Born: 2/5/69 Team: Trinidad & Tobago Test debut: v Pakistan at Lahore, 1990/91 ODI debut: v Pakistan at Karachi, 1990/91 Captain Left-handed batsman Left-arm leg-break bowler

What more can be said about Brian Lara, the brilliant batsman on whom so much depends?

On his day - and there are plenty - the Trinidadian can dismantle the best attacks in the business, as he did the last time Australia visited in 1999.

Lara was skipper then, and for the first time in three years he will lead the side against the Aussies again.

Followers will hope the added responsibility can again drive Lara to great heights, but he has already admitted to a sense of added motivation playing amongst a vastly improved team.

Lara's record against Australia is commensurate with his overall profile, the 1,937 Test runs he has scored against them coming at an average of 48.

Key for the left-hander will be making runs early in the series, as Glenn McGrath has claimed his wicket 13 times in Tests.