Holiday time for the Australians

Adam Gilchrist has escaped the pressures of captaincy, wicketkeeping and batting at No. 3 by taking a four-day holiday in Singapore. All 16 members of the Australian squad have been given a leave pass and Gilchrist, John Buchanan, Damien Martyn and Michael Clarke flew out of India after rain washed out the final day of the second Test at Chennai.

"I'm really looking forward to this break," Gilchrist said. That was hardly surprising, after he had coped with the pressure of the first two Tests, along with the scorching heat at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. "We've got a few days off and we've all got the chance to have some time away from cricket. I'm actually going to have the chance to catch up with my family and I really can't wait. It's going to be a great energy boost for me."

Gilchrist, who was thrust into the captaincy role due to Ricky Ponting's thumb injury, rejected criticism of his wicketkeeping that arose after he dropped three catches at Chennai - one of them from Sourav Ganguly off Michael Kasprowicz and a couple of half-chances off Shane Warne.

"When all this initially came on, when Ricky was out, I remember thinking it was a bit of a worry," he said. "I had an assessment of it and felt like I wanted to take it on and so far, so good. Personally, I've been pleased with the way it's gone.

"I've detected some criticism about my wicketkeeping but it's funny, the difference between perception and what you believe in yourself. I feel like I've kept as well as I ever have. I missed a chance the other night off Ganguly and there have been a couple of little ones off the spinners that people have written up as missed chances. It's a pretty tough call in these conditions to criticise a wicketkeeper to a spin bowler. I'm not sure how many of you have ever kept wicket but the ones off the spinners, believe me they're either in or they're out."

Most of the players will spend their break in the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, but the more adventurous ones are likely to travel a bit. Matthew Hayden will head for Goa, while some others were reportedly eyeing Fisherman's Cove, near Chennai, as another possible location for a short holiday.

The squad will reconvene at Mumbai by Saturday to begin preparations for the third Test at Nagpur, which starts on October 26.