IND vs AUS 2022-23: Australia will lock horns against India in the second Delhi Test for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Friday. Meanwhile, Pat Cummins senses that the pitch will likely be another turner.
Veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon and company's effectiveness on Indian tracks has been curtailed because of low carry as they are used to bowling on bouncy Australian pitches, conceded skipper-cum-pacer Pat Cummins on Thursday. Though Australia's young Test debutant off-spinner Todd Murphy took seven wickets, Lyon could manage just one even as spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja ran through the visitors' batting line-up to help India win the Nagpur Test by an innings and 132 runs.
Lyon bowled 49 overs in the opening Test with only middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav's wicket to show for his efforts. Cummins said that his spin unit is still adjusting to the changes. "It's an adjustment. Even in the last game, we saw a lot of around-the-wicket bowling, whereas, in Australia, it's mainly over-the-wicket bowling. The close catchers don't feel like the ball will pop up as much when there isn't much bounce. It is a bit of an adjustment," Cummins said on the second Test's eve.
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"Using side-spinners, just changing up your angles a bit more. All those things come into a bit more. The bowlers did a perfect job, both spinners [in the] last game [in Nagpur]. It's a bit of an adjustment, but it doesn't get any better somehow, " Cummins added. Tracks in western India are predominantly made with red soil; it is black soil up north. While the colour of the soil has changed, Cummins feels the pitch's nature will mostly stay the same.
"Not too sure. It's different soil here [Delhi], the black soil, but it looks similar. I think it's going to spin. That's our expectation, and the wicket matches that. We will see," the skipper said.
Ashton Agar or Matt Kuhnemann
The skipper said rookie left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann and the tried and tested Ashton Agar were options for the second Test. "We are open to both [Kuhnemann and Agar] options. Both of us are confident we will do a fantastic job out there. They both had long sessions the last couple of days and looked awesome. We'd be comfortable with either of those two if we wanted a third spinner variety," he cited.
Cummins wants Warner to counter-attack
The best version of David Warner is when he counters attacks, and Cummins wants the talismanic opener to employ that approach in the upcoming Test if he gets a chance. So, will Warner be in the scheme of things for the second Test? "I'm not a selector. I don't think they've had a meeting, but I'm sure Davey [Warner] will be there. You saw this year at the Boxing Day Test when he put pressure back on the opposition. He's pretty hard to bowl to. I'm sure that'd be part of his plan," declared Cummins.
"He [Warner] has been batting well here. Even in the lead-up, I thought he was fantastic. I know there's a lot of talk about spin bowling through the middle, but with that new ball, it's sometimes the hardest time to bat as well," expressed Cummins, sounding confident.
The two-pacer theory has worked well
Senior seamer Mitchell Starc has been recovering well from a finger injury, and he will be in the scheme of things if Australia goes with two fast bowlers in the playing XI. "There's a conversation. We will work that out by the end of today. He [Starc] is one of the world's premier bowlers in these conditions. We'll see," Cummins considered.
"As I said, the wicket might turn a little bit. I thought last week, with two pacers, that attack functioned quite well, but whether it's Starcy [Starc], another spinner, Scotty [Scott Boland], variety in the attack does help," concluded Cummins.
(With inputs from PTI)