Australian coach Mickey Arthur predicts India is jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire as it attempts to save the Test series in Perth.
MS Dhoni's men were smashed by an innings and 68 runs on a batter-friendly pitch in Sydney to go 2-0 down in the four-match campaign.
And with India under siege, Arthur cannot wait to set his pace attack loose at the WACA on Friday and finish the job.
"Certainly in the first innings (in Sydney), they didn't look comfortable," Arthur said of the Indian batsmen.
"I thought they looked comfortable in the second innings ... (but) this is a wicket (Sydney), and Adelaide, that most resembles the subcontinent.
"The WACA is going to be totally different.
"There'll be a lot of pace, a lot of bounce in the WACA wicket. It'll be interesting to see how they go there."
Curator Cameron Sutherland confirmed Arthur's assessment, saying he believes the deck will play similar to last year's Ashes Test, when paceman Mitchell Johnson ripped through England with 9 for 82 for the match to inspire Australia to a 267-run win.
The Test wicket has already been used once this summer, when Tasmania defeated Western Australia by 67 runs in a low-scoring one-day game in October.
"It had good pace and bounce in that game. (Ben) Hilfenhaus bowled a bouncer that went over the keeper's head, so there was a bit of pace and bounce about," Sutherland said.
"It's kind of a different grass we've used over the last couple of years. It's really fine.
"So even if you leave grass on it and it has a bit of colour in it, it doesn't seam excessively.
"It just gives a bit to the new ball and then it settles into a pretty good batting wicket."
Sachin Tendulkar is the only Indian batsman to have scored a Test century at the WACA, although it is not a venue India has frequented often in recent tours.
Australia will need to overcome the body blow of losing firebrand James Pattinson, who would have revelled at the fast bowler's paradise.
But in Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus and most likely Ryan Harris, Australia still has the ability and know-how to extract the most from the unique Perth conditions.
Arthur's previous appointment was coach of the Western Warriors and he is confident Australia has the plans and the cattle to get the job done.
"We can have the best-laid plans out there but you need the personnel to execute that," he said.
"Yes, we brought some planning to the team, but the players have been outstanding. The players deserve all the credit because they're the ones who've gone out there and executed."
India is likely to make a change to its batting arsenal, with Rohit Sharma in line to replace the struggling Virat Kohli in the middle order.
Sharma is yet to make his Test debut and has never played an ODI in Perth.
Arthur has made it clear the 24-year-old can expect some chin music.
"Rohit's had his challenges on wickets that bounce. He's going to go into a furnace at the WACA because there is going to be bounce there. If he gets the nod, it'll be very interesting," said Arthur, who rubbished the notion India was a team of greats rather than a great team.
"No, I'd never say that. You look at the team - they're the current World Cup holders and a (Test) team that got to number one in the world," he said.
The pressure is on India coach Duncan Fletcher, who has now presided over six straight away defeats.
Since replacing Gary Kirsten after India's victorious World Cup campaign last year, Fletcher has led his team to an embarrassing 4-0 drubbing in England backed up by two defeats in Melbourne and Sydney.
That poor form and the Zimbabwean's renowned grumpiness mean the knives are starting to come out in the Indian media and with the millions of fans back in their homeland.
It has also delighting Australian fans, who have little love for Fletcher after he led England to their 2005 Ashes triumph, but was also at the helm when Australia whitewashed the English in the following Ashes campaign Down Under.
Despite a record of seven consecutive Test defeats as a coach in Australia, Arthur fully expects Fletcher to spark his Indian team to a much-improved performance in Perth.
"I think Duncan's a fantastic coach. I think technically he's one of the best I've spoken to," Arthur said.
"He's a very proud man and he'll make sure the team's up come the Test match in Perth."
AAP
Tags: sport, cricket, perth-6000, wa, australia First posted January 08, 2012 10:34:32