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3rd Test: Australia wins Sydney Test (scorecard), South Africa won Test Series 2-1.. T20 & ODI series follows.
Current Cricket Series : South Africa vs Australia, West Indies vs New Zealand. Coming Up : India in NZ 2009.

Filed under Third test - Bangalore

Year 2005 - Pakistan drew Mohali, lost Kolkata but won Bangalore. Series 1-1.
Year 2007 - Pakistan lose Delhi, draws Kolkata. again - 3rd test is at Bangalore.

Will history repeat itself? or will India get their 2-0 win in this Indian Oil cup, moreso because it'll make them 3rd best test team in ICC Rankings? Fans are advised to keep their money safe in pocket for next 120 hours (8-12 dec 2007) as the arch-rivals start a fresh battle at M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.. now known as Bengaluru!

The pitch, like always, is an important but risky identity to write about. Chinnaswamy stadium hosted the Afro-Asia Cup some 6 months ago, which was played on newly laid pitch, made up of black soil from Mandya District (in Karnataka state) and rolled by Road Roller. More recently, India vs Australia 1st ODI was played at Bangalore where Michael Clarke hit magnificent century before rain spoiled Indian chase of 307.

In both the cases, fast bowlers got purchase with the new ball whereas batsman got the bounce to smash fours once shining ball was seen off. The trick for both India and Pakistan in this 3rd test match at Bangalore will be quite similar. Indian team will get good practice before their Australian tour starting in 20 days whereas known for their seam bowler - Pakistan, will have a chance to save the series for their country once again and continue their unbeaten record in India since 1980 (see notes below).

Indian Squad : Anil Kumble (capt), Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Ishant Sharma, Vikram Rajvir Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Murali Kartik.
Team News : Dhoni havs fingers bruised, common for wicketkeepers, and might sit out. Even Tendulkar is rumored to have some niggling injury! Irfan Pathan is set for test comeback since June 2006.

Pakistan Squad : Shoaib Malik (capt), Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan (vice capt), Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Danish Kaneria, Yasir Arafat, Rao Iftikhar, Abdur Rehman.
Team News : Shoaib Mallik hasn't recovered completely but Pakistani team will take decision right before the match.

Notes before Bangalore test
**Year 2005 India vs Pakistan, Bangalore 3rd test match score card : Toss - Pakistan - batting. 1st Inn = 570 (Younis Khan 267, Inzamam 184). India 1st Inn = 449 (Sehwag 201, Laxman 79). Then, Pakistan 2nd Inn = 261 for 2 in 50 overs, giving India a target of 383.. Indian team managed just 214 and were bowled out in se not lost a test series in India since 1980.
**Last time Pakistan lost a test match series in India, was back in 1980. Since then, 6 India vs Pakistan test series has been played in India, yet none has been lost by Pakistan. Win (3-0), Draw (0-0), Win (1-0), Draw (1-1), win (1-0), Draw (1-1). See full test summary.
**Neosports, Doordarshan are showing this test series in India, and the telecast will be starting 0900hrs on the Saturday morning.
**Bangalore is the home ground of Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble. Dravid, over the years, has not performed to his own standards as his scores at Chinnaswamy stadium are 22 & 6, 17 & 18, 3 & DNB, 0 & 60 and 22 & 16. Kumble on the other hand, has 35 wickets from 7 previous matches, including three 5-wicket hauls.

Preview : story of 2005 = story of 2007

Day 1 : UV & Ganguly make Pak look silly

Day 2 : Pak start well after India delay declaration

Day 3 ~ India : Pak : Draw = 30 : 5 : 65.

Ishant inswingers install hope into India

Pak lose test series in India after 27 years