Last Update: February 28, 2023, 20:26 IST
Scott Boland played in the series opener before being benched. (AP Photo)
For the second Test in Delhi, Australia had just one specialist fast bowler in Pat Cummins, with three spinners in Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnmann for company.
As expected, spinners have been the flavor of the current Border Gavaskar Trophy. For India Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have been in fine form, while Todd Murphy made a memorable debut for Australia in Nagpur, but experienced Nathan Lyon has been impressive in Delhi.
India, however, have been the dominant side, completing victories in each of the two Tests that spanned three days. To make matters worse for Australia, they have been hit by injuries to a number of players including David Warner, who has been ruled out of the remaining two Tests.
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Captain Pat Cummins will not be available for the Indore Test due to personal reasons and will be replaced by Steve Smith.
It’s not all doom and gloom for tourists though. They have received positive news as Mitchell Starc and all-rounder Cameron Green have each regained full fitness and are set to be part of Australia’s playing XI for the third Test starting on Wednesday.
Despite the spinners dominating the show so far, former Australia fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz believes the team needs to stick to its strengths and go for a three-pronged pace attack. For the Delhi Test, Australia had just one specialist fast bowler in Cummins.
Kasprowicz said, “I don’t mind (the three fast bowlers) – and I think I’m going out on a limb here – not taking India on in the spin department.” Sen Radio. “We don’t need three spinners, if it’s (Todd) Murphy or (Matthew) Kunhemann (with Nathan Lyon), I think (Scotland) has Boland.”
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Kasprowicz was part of the Australia team that won the series in 2004–05 – the last time they won a Test series on Indian soil.
The 51-year-old played 38 Tests, 43 ODIs and 2 T20Is between 1996 and 2006, taking a total of 185 wickets.
Explaining the reasoning behind his suggestions, the former international said, “The reason is that he (Boland) will create pressure from one end. So, from the other end – as we saw in that first Test with Murphy – he (Murphy) was able to take wickets because he wasn’t scoring runs (against Boland). We’ll have to look for something else to do.”
With Warner out, Kasprowicz expects Green to make it into the eleven.
“With the line-up leading up to this Test match, Cameron Green is being picked. You will have Starc for (Pat) Cummins if he (Cummins) can’t be there for other reasons. Green will come in the middle order, he can come in there for (David) Warner as a variation,” he said.
India is ahead 2-0 in the four-Test series.
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