Bowlers strangle Indian batsmen

Jason Gillespie says Australia are strangling the run-making abilities of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, who he knew had lost the plot when he played a desperate hook on the final day of the Nagpur Test.

Of all Australia's carefully-laid plans, bowling on middle stump to Dravid and Laxman - and packing the legside with fielders to thwart their wristy strokes - has paid off better than any other. The Indian duo is being contained to the point of distraction by getting the ball where they want it - but being unable to score because of the field placement. Directing their attack at the stumps has also given the Australians the chance to pick up bowled and lbw decisions.

"Our planning has been outstanding," said Gillespie, whose match figures of 9 for 80 at Nagpur were the best of his career. "We're attacking the stumps a lot more and protecting the onside a lot more. Laxman likes to work it to leg a bit and we have stopped him scoring. All of a sudden ... where does he go from there? He cannot play inside out. There are a lot of players who can play inside out, but in my mind he's not a guy who can do it."

Gillespie said Laxman did not know what to do to counter the restrictions. "He's been strangled," he said. "It stood out to me ... for him to play a hook shot against Michael Kasprowicz first ball, that's when we knew we had the bloke."

The days of Laxman and Dravid ganging up on Australia appear to be over. "Dravid is very similar to Laxman - a very good player who loves to work the ball on the on side," said Gillespie. "If you get something anywhere near his stumps, he likes it. But we have stopped him scoring. Instead of bowling a foot outside off stump and saying we will wait for you to play a big shot, we have said, 'Right, we are going to try and attack your stumps. Miss the ball and we've got you. Hit the ball and we will stop you scoring.' We're lucky enough our plans have come off."

With his rough and ready appearance - long black hair, goatee beard, permanent scowl when bowling - Gillespie looked ready to run through a brick wall during the adrenaline rush of dismissing Sachin Tendulkar at Nagpur in one of the defining moments of the series. "All I was trying to do was bowl a really tight line on middle and off stump," said Gillespie.

Gillespie said his leading role in the series - his 16 wickets are the most among the Australians - was a blessing after he feared he would never play again when he broke his leg in a clash with Steve Waugh in Sri Lanka in 1999. "At that stage I just wanted my leg to heal," he said. "If I was allowed to get back and play cricket again, I was happy. To be in this position now is pretty awesome."

The fourth Test starts on Wednesday.