‘Got it wrong’: Allan Border blasts Australia’s first Test debacle

Australia has been savaged over its first Test performance once again as Allan Border revealed his laundry list of blunders from the series opener.

Allan Border has claimed Australia got their team and their plans wrong for the first Test against India, ahead of the second Test in Delhi starting Friday.

Australia’s team will likely be revealed at the toss as plenty of question marks hover over the squad who were thoroughly dominated by India in the first Test.

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The innings and 132 run loss was the third biggest in India and the second innings score of 91 was Australia’s lowest on the subcontinent.

It was an utter demolition as Australia had few answers with bat or ball and has seen plenty of calls for more changes.

Other than the debut of Todd Murphy who took seven wickets in the first innings, there was very little to write home about for Australia who made three changes to its side, including dropping Travis Head, who had dominated during the Australian summer.

Head’s seven Tests on the subcontinent appear to have counted against him.

He has played in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the UAE previously, having scored 213 runs at an average of 21.3.

But coming off a summer where he hit 525 runs, including a century and four fifties at 87.50 and a strike rate of over 95, Head’s omission was slammed by many.

He can also bowl. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Surely Travis will be back. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Former Aussie skipper Allan Border was one such critic, blasting the Aussies’ tactics for the match.

“I thought he must have been crook or injured himself …. I just couldn’t believe that Travis Head could be left just on a win that he didn’t play very well in India last time or when they were in Sri Lanka,” Border said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“That’s maybe a case, but you’re allowed to improve, and Travis Head is one of those players that has improved and he showed that during the summer.

“He deserved the opportunity to play in that First Test match no doubt it about, I think they got that selection really wrong.

“I think we overthought some of the stuff, worrying about all little gremlins about the pitch … that’s what you expect when you go over there, they got the plans and the team wrong in the first game.”

Former coach Darren Lehmann said it was “ridiculous” to leave the South Australian out, particularly as he offers part-time bowling.

“If he’s ever going to succeed it was going to be off the back of the confidence the home series gave him,” Lehmann said via the SMH. “It’s a really tough one for him. Obviously they had their reasons but the records of the other blokes aren’t overly flattering either apart from (Steve) Smith, and (Marnus) Labuschagne is obviously a good player of spin.”

Border reckons Australia should go for a pace trio. Photo by Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP

While Border feels Head is a definite in, he also believes Australia should worry less about the pitches and play to our strengths, even if it means dropping Murphy after his stunning debut.

This is despite the wicket being deemed a “slow turner” by the Times of India while News Corp's Peter Lalor said: “Early inspection of the wicket reveals an area sedated in the middle where the seamers pitch, but a crack house being constructed on a length for the spinners.”

Border said it’s up to the batters to get scores over 300 but that Australia should go back to its tried and tested tactics of a three-pronged pace attack.

“We tend to sort of look at that ‘the pitches are going to turn, let’s go with a couple of spinners’,” Border said.

“I think we should go the other way, go with our strengths — go with the fast bowlers and bowl to certain plans to their batsmen. Subtle change in tactics, go with the three quickies and the one spinner. That formula has worked well for us generally.

“When we’ve done well in India in the past, McGrath and Kasprowicz and Jason Gillespie, fast bowlers have done a really good job for us. And on the back of that our batsmen have done a good job making a decent sort of score. You can’t win games like we did in the first Test match."

Border would drop Murphy for a three-pronged pace attack, Nathan Lyon and part-time spinners. Photo by Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP

Border said Lyon would be the spinner as “he’s built up enough brownie points over the years”.

Border added that Warner should retain his position, but after scores of 1 and 10, he would be at risk of dropping out of the side as the series continues.

“We could (see Warner dropped this series). I don’t like to say it because he’s been so good for us … we just need to see something more from him at the top of the order,” Border said.

“You’re still going to play him in this Test match. But it’s starting to get to the point where you say David might have to move on. That could happen very soon.”

If fit, Border would add Josh Hazlewood and Cameron Green as well as Head for Scott Boland, Murphy and Matthew Renshaw.

Border’s second Test XI

David Warner

Usman Khawaja

Travis Head

Marnus Labuschagne

Steve Smith

Peter Handscomb

Cameron Green (if fit)

Alex Carey

Pat Cummins

Nathan Lyon

Josh Hazlewood (if fit)