything he can with medical staff to try and make himself available for the remaining games of the tour of India,” Cricket Australia physiotherapist Kevin Sims said.

“However, due to the compressed nature of this tour and his speed of recovery so far, we feel now we have insufficient time to have James fully fit to take part in the remaining games of this series. Therefore a decision has been made that James will return to Australia where he will continue his rehabilitation from this hamstring injury,” he said.

Australia’s National Selection Committee has named Victorian fast bowler Clinton McKay a replacement player for the injured Brett Lee, who too has been ruled out of the series and has returned home, while New South Wales all-rounder Moises Henriques will now remain with the squad for the remainder of the series.

“With the injuries to Brett Lee and James Hopes and both of these players returning to Australia, the National Selection Panel has taken the opportunity to add another bowler to the squad in Clinton McKay,” said NSP Chairman Andrew Hilditch. “Clinton is a young promising bowler who performed well at interstate level last season and has recently shown very good form for Victoria in the Champions League in India.”

“He will be very well suited to Indian conditions and we believe he is another young player to benefit from the experience of being in the Australian team set-up during this tour. We also feel he has the ability to perform well at the international level,” Hilditch said. “With Moises having played in the last ODI game and James Hopes going home, Moises will now remain with the squad in India for the duration of the series.”

Earlier, Australia had come to the tour without key players like Michael Clarke, Nathan Bracken, Brad Haddin and Callum Ferguson.  In the team in place of Brad Haddin, wicketkeeper Tim Paine was also ruled out after a finger injury and Graham Manou made his international debut coming in for him at Nagpur.

The BCCI said a final decision on whether they play on Monday would be taken on the morning of the game. Tamil Nadu wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik has been brought in as cover for the duo.

“Dinesh Karthik will be joining the Indian team in Mohali,” BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement. “Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir sustained injuries during the third match of the Hero Honda Cup 2009, played at Delhi on October 31. A final decision on their availability for the fourth match, to be played at Mohali on November 2 will be taken on the morning of the game.”

India won Saturday’s match by six wickets to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

Although the BCCI did not elaborate on the injuries of the two openers, Sehwag had been hit on his foot by a Peter Siddle yorker in the eighth over which had him in pain, needing the physio’s attention. Gambhir, on the other hand, was struck on the neck while fielding at short leg by a fierce pull shot by Ricky Ponting. The opener didn’t field for the rest of Australia’s innings after that.

Lee was unable to complete his 10-over spell during the first ODI against India in Baroda and was not available for selection in the second match of the series in Nagpur. On Friday, he had a light practice at the Ferozeshah Kotla and captain Ricky Ponting said he was 85 percent fit.

“Brett’s elbow injury has not responded as well to treatment as we would have liked and therefore a decision has been made to send him home to consult with an elbow specialist,” team physiotherapist Kevin Sims said. “With an accurate diagnosis we can determine how best to manage the injury and give Brett the best chance of being available for selection at the beginning of the Australian summer.”

“Cricket Australia’s National Selection Panel is working through the process of naming a replacement player and this will be advised in due course,” the statement read.

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting and Coach Tim Nielsen had voiced their unhappiness about the scheduling of Champions League so close to the ODI series. Nielsen called Lee’s injury a “stress-related” one, and Ponting rued the absence of six of his players while preparing for the seven-ODI series. Lee, however, said that his injury was not because of his participation in New South Wales’ campaign in the Champions League.

Australia will also be without allrounder James Hopes, who has a hamstring strain, in the third ODI in Delhi. “Both the guys [Lee and Hopes] are not playing tomorrow. Lee had a light training today and he looks 85% fine but there is still some pain in his elbow,” Ponting said. “Hopes got through his bowling today but we have our fingers crossed. We hope he will be okay for Mohali after sitting out tomorrow.”

Australia arrived in India without Michael Clarke, Callum Ferguson and Brad Haddin. Their second choice gloves-man Tim Paine also fractured his finger in the last match in Nagpur to return home, while his replacement Graham Manou is expected to arrive on Friday.

The series is currently level 1-1 with the third match scheduled here at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Saturday.

