Chandigarh, India

I think my hopes of seeing an Aussie test victory in India are dashed, unless the boys manage to win the third test in Delhi in one day. It's tea on the second day and we're 1/13 chasing 469 on the first innings. More realistically I'm hoping for a draw now, as a loss is the least preferable result.

The ground here at Mohali, which is really a suburb of Chandigarh, is OK but not as enjoyable as Bengaluru. It is a large concrete ground with minimal shade, seating that is a little uncomfortable on the backside and a distinct lack of food options. After the veritable feasts on offer for ridiculously low prices in Bengaluru, the Punjab Cricket Association ground offers potato chips, small Dominos pizzas, ice creams and popcorn. Disappointing.

Although the crowd to day is reasonable - maybe 5,000 or so - the atmosphere is akin to an AFL match in Canberra. They've just fired up after Rudi Koertzen's raised the finger to give Ponting out, but even with our boys at 2/17 it feels like a day in the park. It was embarrassing at the start of play yesterday when no more than 500 people would have been in attendance for the first ball.

I don't think it is widely known but apparently today is the International Day of Man Love. It is appropriate that I am here in India as the affection shown by men to each other is a clear cultural difference between us. It is nothing for men to be seen holding hands, as a pair of police were spotted yesteday, or with their arms around each other in their seats at the ground.

A great idea here in Chandigarh, and indeed in Bengaluru, is the use of countdown clocks on traffic lights to inform drivers, cyclists and roaming cows of how many seconds are left until the lights turn green. The only problem with the implementation of this here is that that the rickshaws, taxis and three-door cars tend to take off with five seconds left, which is consistent with the overall law-flouting approach.