KEY POINTS:
New Zealand are taking inspiration from seeing India make life awkward for the once-indomitable Australians - whether they can implement some of the tactics used by the Asian giants remains to be seen.
Principal among them is to curb Ricky Ponting. In his last three transtasman test series he has amassed 689 runs at a Bradmanesque average of 86.1.
The last time he met New Zealand wearing whites he raged against Stephen Fleming's go-slow tactics with an incandescent 86 not out in the near-dark at Eden Park to win the test.
Against India, Ponting is reduced to mere mortal. Where once Harbhajan Singh was his chief tormentor, now it is Ishant Sharma. With his angular action and steepling bounce, the young Indian paceman has caused Ponting grief.
Kiwi captain Daniel Vettori said while he thought it was more a matter of Sharma bowling a series of freakish deliveries to Ponting rather than any deep-seated flaw in the Australian captain's game, he had a bowler in mind that might be able to do a similar job.
``It's the set-up from Sharma I'm interested in. The way he comes wide of the crease and starts to angle it in then move it away. That's always difficult to re-enact but that's the way he's set him up and been able to dismiss him regularly.
``We could look at someone like Iain O'Brien to do a similar role with his ability to go wide of the crease.'
O'Brien might appear to lack some of the world-class attributes of Sharma, most particularly genuine pace, but what Vettori knows he'll get is maximum effort and a willingness to follow a plan. He has also made the job of guessing a playing XI that much easier with his support for O'Brien.
The other tactic India have used more successfully is across-the-seam bowling, an art that has become trendy again, particularly on flat, dry pitches.
Basically, once the immediate effects of the new ball have worn off, in the subcontinent that could be before the first 10 overs is complete, their bowlers will bowl across the seam to hasten the process of roughing up the ball that, in turn, hastens the arrival of reverse swing.
``We did it a bit in Bangladesh,' Vettori said, ``but it depends a bit on the make-up of your bowling attack. Kyle Mills, Tim Southee and Chris Martin will want to swing the ball, will want to keep it as conventional as possible but as soon as that conventional swing disappears we'll go straight to those cross-seamers to try to rough the ball up and bring reverse swing into play.
``We've seen how successful the Indians have been at doing it,' Vettori said ``and it's something we'd like to be able to do as well.'
In all likelihood, however, if New Zealand are to have any chance it will be by exploiting the one true advantage they have over their neighbours - a world-class spinner - and even that is a long-shot at a seam-friendly Gabba.
Vettori is playing down talk that the Australians are in disrepair but there is a groundswell of opinion that they have come back to the pack since the retirements of Glenn McGrath and, in particular, SK Warne.
``They haven't got a spin bowler of note and that's the first time we've seen that for a very long time,' Vettori said, admittedly before offspinner Jason Krejza's truly bizarre return of 8-215 at Nagpur. ``That's the only point where you can say they're a little bit vulnerable. The rest of their team is exceptionally strong. They've still got a great batting line-up.
``They're still a confident side, they're still No 1 in the world and they're led by one of the best batsmen ever.
``If you look at their performances at home over the past two or three years they've been outstanding. We want to be confident about our chances but we're... going to have to play really well to give ourselves a chance.'
It is ironic, too, that the one time Australian has shown signs of buckling is a time New Zealand will meet them with a novice side shorn of their No 1 allrounder. Jacob Oram, it should be noted, would have been the one tourist who could have claimed to have scored a test century in Australia.
Somebody will have change that sobering fact for New Zealand to compete.
