India will be up against Australia in a four-match Test series, a fray that will be defining the shape of the WTC finals. Two best teams of the ongoing WTC cycle will be duking it out at all their glory in India, hoping for a cracker of a series. For the Men in Blue, they will have to register at least 3 wins from the 4 games and will have to avert defeats if possible. However, Australia, pretty much is in touching distance of the ticket to qualify for the finals.
It has been a while since the supreme and untenable Australia would make merry on the Indian soil, hoping to walk away with the bragging rights without breaking a sweat. India managed to secure the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia for the last two times. Considering the firepower that the Men in Blue now possess, it is an entirely different ball game. Former Australian skipper, Adam Glchrist, however, believes that this Australian team has the chances of turning the tide around.
Talking to Fox Sports, Gilly said, “What we tried to change with our mentality back then – and I’d be interested to see if the Australians do it this time – is don’t go searching and just rolling spinners out there. Attack the stumps right from ball one. Swallow your pride a bit, be defensive to be aggressive…”
He further added, “Start with one slip, start with a catching mid-wicket, put fielders out on the boundary to nullify the boundary option, but keep a couple of catchers in place – either at short cover or short mid-wicket – and just be patient.”
Gilly continued, “I think they’ll do it (win the series). I really do. I think they’ve got a squad and final XI that will have a lot of similarities to the team we rolled with in 2004. So often teams go to India hoping to unveil some new spinner that’s going to come in and adapt and bedazzle in India — it doesn’t really happen.”
He concluded by saying, “Pick your best four bowlers, run with them — and if that is three seamers who can all get really nice reserve swing and Nathan Lyon, who’s outstanding and clearly the best off-spinner we’ve ever had, can play his role — that’s my gut feeling. You do that, you go with it.”
