Australia will take on India in a four-match Test series© AFP
Former Australia skipper Ian Chappell believes that Pat Cummins and Co will find it extremely difficult to win the upcoming Test series against India starting February 9. In his column for ESPNCricinfo, Chappell wrote that Steve Smith is currently the only Australian batsman with an average more than 30 on Indian tracks and with the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja bowling in tandem, the bowling threat from India can turn out to be extremely overwhelming for the other batsmen.
“Smith, with 60, is the only current Australia batter on the tour to average more than 30 in India. Achieving batting success will be a big challenge for the Australian batters, especially if Ravindra Jadeja bowls successfully in partnership with the highly efficient R Ashwin,” Chappell wrote.
Chappell also had a warning for the Australian bowling attack with the main onus falling on spinner Nathan Lyon. He wrote that when it comes to the Indian batsmen, the visitors will have to formulate a proper plan in order to make sure that the players do not lose any confidence.
“Then there’s Australia’s spin department. Nathan Lyon is the only proven performer and even he averages in excess of 30 in India. While Lyon feels he has improved as a bowler on the subcontinent, his support comes from bowlers like Ashton Agar and Mitchell Swepson, who are both unproven quantities.”
“Australia need to ditch any temptation to obey the right- and left-arm theory and only choose the best bowlers for the conditions. Their confidence in their pace bowlers also needs to be tempered by what they have achieved in India. Australia’s “big three”, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, all average in excess of 30 in India and they’ll need to particularly display improved old-ball nous to achieve better results in India,” he explained.
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