NEW DELHI: The absence of a batsman on the counter-attack Rishabh Pants in the next four-game Test series will certainly make the Aussies happy, believes former captain Ian Chappell.
Chappell also thinks Pant’s presence would have given some sleepless nights to Australia captain Pat Cummins, but even then India would start as Test series favorites starting in Nagpur on Thursday.
Pant, who was in a horrific car crash in December last year, is yet to be released from hospital after undergoing multiple knee and heel surgeries.
“India will really really miss Rishabh Pant. The Australians will be happy. He’s a counter striker, the guy who keeps you up at night are guys who score fast and change the game in one session. Pant was the one of those players,” Chappell said. said during an interaction hosted by Star Sports, the official broadcasters of the Test Series for the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
“You have to be proactive against Ashwin”
Chappell, one of the most respected voices in world cricket, believes Ravichandran Ashwin will certainly be the biggest threat, but Australia’s batters need to be proactive against him.
“Why is Ashwin likely to be the threat? Because he is a smart cricketer. Ashwin will always be a problem. Now if you let him play the way he wants you are in trouble. He will be a threat for Australia They have to be proactive,” Chappell said.
“You have to think about being proactive. If you don’t dictate the terms then you’re in trouble. You have to get singles and rotate the strike. He (Ashwin) then has to change (his strategy against) who he’s playing against at the bowling for afterwards.”
‘I would like to see Lyons turn it against the righties
Nathan Lyonswith over 400 Test wickets, knows how to bowl in India, but Chappell would ideally like the crafty off-spinner to also ensure his deliveries away from right-handers.
Chappell then explained Lyon’s methods.
“You judge Lyon by how many points the right-handers score against him on the right side. If there are a lot of singles, doubles, fours scored on one side by right-handers, then he is playing too straight.
“One thing Lyon could try to do better is curve the ball away from right-handers. Really good off-spinners curve the ball away from right-handers and that opens up opportunities for hitters to hit from the left side. And then when you hand -it up, you have the chance to be bowled, bat-pad, front leg,” he explained.
“For India, it’s important that they don’t let Lyon dominate them. If Lyon dominate, it becomes easy for Pat Cummins to spin his fast bowlers and he doesn’t have to roll the two speedsters on both sides. .”
“Don’t play Hagar for fun”
Chappell is dead against the idea of Australia playing Ashton Agar as a second spinner simply because he is a practical lower-order hitter.
“Australia shouldn’t get carried away with the left and right combination. India have one in Ashwin and Jadeja who are both very good bowlers. Agar is a guy, average 40 years old. S’ he’s picked for a few runs in order, there would be a temptation to play him because Cameron Green can’t bowl. But that theory is rubbish,” said Chappell.
“If Agar isn’t in your top two spinners, then don’t pick him. The bowlers are there to pick the wickets. It’s up to the batters to get runs.”
“Australia should have played Lance Morris before this series”
Chappell doesn’t have too much faith in the new-age medical staff at cricket teams whose assessments still rest on the conservative side of things.
Asked about the absence of Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc due to injuries, Chappell wants skipper Pat Cummins to speak to the bowlers individually.
“It depends on who Cummins listens to. Do bowlers want to play in a test? Doctors are always conservative and will always say ‘give this guy a rest because it can happen or it can happen’.
“If I was the captain, I would ask Josh and Mitch ‘Can you spend five days?’ If they say we can’t do it then we need to look at the best option available Lance Morris has the beat They didn’t pick him in Adelaide so if they didn’t pick him in Adelaide where there was a rebound, why the hell are they going to get it from Nagpur,” he concluded.
(With PTI entries)
Chappell also thinks Pant’s presence would have given some sleepless nights to Australia captain Pat Cummins, but even then India would start as Test series favorites starting in Nagpur on Thursday.
Pant, who was in a horrific car crash in December last year, is yet to be released from hospital after undergoing multiple knee and heel surgeries.
“India will really really miss Rishabh Pant. The Australians will be happy. He’s a counter striker, the guy who keeps you up at night are guys who score fast and change the game in one session. Pant was the one of those players,” Chappell said. said during an interaction hosted by Star Sports, the official broadcasters of the Test Series for the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
“You have to be proactive against Ashwin”
Chappell, one of the most respected voices in world cricket, believes Ravichandran Ashwin will certainly be the biggest threat, but Australia’s batters need to be proactive against him.
“Why is Ashwin likely to be the threat? Because he is a smart cricketer. Ashwin will always be a problem. Now if you let him play the way he wants you are in trouble. He will be a threat for Australia They have to be proactive,” Chappell said.
“You have to think about being proactive. If you don’t dictate the terms then you’re in trouble. You have to get singles and rotate the strike. He (Ashwin) then has to change (his strategy against) who he’s playing against at the bowling for afterwards.”
‘I would like to see Lyons turn it against the righties
Nathan Lyonswith over 400 Test wickets, knows how to bowl in India, but Chappell would ideally like the crafty off-spinner to also ensure his deliveries away from right-handers.
Chappell then explained Lyon’s methods.
“You judge Lyon by how many points the right-handers score against him on the right side. If there are a lot of singles, doubles, fours scored on one side by right-handers, then he is playing too straight.
“One thing Lyon could try to do better is curve the ball away from right-handers. Really good off-spinners curve the ball away from right-handers and that opens up opportunities for hitters to hit from the left side. And then when you hand -it up, you have the chance to be bowled, bat-pad, front leg,” he explained.
“For India, it’s important that they don’t let Lyon dominate them. If Lyon dominate, it becomes easy for Pat Cummins to spin his fast bowlers and he doesn’t have to roll the two speedsters on both sides. .”
“Don’t play Hagar for fun”
Chappell is dead against the idea of Australia playing Ashton Agar as a second spinner simply because he is a practical lower-order hitter.
“Australia shouldn’t get carried away with the left and right combination. India have one in Ashwin and Jadeja who are both very good bowlers. Agar is a guy, average 40 years old. S’ he’s picked for a few runs in order, there would be a temptation to play him because Cameron Green can’t bowl. But that theory is rubbish,” said Chappell.
“If Agar isn’t in your top two spinners, then don’t pick him. The bowlers are there to pick the wickets. It’s up to the batters to get runs.”
“Australia should have played Lance Morris before this series”
Chappell doesn’t have too much faith in the new-age medical staff at cricket teams whose assessments still rest on the conservative side of things.
Asked about the absence of Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc due to injuries, Chappell wants skipper Pat Cummins to speak to the bowlers individually.
“It depends on who Cummins listens to. Do bowlers want to play in a test? Doctors are always conservative and will always say ‘give this guy a rest because it can happen or it can happen’.
“If I was the captain, I would ask Josh and Mitch ‘Can you spend five days?’ If they say we can’t do it then we need to look at the best option available Lance Morris has the beat They didn’t pick him in Adelaide so if they didn’t pick him in Adelaide where there was a rebound, why the hell are they going to get it from Nagpur,” he concluded.
(With PTI entries)
