It's not very often that you find Punter Ponting at the receiving end. But Dhoni and his team produced a result at Chandighar that Ponting would love to forget when he wakes up tomorrow. More than the loss, the manner in which the visitors were dominated should tease the effervescent Aussie media back home. I doubt if Ponting would dare to pick up a newspaper or check his e-mail or visit any sports website within the next few days.

Ponting and his team, in fact the Kangaroos, are known for playing mind games, nicknamed 'tough cricket' by the Australians themselves. But everyone knows what happens on field. Ably supported by its media, the Australians choose a few key players from the touring team and concentrate on diverting their attention through constant sledging, nagging and howling expletives. Better to say the select few are punted down under. This is more rampant whenever the touring team happens to be from the sub-continent. In my memory, Muralitharan and Harbhajan Singh top the list of the most suffered players from the sub-continent. Now it's time for Mr. Punter to be on the receiving end, not because the Indians have become masters of sledging but they are playing some outstanding cricket.

The heavy defeat took its toll on Ponting, who complained during the post-match conference that Indian players indulged in heavy sledging and warned them to mend their ways. He suddenly seems to have become a disciple of Pope Benedict. I am keen to see how the Australian press will react to this and project it as the reason for the Australian defeat.

All in all, it's been an intriguing test match and kudos to Indian team.