Centurion, Sept. 27: One down, and two to go. That’s the bleak scenario facing Team India at the 2009 Champions Trophy as they head into what is an elimination game for them at the SuperSport Park here on Monday

Having messed up their opener against Pakistan on Saturday, the Indians now have to beat Australia in their second game just to survive here. Playing safe led them nowhere against Pakistan and Mahendra Singh Dhoni will have to change his defensive mindset — evident in the way he used his bowlers on Saturday — if India are to put up a better fight against Ricky Ponting’s men. India’s options with the ball were so limited on Saturday that Dhoni said later he felt they were three bowlers short. That is set to change with news that an additional bowler will be inducted against Australia.

Dhoni paid heavily for using Virat Kohli and Yusuf Pathan while holding Harbhajan Singh back to cover for the lack of options. Centurion Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Yousuf happily cashed in on the chance and were able to take a long look at the bowling before cutting lose towards the end and batting India out of the contest.

Come Monday therefore, there will have to be a change in approach. Dhoni said after nets at the Old Edwardians here on Sunday that five frontline bowlers and six batsmen would be the formula, at least against the Aussies.

Sanity seems to have prevailed in mapping out options. Rudra Pratap Singh and Harbhajan were off the boil on Saturday, and India simply cannot afford another loose game, given the tight format of this tournament. Ashish Nehra toiled away manfully but received precious little by way of support against Pakistan.

It is, therefore, on the cards that leg-spinner Amit Mishra will come in for one of the batsmen, while it remains to be seen whether the Indian thinktank will also think of resting either R.P. Singh or Ishant Sharma to give the waiting Praveen Kumar a go.

India need to lay out battle plans clearly for their two remaining league matches.

Foremost among their requirements is a solid start. Sachin Tendulkar was caught napping on Saturday and with no one able to dig in alongside him, Rahul Dravid waged a lone battle.

Gautam Gambhir’s impetuosity led to a run-out that damaged the chase badly especially when he was batting so beautifully. He cannot allow himself to be goaded into indiscretion — and it happens at the cost of the team.

Now that Yuvraj Singh is unavailable, the responsibility on Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Yusuf Pathan has increased exponentially. Pathan has been completely off his game with the bat and the management would be justified in taking a second look at him ahead of Monday’s game.

It is clear that the top three — Tendulkar, Gambhir and Dravid — will have to carry India’s challenge. Dhoni has evolved as a batsman and Raina provides powerful impetus in the lower order, but they have to bat together for longer periods.

Against Pakistan’s mammoth dig worth 206 for the fourth wicket, the best India could come up with was worth 72, also for the fourth wicket between Dravid and Raina. For their part, Australia survived a testing encounter at the Wanderers against the West Indies on Saturday. It will have given them heart, but the SuperSport Park track is a very different kettle of fish and will take some adjusting to.

Had it not been for Ricky Ponting’s 79, Australia would have been in serious strife. They will also have been boosted by off-spinner Nathan Hauritz’s performance and he will have to be at his best — as Saeed Ajmal was for Pakistan — to play a key role for his side.

With Pakistan far and away the Group A leaders, it is now left to the other three teams to battle for the second semi-final slot and India know they cannot slip up.