They may be an 'odd couple' but Australian captain Michael Clarke has credited his rookie opening combination of David Warner and Ed Cowan as one of the key elements behind their series-winning victory in the third Test at the WACA Ground.
Clarke heaped plenty of praise on his bowlers as well, after the Australians' four-pronged pace attack dismantled India for 161 and 171 in their two innings at the WACA Ground, paving the way for the innings-and-37-run victory in just over seven sessions of play.
But he was especially happy with Warner (180) and Cowan (74), who defied the bowler-friendly conditions at the WACA Ground to post a 214-run opening stand, Australia's second-best opening partnership against India and the second-best of all time in Perth.
They may have only been playing together since the first Test of this series in Melbourne, but their efforts set up Australia's first-innings total of 369, an effort that almost broke the Indian resistance there and then.
"I couldn't be happier as a captain," said Clarke.
"It was a very satisfying victory. A lot of credit needs to go to not only Davie, who batted unbelievably well out there, but also his partner Ed Cowan."
"As an opening partnership they played really well in pretty tough batting conditions."
"They made it look easy but there was enough out there for the bowlers, as we've seen today."
"Once again our bowlers deserve a lot of credit," he added.
"To be able to get such a good batting order out again ... I'm sure the Indian batting line-up are going to cop some criticism for not performing as well as they would have liked, but they have been bowler friendly conditions."
Warner, though, defied those conditions on Friday evening as he bludgeoned the equal fourth-fastest Test century of all time off 69 deliveries on his way to 180 off 159 balls.
But aside from Warner and Cowan's contribution Australia's other batsmen never really got going in the tough conditions, although Clarke refused to be too critical of them and didn't envisage either of the struggling Shaun Marsh or Brad Haddin being dropped for the fourth Test in Adelaide.
"I think it (the opening partnership) probably covers over the fact that, that wicket had a hell of a lot in it," Clarke said.
"I think extra credit needs to go to Davie and Ed because on that wicket ... I made it clear to him when I walked out, that I said to him, 'are you batting on a different wicket? I'm coming off 329, so if you're coming off not many runs, it was hard to bat out there'."
"Over the last half a dozen of Test matches, there's been enough there for the bowlers."
"Forty-seven was not acceptable in South Africa, but South Africa were 9-47."
"The wicket in Hobart when we were rolled for not many, New Zealand didn't get many either."
"I think the batters deserve a lot of credit ... to make 300 as our top six batters, that's very pleasing in tough batting conditions."
Warner, for his part, believes the opening partnership with Cowan is just starting to blossom.
"We're jelling together," Warner said.
"As people have said, we're an odd couple but when we're out there we keep each other going."
"We always talk to each other every ball. I know Ed's game. I know where his release shots are to get