Australia’s ’brittle’ weakness called out ahead of ‘massive’ India showdown
Australia simply has to win a “massive” Boxing Day Test match, with a “brittle” team desperate to avoid handing India a slice of history.
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Former Indian coach Ravi Shastri believes Australia’s “brittle” batting line-up has India in the box seat to win the Boxing Day Test and clinch a third consecutive series victory Down Under.
Australia haven’t won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since 2014-15 and India only need to win one of the two remaining Tests in Melbourne and Sydney to retain the trophy.
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Shastri believes India have the “nose ahead” given the series is tied 1-1 after the first three Tests were played at venues where the pitch favoured Australia.
“I think it’s going to be a cracking game,” Shastri told news.com.au.
“I think India would take this, the way the series is poised. Any overseas team being 1-1, especially with the games being in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, they would take this. Going 1-1 into Boxing Day is the best case scenario. I would say India have their nose ahead.”
Australia’s top three of Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne have soaked up deliveries at the start of innings, but top order runs have been hard to come by against Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling.
“I think it’s been pretty brittle,” said Shastri, who is part of Fox Cricket’s commentary team.
“When you look at this Australian line-up, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen an Australian line-up where the top order is that brittle. India have exploited that and continue to exploit it.”
Mitch Marsh is another member of Australia’s top six that has struggled for runs, apart from 47 in the second innings in the series opener in Perth.
Labuschagne, Marsh, Khawaja and Steve Smith all average less than 30 in Test cricket over the past 12 months.
Marsh is set to play despite all-rounder Beau Webster being brought into the squad and concerns he isn’t able to bowl the required overs to take the load off Australia’s bowlers, especially with a 40 degree forecast for Melbourne on Boxing Day.
Sam Konstas will replace McSweeney, making his debut on Boxing Day in a baptism of fire with plenty on the line.
Pat Cummins and the Australian camp are hoping Konstas will play with freedom and can try counter-attack Bumrah, who has dominated Australia’s top order over the first three Tests.
“India is 1-1 in the series and that man (Bumrah) has almost single-handedly got India into that position,” Shastri said.
“As far as Konstas goes, I think he’s very refreshing. He’s got flair, he’s got flamboyance. But Test cricket is Test cricket. I think his technique will tighten up and he will be the future for Australia.
“McSweeney was very unfortunate. I thought he did the hard yards but he’s a middle order batsman. I see him travelling to Sri Lanka when the Australian team go there and rebuild his career from there.
“But I think it’s a good move getting Konstas in because you need someone who can take the attack to the Indian team, because the punches were coming from nowhere.”
India are on the cusp of becoming the just third touring side to win three consecutive series in Australia, joining the West Indies (1984/85, 1988/89, 1992/93) and South Africa (2008/09, 2012/13, 2016/17).
It would be a monumental feat considering Australia’s historic dominance of visiting teams at home.
“Massive. No team has done that in a long time,” Shastri said.
“Australia hammers sides when they come here. For India to pull off three on the trot will be something special. But they’ll have to play good cricket. I see Australia coming hard in this Test match, especially with the bowlers. It’s the batting that’ll be the challenge for Australia more than anything else.
“India have come here to win, they haven’t come here to fill in the numbers. Even when I was the coach, our mantra was to play extremely hard, fair and to win.
“You have to think of a method to beat Australia and not just compete. You’ve got to plan properly, how to take your 20 wickets. India have done that and been very aggressive. “They’ve been in the face of Australia and give as good as they get. It’s been entertaining and feisty stuff.
“India have their nose ahead. I think the first day of the Boxing Day Test will determine which way the series will go.”
Shastri said he “wasn’t surprised” by Ravi Ashwin’s mid series retirement. There are rumours some of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja will call time on their Test careers soon.
“In the batting department, I can see a few new faces in there in a year or two. Jaiswal is young,” he said.
“Shubman Gill is pretty young, Rishabh Pant is still very young. There are quite a few other players in the mix who could come in pretty soon.”
Australia XI for Boxing Day Test: Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
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