The West Indies are the last touring team to have vanquished Australia on their home wickets when Richie Richardson's tourists won the five-Test series 2-1 in 1992-93.
Since then the once-proud Windies have won just six of their last 22 Test matches with the Australians claiming 15, including a 5-0 sweep in the last series here in 2000-01.
A reflection of the times is that Cricket Australia no longer schedules five-Test series for the visiting West Indies, cutting the series down to a best-of-three.
But the one-time Caribbean powerhouses are stirring under the meticulous coaching of Australian Bennett King, stepping up their fitness levels and working assiduously on technique.
Not much has been expected from Chanderpaul's team in the coming series, yet there were encouraging signs in their only four-day warm-up match against Queensland. They scored 612 and left the home side squirming to get out with a draw.