Rohit Sharma all praise for ‘special’ spinners
NAGPUR, February 12
India have an embarrassment of spin riches and captain Rohit Sharma has no qualms admitting he often finds himself spoilt for choice, as in the opening Test against Australia.
India’s three-pronged spin attack mauled Australia to secure a comprehensive victory by an innings and 132 runs inside three days of the series opener. Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel collectively claimed 16 of the 20 Australian wickets in the match on a track where the ball kept low and spun unpredictably.
16 Spinners Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel collectively claimed 16 of the 20 Australian wickets in the first Test
Jadeja and Patel also smashed half-centuries, proving the pitch was difficult but certainly not unplayable. “The conditions are there for everyone, but to come out and extract something from the pitch is what makes them really, really special,” Rohit said. “They’ve played on pitches like this a lot, so they know exactly what to do, which areas to hit, and how to keep applying that pressure, setting the field right,” he added.
But with each of them keen to bowl, especially when approaching some personal milestone, the task often gets tricky. “That is the challenge I’m facing at the moment with these guys, because I really don’t know too much about milestones but these guys are quite aware of it,” quipped the opener.
On a more serious note, Rohit said match-ups governed his selection of spinner at any stage of the game. “Ash has a good match-up against left-handers, not that he can’t get right-handers out, but he’s got a great match-up against left-handers,” he said of off-spinner Ashwin. “Jadeja and Axar have an unbelievable match-up against right-handers, so I try and keep those things in my mind while trying to rotate the three of them,” he added.
The second Test begins on Friday. — Reuters
Oz call up Kuhnemann; Starc likely to return
Australia left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann has been called up to the squad for the Test series with Mitchell Swepson heading home for the birth of his first child, Cricket Australia said. Kuhneman will give Australia a second left-arm spin option alongside Ashton Agar, who did not play in the first Test. Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said Kuhnemman could make his Test debut in the second Test. “If we play three spinners then we clearly want back-up here and available in the squad if that’s the way we want to go,” McDonald said.
Australia are hoping all-rounder Cameron Green will return for the second Test after missing the series opener because of a finger injury. Mitchell Starc is likely to be available but captain Pat Cummins has ruled out overhauling the squad following the battering they received in Nagpur.
McDonald said their batters would have to be brave against the Indian spinners. “If you’re not proactive, if you allow the bowler to take it to you, with catches around the bat, then something’s going to happen,” McDonald said. “I thought Steve Smith summed it up really well after he came off and said we’re going to have to be brave, take some risks, take the ball down the ground, push some fielders out and give ourselves the ability to rotate the strike,” he added.
‘Nagpur Test exposed Australia’s weakness’
The legendary Ian Chappell feels Australia’s capitulation in the first Test has exposed their frailties against spin, and said the touring team needs to adapt to the conditions quickly. He asked Australia to stop thinking about pitches in India and just concentrate on their job. “The first Test has exposed Australia’s weakness against good spin bowling on turning pitches,” the former Australian captain wrote in his column. “If they can ensure this setback doesn’t mean their mental capacity to cope in India is not dented, it will keep them in the series. If they waver, they are in big trouble,” he added.
