IND vs AUS: "Only Choose The Best Bowlers For The Conditions"

Australia will tour India for a four-match Test series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023, with the first match starting in Nagpur on February 9. Legendary cricketer Ian Chappell said that the Australian team management should pick their best bowlers for the conditions to register a win in the upcoming Test series in India.

The Aussies last played Test cricket in India in February 2017 and defeated the hosts by 333 runs in the first Test in Pune; however, the hosts made a comeback to win the series 2-1. The Pat Cummins-led side will be hoping for their first series win in India since 2004. Notably, the Men in Blue have not lost a Test series at home since 2012.

They’ll Need To Particularly Display Improved Old-Ball Nous – Ian Chappell

In his column for ESPN Cricinfo, Ian Chappell stated that Australia should select only the best bowlers for the conditions rather than being tempted by a left-right combination. The former Australian captain said that the pace bowler should bowl well with the old ball for better results in India.

“Australia need to ditch any temptation to obey the right- and left-arm theory and only choose the best bowlers for the conditions. 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,” Ian Chappell wrote.

Due to a finger injury, Mitchell Starc is expected to miss the first game of the series, which will put pressure on senior bowlers Hazelwood and Cummins. The first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will take place in Nagpur on February 9. The second test will be held in Delhi (February 17–21), the third in Dharamsala (March 1–5), and the fourth in Ahmedabad (March 9-13).

Australia Test Squad For Tour Of India

Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.

Also read: IND vs AUS: “Probably Will Nag At Me For The Rest Of My Life” – Glenn Maxwell Says After Missing The Border Gavaskar Trophy