Former Australia captain Ian Chappell picks a team which can beat India in the first Test
Former skipper Ian Chappell is not among those who think Australia are on a hiding to nothing against India this summer — as long as they pick the right team. READ CHAPPELLI’S FIRST TEST XI INSIDE.
There’s been plenty of reasons for doom and gloom in Australian cricket, with a succession of poor on-field results as well as all the sackings, suspensions and resignations.
Despite those setbacks there are reasons — three of them — for optimism in the Test series against India.
Firstly, Australia has a strong attack which, if they can keep Virat Kohli in check, has the ability to seriously limit India’s scoring. This is critical taking into account Australia’s depleted batting line-up will be hard-pressed to post substantial totals.
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Secondly, this Indian side had a chance to win their first ever Test series in both South Africa and England and fluffed the assignment. Australia is their third opportunity and they will need to overcome the psychological hurdle of having failed at the first two attempts.
Thirdly, India has a good pace attack that performed admirably in England in conditions that assisted swing and seam bowling.
LISTEN: The first Test side, Alyssa Healy from our all-conquering women’s team and a deep dive into the supertalented India squad features on this week’s episode of Cricket Unfiltered.
They won’t be favoured by similar conditions in Australia and this is an opportunity for the much lamented local batting to exceed expectations.
In addition, Australia has received a couple of lucky breaks; the absence through injury of seam bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya and teenage prodigy Prithvi Shaw’s unfortunate ankle sprain. Shaw’s absence further unsettles a top order that was already heavily reliant on Kohli and Pandya’s injury lessens India’s option to play two spinners.
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Indeed, the Australian selectors will virtually choose India’s lone spinner for the first Test if they include all four left-hand batsmen in the top five. Ravi Ashwin’s success has come at a slightly better rate against left-handers and if Australia include Travis Head at number five, the off-spinner is certain to be India’s chosen tweaker.
This looms as a tough decision for the selectors.
The first duty is to pick the best batsmen and there’s also the advantage of Head playing his first Test in Australia on his home ground. However, it’s not as though there’s much between Head and Peter Handscomb.
I’d choose Handscomb on the basis that he’s right-handed — to break up the string of top order lefties — and he’s in form and has experienced previous Test success in Australia.
Mitch Marsh, who will follow the frontline batsmen, is fortunate he’s the only all-rounder in the squad. His recent Test form with the bat has been lamentable and after a number of false dawns he’s still surviving on potential. Inconsistency is a family trait as elder brother Shaun has suffered through occasional peaks following a deep trough.
Nevertheless along with Usman Khawaja, Shaun is now the best credentialed batsman in the team and for Australia to win this pair have to perform well.
The untried opening pair of Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris face a big challenge as India’s pace attack is the best they’ve brought to these shores. Although it’s a gamble, I like the idea of Finch as an opener.
While he doesn’t have David Warner’s pedigree, he does play in a similarly aggressive manner and if he succeeds it will deflate India. In an era of plentiful short-form cricket, fielding captains don’t need much excuse to retreat and if Finch fires, it will be a challenge for Kohli to keep his fieldsmen in attacking positions.
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Success for Finch and Harris would make life easier for Khawaja and Shaun Marsh and if they have a good series then Australia’s chances of posting first innings totals of 350 increase dramatically. Considering the class of Australia’s attack that should be enough runs for more wins than losses.
The talented quartet of Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon is the main reason for Australian optimism. Especially under Australian conditions, they have the ability to keep the best of line-ups in check. The biggest hurdle will be the excellence of Kohli’s stroke play and this is where Starc can play a leading role.
Kohli is prone to playing expansive drives outside off-stump early in his innings. If Starc can find inswing to complement the delivery that angles across the right-hander he could ambush Kohli in the catching cordon.
A lot of things have to go right for Australia as this is their biggest challenge since South Africa’s last triumphant visit.
An Australian win in Adelaide would cause India to contemplate their previous missed opportunities — in South Africa and England — and face the dreaded possibility of a hat-trick of overseas failures.
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