26 October 2004	Tuesday	11 Ramazan 1425

NAGPUR, Oct 25: Hosts India, desperate to stop world champions Australia from running away with the series, pleaded for the grass to be shaved off the wicket on which the crucial third Test starts from Tuesday.

The relaid pitch at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) ground turned from a rare green top to a brownish patch in 48 hours as the groundstaff scrubbed the last remnants of grass on Monday.

Pitch curator Kishore Pradhan conceded he had been persuaded by Indian captain Saurav Ganguly to assist the home team's spinners rather than Australia's battery of fast bowlers.

"Saurav explained to me the respective strengths and weaknesses of the rival teams and also the position of the series," Pradhan said. "And he requested me to shave off the grass one last time."

"I will not let the firm wicket break but we will mow the grass till the mud beneath does not get caught in the machine."

Ganguly was, however, not satisfied at the curator's work. "He has not done enough," the Indian captain said. "I spoke to the local officials on Oct 20 and told them what sort of wicket we wanted. "But there is little we can do now. We have to play on the wicket which has been given to us."

Australia, who enjoy a 1-0 lead after winning the opening Test in Bangalore by 217 runs, will be assured of their first series victory on Indian soil in 35 years if they win here.

A draw or an Indian success will set up an explosive climax in next week's fourth and final Test in Bombay after rain prevented a result in the second Test in Chennai.

The firm wicket two days ago had delighted the tourists, especially fast bowler Glenn McGrath who hopes to celebrate his 100th Test appearance with a rich haul of wickets.

But the new barren look brought smiles on the faces of India's spin twins, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, who scalped 34 of the 40 Australian wickets in the first two Tests.

Sachin Tendulkar's return from a tennis elbow injury has boosted the Indians but left Ganguly the unenviable task of reshuffling the team to accommodate the star batsman.

The playing eleven will be picked on Tuesday morning, but indications are that opener Akash Chopra will return to the side after being left out of the second Test.

Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif are expected to make way for Tendulkar and Chopra, while seamer Ajit Agarkar comes in for the injured Irfan Pathan.

Australia's caretaker captain Adam Gilchrist was not surprised at Ganguly's plea for a grassless wicket.

"It is not a typically Indian wicket," said Gilchrist, leading the tourists in the absence of the injured Ricky Ponting.

"We are used to playing on dusty, slow wickets in India so even we may have to adjust our game accordingly."

Australia will retain the same side that played in the first two Tests, leaving tearaway fast bowler Brett Lee once again on the sidelines.

Likely teams:

India: Saurav Ganguly (capt), Akash Chopra, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Venkatsai Laxman, Parthiv Patel, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan.

Australia: Adam Gilchrist (capt), Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Simon Katich, Damien Martyn, Michael Clarke, Darren Lehmann, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz, Glenn McGrath.

Umpires: David Shepherd (ENG) and Aleem Dar (PAK)

TV umpire: K. Hariharan (IND)

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI) -AFP