India will be battling Australia in a four-match Test series that will very well be deciding the fate of the upcoming WTC final that is slated to happen in June 2023. India will have to register at least 3 wins from the 4 games and definitely avoid a defeat at all costs.
However, considering the fact that India will be taking on Australia in the former’s backyard, it is not going to be a joyride. Knowing the difficult surfaces of the Indian sub-continent, especially with the spin taking the fore, a visiting Australia will have their task cut out.
Former Australian captain, Michael Clarke believes that his nation is not prepared for the upcoming challenge and despite all the big words being said, he believes that India will once again walk away with the bragging rights.
Talking on a media interaction, Michael Clarke said, “That’s the part I don’t understand. The no tour game before the first Test in India. I hope I’m proven wrong but I think that is going to be significant. Batting in those conditions in one-day cricket and T20 cricket is one thing, batting in Indian conditions in Test cricket it is a completely different game.”
He further added, “You need a completely different plan to what you have playing in Australia, the way you start your innings against spin bowling, the way you play reverse swing, through the Australian summer we didn’t see any reverse swing, the games were over in two, three days.”
Clarke continued, “So reverse swing is going to play a big part (in India), all these batters that walk out and play bowlers bowling 130-140ks – there’s every chance India is going to play at least two spinners, so it’s a completely different game.”
He concluded by saying, “If you get in you need to go on and make a big score because your first 20 runs in India in second innings, whoa, a ball that you go forward to and block in Australia easily against spin, over there can roll along the ground, can bounce and take your glove. You can go to block it outside off and it bowls you leg stump, natural variation over there is massive.”
