The state of India's batting health is almost inextricably interwoven with the state of Rahul Dravid's batting health, particularly away from home patch. India have had an impressive run in Test cricket this year despite the 34-year-old being some way below his best. In Australia, on bouncier tracks and against the world's most potent quick bowling attack, the former captain will have to be on top of his game for Anil Kumble's men to remain competitive.
Since India arrived here just under a week back, Dravid has been a busy man. He has been a model workaholic, missing no opportunity to have the extra hit. Despite having batted with surety in the practice game against Victoria, he arrived at the MCG on Sunday afternoon in preparation for Wednesday's Boxing Day Test an hour ahead of his team-mates, facing up to fielding coach Robin Singh from no more than 17 yards and sorting out his batswing and footwork before the scheduled practice session. He has been thoughtful to a fault, ready with a smile but preferring to channelise his energies on the battles ahead. There is a steely glint to his eye that suggests he is on a mission. The Australians will be watching with interest — and a little apprehension — how he goes over the next month.
"Rahul is a great player, wherever he bats he is going to perform," Michael Clarke said, echoing the stated views of team-mate Mike Hussey. "I just hope he doesn't get too many runs!"
Dravid hasn't actually been in the most glorious touch. Setting aside his hundred in Bangladesh earlier this year, his last three-figure knock in Tests was against the West Indies in St Lucia in July of 2006. Since South Africa late last year, the big runs that have fuelled India's burgeoning overseas record have been conspicuous by their absence, though over his last two first-class innings, Dravid has shown signs of returning to his tent-pegging ways.
Haste
It isn't so much the lack of runs as Dravid's approach that has come as a surprise. The man who had almost perfected the art of innings-building has appeared in unseemly haste, trying to manufacture strokes with a regularity hard to associate with him. He has been dismissed more often attempting to be positive than defending. Most tellingly, he has got off to starts and not carried on, as atypical a Dravid trait as you can hope to get.
First indications
The first indications that Dravid was determined to sacrifice strokeful brilliance for characteristic patience came during the second innings of the Bangalore Test, when he assiduously accumulated 42 before being trapped leg before, stretching forward in defence, by Danish Kaneria. It was almost as if he was continuing on from there in the truncated warm-up game against Victoria last week; thrust into the opener's slot, he batted on for nearly three and a half hours, facing 147 deliveries for his unbeaten 38.
Kumble will appreciate every run that flows off Dravid's bat, but the Indian captain will appreciate it even more if his predecessor and good friend can bat long periods. Alongside Wasim Jaffer, but with far greater assurance, Dravid forms the bedrock around which the stroke-makers can paint their pretty pictures.
His solid, unwavering defiance of the opposition bowlers can at once lift confidence levels in the Indian change room, and gradually raise desperation levels in the opposition camp.
Despite his recent ordinary string of scores — ordinary by his standards, in any case — Dravid's is still the most coveted Indian scalp, never mind VVS Laxman's fluid brilliance, Sachin Tendulkar's imposing presence and Sourav Ganguly's rich recent vein of form.
Unless there is a paradigm shift in thinking — or an unfortunate batsman-related injury — over the next day and a bit, Dravid will almost certainly be Jaffer's opening partner, come Wednesday. His last innings as opener was 22 months back, in Karachi. 231 of his 369 runs in 13 innings as opener came in the first two knocks of that series in Pakistan.
Almost irrespective of where he bats in the order, India will need Dravid to fire on all cylinders. His 619 runs in four Tests — as opposed to 93 in three Tests in 1999-2000 — played a massive role in India's outstanding run during their last series in Australia four years back, which ended 1-1. What lies in store this time?