With the Australian cricket team struggling like never before, India will have their best chance to end a 64-year wait to upstage them in their own backyard when the two sides clash in what promises to be a pulsating four-Test series starting in Melbourne on Monday.

With a young and inexperienced side to lead, Michael Clarke has already conceded that it would be quite a task for his greenhorn bowlers to contain India’s veteran line-up of batsmen.

But never the best of travellers despite their improving record, the Indians would be challenged by the sheer hostility of conditions that Australia is known for.

The larger grounds and the bouncing tracks would test the Indian side even though the visitors holds the edge against the most inexperienced of Australian sides.

It is India’s best chance considering how Australia have struggled in the past few months and if Sachin Tendulkar manages to score that elusive 100th international hundred, it would be cause of bigger celebrations.

Tendulkar, the game’s biggest legend with 15,183 runs from 184 Tests, chases that century after an excruciating wait of seven Tests and 13 innings which even his team-mates are urging him to end now.

On the other side, Ricky Ponting, with 12,656 runs from 158 Tests, is the game’s third biggest scorer ever and is arguably the best Australian batsman ever after Sir Donald Bradman.

Indeed this Test is a story of plots within plots with India chasing that elusive series win on Australian soil which hasn’t happened on nine previous visits, 36 Tests and 64 years.

India’s trinity of batting legends, Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid (13,094 from 160 Tests) and VVS Laxman (8,626 from 130 Tests) almost surely have their absolute last chance of scripting history in Australia as another visit by India on these shores is not scheduled before 2014.

It’s a batting line-up which is palpably wary of India’s swing-led attack of Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav even though the first two have got their fans anxious on their fitness.

The grassy MCG pitch is expected to be extremely helpful for fast bowlers in the first 30 overs after which it is likely to flatten out in batsmen’s favour.

Sehwag and Gambhir thus have a critical role in the line-up. While Gambhir is yet to play a Test in Australia, Sehwag has usually flourished here scoring 833 runs from seven Tests at an average of 59.50.

A young Virat Kohli is almost certain to occupy the number six batting slot but would be looking over his shoulder at Rohit Sharma who many reckon is presently in the form of his life.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has every reason to prove that the 4-0 defeat in England this summer was an aberration in his glittering tenure as captain of India during which he has won 17 of 34 Tests.

One worry for India would be its fielding at a huge MCG, India doesn’t seem to have enough strong shoulders to throw from the boundary.

Teams (from):

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Abhimanyu Mithun, Pragyan Ojha, Wriddhimaan Saha, Ajinkya Rahane.

Australia: Michael Clarke (capt), Brad Haddin, Ed Cowan, Ben Hilfenhaus, Michael Hussey, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, James Pattinson, Ricky Ponting, Peter Siddle, David Warner, Mitchell Starc (12th man).

Umpires: Marais Erasmus (South Africa) and Ian Gould (England).

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka).

The match starts at 5 a.m (IST).