This is a tribute to the team that never really was
tipped to beat the champs – "The Wizards of Oz"!
They left their shores with many a loud cheer;
and made their preference for Foster's clear.
To crush India was their chosen prize goal—
and the world champions were on a roll!
Oh! Could the Indians put up a real fight?
Would the tiger roar at the Kangaroo might?

Alas! Hearts proved fickle, few thought so
and the Aussies arrived with pomp &show!
At Mumbai, they gambolled & had good fun
and trotted up their 16^th win on the run.
McGrath and Fleming with the ball did shine;
Hayden and Gilchrist played knocks super-fine.
The Indians were beaten with plenty to spare-
We licked our wounds & wished we weren't there.

At Kolkata, we realized that this unbeaten streak
was based on hard work and far from a freak.
The first day the Aussies looked totally at ease
with Hayden and Langer lounging at the crease.
But after tea, young Harbhajan flights and spins.
Aussie batting stumbles, wickets fall like ninepins.
Ponting, Gilchrist and Warne -- they fumbled;
one after another, their wickets tumbled.

Later, from us, Steve took the game away-
Lady Luck seemed to smile the Australian way.
McGrath and Gillespie bowled their hearts out
and terrorized us with every raucous shout.
The end of day two saw us sniffing the rope-
at 128 for 8, there seemed just no hope.
But Laxman stood firm with his magic wand,
raising hope in the hearts of a loyal band.

Day four (Oh! What a day! ) dawned bright and clear
Laxman and Dravid faced the bowling without fear.
Drive, glance, square cut, pull and the hook—
they played all the strokes according to the book.
The Aussie bowling looked all ragged and tattered.
Dreams of invincibility were rudely shattered!
The bowling was collared and torn as under—
but still they toiled- the men from down under.

On day five, the Aussies could take no more.
Six hundred plus was a mammoth score!
Hayden fought on and the Aussies still battled-
But Harbhajan and Sachin had them rattled.
Can they do it or not? It seems that they can't!
There rose from the stands a deep, low chant.
It ran:" Ashes to ashes, dust to dust—
If the Pakis can't stop you, the Indians must."

The arena was packed, the crowd bayed for action.
The events of the day gave them every satisfaction!
The last appeal was granted, the torches were lit,
there was dancing on the stands, our boys did it!
Like Phoenix from the ashes, Ganguly`s boys rose.
The Aussies looked dull, dejected and morose.
The Eden Gardens produced a real heart-stopper-
It was here that the Aussies first came a cropper.

To Chennai they went – thirsting for a kill:
but like Humpty Dumpty, they went for a spill.
Hayden and Waugh marauded and plundered,
Indian bowlers simply strayed and blundered.
On day two, Steve Waugh miscalculated and fell.
To the bemused Aussies, it sure rang a bell.
Hayden stood firm like the rock of Gibraltar-
on the stroke of lunch did he finally falter!

Skittled out by Lunch from a position of strength,
They were beaten by Harbhajan`s flight and length!
The Indian batting just clicked for a change.
Das, Rame