“He’s (Dhoni) such a danger to play against. I would like to see him bat up the order especially in the abbreviated version of the game. You want your best batsmen to face as many deliveries as possible,” Gilchrist told reporters here on Tuesday.

“He has a lot on his plate, I understand that. But I would encourage him to bat higher in the order,” Gilchrist said, adding, “Dhoni paces his innings well. But it’s his decision.”

Gilchrist said that missing the services of speedsters Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and all-rounder James Hopes, who have been ruled out of the second ODI due to injuries, was a huge blow for the Aussies. “It will be a huge blow. Any injury is. India felt the absence of Yuvraj Singh (in the first ODI) and I am sure he will be welcomed back,” he said.

Predicting an intense series, the 37-year-old Deccan Chargers captain said that India team would be strenghtened with the return of explosive Yuvraj Singh. “The series will be evenly fought. Both team showed fighting qualities. I won’t predict the scoreline but with Yuvraj’s return, I think Indian team would be more dangerous,” he said.

Gilchrist named southpaw Yuvraj, pacer Ishant Sharma and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh as the “impact players” for India and Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting and left-hander Michael Hussey for the visitors. On sacking of Indian fielding coach Robin Singh, he said, “It’s an area you need to be committed in this age. India should be out there in search of someone in that position.”

Commenting on the performance of Rohit Sharma, whom he captained as skipper of the Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Gilchrist said he was surprised by his removal from the Indian team. “Though I haven’t followed his figures, I am surprised by the selector’s view that he cannot be a part of his team. I am a big fan of his and would like to see him develop into a good player for India. He’s got the skills and the talent…he’s learning,” he said.

Saying that too much cricket was being played these days, Gilchrist said other teams should learn from Australia on how to save players from burning out. “I do believe there is generally too much cricket played in the world. I think contracts are signed and organisers are committed a particular number of matches. But they should realise saturation will not help matters,” he said.

“We’ve seen Ricky (Ponting) pull out of the IPL last year. Johnson, and (Brad) Haddin keeping out of it to keep themselves fresh to play for Australia. Players in their prime of their careers should take care of it,” he added.

Asked about the Champions League, Gilchrist, who led Deccan Chargers in the recently concluded tournament, said the concept had a lot of potential and should be given some time to develop. “It should not be compared with the IPL that achieved instant success. It is a fantastic concept but we’ve to be patient with it. It has the potential to be keenly developed and followed,” he said.

Gilchrist attributed the success of the Australian teams in the Champions League to the standard of domestic cricket played in the country. “The standard of domestic cricket is the highest in the world. There are only six teams and the competition to get into these teams is very high,” he said.

India has been bolstered by the return of southpaw Yuvraj Singh while the Aussies will be going into the match without their frontline fast bowlers Brett Lee and all-rounder James Hopes. India has badly missed the presence of an explosive batsman like Yuvraj Singh in the middle order, not to forget his left arm spin bowling which has proved very effective in the last year.

The hosts will also look to take advantage of the injury-induced absence of pacer Brett Lee and all-rounder James Hopes. Australia’s other lead fast bowler, Mitchell Johnson, is also a doubtful starter for the game. Australia coach Tim Nielsen is hoping that Johnson would be able to make it for the match.

“Johnson has woken up a lot better today morning than we thought. We hope that he can be drafted in for the game,” said Nielsen.

Left-arm medium pacer Doug Bollinger, who was impressive in the Champions League Twenty20 playing for New South Wales and right arm medium pacer Ben Hilfenhaus are expected to fill the vacant slots. In that case, Peter Siddle will have to share the workload of leading the Australian attack.

Trailing in the series by 0-1, India would be looking to get back to winning ways in the 50-over format of the game. Their form has been inconsistent in this format since their tour to the West Indies in June-July earlier this year. Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men have won only five out of a dozen matches they have played since the series in the Caribbean, losing an equal number while two ties have ended in no result.

More than their inconsistency, a loss on Wednesday would put them in trouble as they will have to win four out of the remaining five matches to win the series. India were completely outplayed by the Aussies in the first one-dayer in Vadodara but the absence of Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson coupled with the return of the dashing Yuvraj Singh would enormously lift the confidence of the Indian team.

