The world to blame for Australia's success

Australia are aiming for a record-equalling 16 straight Test wins and in the Australian, Mike Coward says it’s time for the rest of the world to be held accountable for not providing a challenge.

The game is at a critical point in its evolution with its traditional values and virtues being undermined or destroyed by the crass commercial imperative. India's hysterical reaction to its Twenty20 World Cup success in South Africa late last year was characteristic of the myopia that exists. Six months earlier, India had shown no interest or care for this style of the game. Now it is seen as the future and a perfect fit for a Bollywood view of the world.

Peter Roebuck writes in the Sydney Morning Herald that India must lift in Sydney or their tour will be doomed, while Greg Baum in the Age suggests their batsmen need to force the issue.

In the Australian, Peter Lalor remembers Sachin Tendulkar’s superb display when he last played a Test in Sydney, in 2003-04.

Having edged outside off stump a number of times beforehand, in Sydney the great batsman decided to remove the cover drive from his game. Like an ascetic he had cut off that which caused him to sin. It worked a treat. Tendulkar applied himself for almost 12 hours in two undefeated innings at the SCG to scuttle Australia's hopes of sending Steve Waugh from the field in his final Test with a victory.