Dravid confident of strong showing

Back in January 2004, India bounced back from a nine-wicket defeat at the MCG to nearly upset Steve Waugh's farewell-applecart and clinch the series in Sydney. Rahul Dravid was confident that India could come back as strongly after having gone down by 174 runs at Kingsmead to leave the series all square.

"We haven't had much time after Durban," he said, talking to the media before an early-afternoon net session. "We had a meeting, discussed what happened in the second Test. We worked out the positives, addressed the negatives, and worked out areas where we can put pressure on South Africa.

"I am not a big fan of back-to-back Tests because of the workload on the bowlers, but one of the advantages is that you don't have much time to brood. We can take inspiration from the fact that against Australia, after losing in Melbourne, we came back hard in the Sydney Test."

The smattering of grass on the pitch didn't concern Dravid unduly, and his attitude had everything to do with the fact that India finally have a three-pronged pace attack that can do considerable damage in such conditions. "I get the feeling sometimes that our best chance is on seaming pitches that gives our seamers the best chance of getting 20 wickets in the shortest possible time," he said.

"If we can then grit it out and score 250 or 300, we'll always be in with a good chance. But it doesn't really matter what the track looks like. What matters is how you play over the five days. One of our aims coming into this game is to bat for four sessions."

For the previous two Tests, India announced a 12 on the eve of the game, but a couple of injury concerns and intense debate over Virender Sehwag's place in the line-up has meant that the team will only be named ahead of the toss. "There are a couple of issues," said Dravid. "With Dhoni, we'll have to see how he goes after practice. Munaf [Patel] is not really an issue at all. He was fit to play the last game, we just felt he hadn't got enough overs under his belt. He has bowled a lot since then."

When probed further about Sehwag, and India's inability to get any sort of start throughout the series, Dravid said: "Runs at the top of the order are very important. We need good solid starts, and if we get that, it will help in our goal of batting out four sessions.

"I wouldn't be wary of making dramatic changes if it strengthened the team. But we have to take into account the fact that this is the last game of the series, and a different sort of wicket from the last two." That was as far as he would go in suggesting that Sehwag would survive the axe after all.

One man who has spent the entire Test series on the outer is certain to remain there. Before Kumble's triumphant return in Australia, Harbhajan Singh had taken over the mantle of frontline spinner, but even on a pitch that will take turn as the game progresses, he has next to no chance of playing. "When you have two world-class spinners, you hope to play that sort of formula," said Dravid. "But it's always hard to play two spinners abroad, especially if you lose the toss and have to bowl on the first day."

Dravid's counterpart, Graeme Smith, has been under the cosh during the series, but showed signs of returning to form with a gritty half-century in the second innings at Durban. Dravid, who played alongside him for the World XI during the Super Series last year, offered a sympathetic view when asked about Smith's travails.

"What people tend to forget is that people like him and [Stephen] Fleming got the captaincy very young, and what they have done is not easy," he said. "To me, cricket begins after you cross the white line. What happens away from the field is a bit of show and fun, mainly for the media. At the international level, if those things affect you, you shouldn't be playing."

A decade ago, South Africa came back from 1-0 down to clinch a series against New Zealand. Despite the fact that he rates Smith as a captain and a player, Dravid will be determined to ensure that he doesn't pull off a similar feat.