With a strike rate of close to 90, Yuvraj, whose last ODI innings was 56 not out off 41 balls against Sri Lanka, provides the major boost in the middle overs when the ball becomes a bit soft, and with him back, the Indian batting wears a completely different look. He’s expected to come into the side at the expense of either Suresh Raina, who flopped with the bat at Vadodara, or Ravindra Jadeja, who bowled very well in the first ODI but failed with the bat.

Indian bowling, too, was lacklustre in the first match. Praveen Kumar was not penetrative and pressure will be on him to retain his place with Munaf Patel waiting for a chance. Harbhajan might have done his bit with the bat, but he lacked the sting in his bowling.

The venue made its international debut by hosting the last Test of the India-Australia series last year. A capacity crowd of around 40,000 is expected for the first day/night match in this Orange City, that would be a far cry from the dismal attendance for the Test in November, 2008.

To minimise the dew problem created to the side which bowls second, the organisers have decided to spray some chemicals which they said would reduce dew by around 40 per cent.

Squads:

Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Hussey, Doug Bollinger, Nathan Hauritz, Jon Holland, Ben Hilfenhaus, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Peter Siddle, Adam Voges, Shane Watson and Cameron White.

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel, Ashish Nehra, Praveen Kumar, Amit Mishra, Sudeep Tyagi, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja.

“Our medical staff have now decided that while both Brett Lee (right elbow) and Mitchell Johnson’s (left ankle) injuries have responded well to treatment, they will be severe enough to rule them out of contention for tomorrow’s match,” National Selection Panel Chairman Andrew Hilditch said in a Cricket Australia statement.

New South Wales all-rounder Moises Henriques will be flying back to India just a couple of days after returning to Australia with the victorious NSW squad, who won the inaugural Champions League T20 tournament, as cover for the injured James Hopes, who is unlikely to be fit till the Delhi ODI.

“With James Hopes’ right hamstring injury being more serious and likely to keep him out for at least the next two matches it is thought adding a standby player to the squad is a necessity,” Hilditch said. “Given the most significant injury appears to be Hopes’ hamstring we have taken this opportunity to add Moises to the squad until the completion of game four in Mohali, where we will again assess the situation before it is decided if he remains with the squad.”

Henriques will reach Delhi on Wednesday and join the Australian squad when it arrives in Delhi on Thursday.

“While the injury situation is disappointing it does provide an opportunity for Moises to join the Australian squad and become familiar in this environment,” Hilditch said. “His form for Australia A in Pakistan and for New South Wales during the recent Champions League in India has been very good and we view him as an exciting young all-rounder who will be looking to make the most of this opportunity in India.”

The Australian side had already been struggling with injuries to some key players and these injuries may prove to be a big setback for the world champions. Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Callum Ferguson and Nathan Bracken were not able to make it to this tour due to fitness issues and now three new names have been added to the list.

The Australian team has been in a grueling schedule with back to back series, starting with the Ashes, and then a 7 match ODI series against England, before moving onto the Champions Trophy in South Africa.

But this time when the Aussies face off against India in a seven-match series starting on Sunday at Vadodara, we may not witness too many such incidents because the Australian players now feel a bit awkward to sledge Indian players, some of whom have become very good friends post the Indian Premier League.

“It is easier to get under the skin of a person if you don’t know him personally. But thanks to the Indian Premier League, we know many of the (Indian) players and hence it becomes awkward sometimes,” says all-rounder James Hopes. “Things can get a bit heated when you are on the field but the difference from the earlier times is that it will be restricted on the field. Once the match is over we clarify all the issues off the field.”

Meanwhile, wicketkeeper Tim Paine also replied in the negative when asked about on-ground sledging. “I have done it a few times in the domestic matches but yet to open my mouth in the international matches. If I have to say anything, I would rather say it to the bowler and the skipper,” Paine said.

Australia speedster Mitchell Johnson, who has already talked about giving chin music to the Indian batsmen, recalls an incident when he tried to sledge Rahul Dravid during last year’s Delhi Test.

“I hoped to put Rahul Dravid off his game and really sledged him. He was batting on 50-plus. But he hardly reacts. I realised soon that I was wasting my breath,” he said.