03 October 2004	Sunday	17 Shaban 1425

MUMBAI, Oct 2: Australian cricket coach John Buchanan feels the challenge of Indian spinners will be intrinsically different to what his batsmen faced against Sri Lankan Muthiah Muralitharan earlier this year.

"Both Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble are different to what Murali bowls," he comented.

"Muralitharan relies entirely on his excessive spin and variations he imparts to his off-spinners. Harbhajan and Kumble, in contrast, are dependent on bounce they get from surface." Still, Buchanan is advising no different approach to his batsmen.

"By and large we would be playing same way we did in Sri Lanka - our approach will be no different," he said.

Even though Murali was extremely successful, Australia still triumphed 3-0 because of some outstanding rearguard action from their batsmen in second innings of most matches in Sri Lanka early this year.

Indian captain Saurav Ganguly, said he would have Harbhajan and Kumble as his frontline bowlers against Australians.

While Harbhajan's return to international cricket after surgery in his finger has been remarkable, it remains to be seen if ageing Kumble is as potent as he has always been on Indian pitches in the past.

Ganguly's comment is seen as a hidden directive from him to curators to prepare pitches which favour spinners at home in coming series.-Agencies