India vs Australia | Tim Paine believes Mitchell Marsh will bring much-needed balance to team

For the Boxing Day Test, Australia have made only one change to their playing XI as they have brought in Mitchell Marsh for Peter Handscomb. Marsh was initially left out for the first two Tests in Adelaide and Perth, and brought back to the team keeping the dead nature of the MCG in mind. The decision was stemmed from the fact that MCG often provides a lifeless track and they might need an extra bowler in order to keep the workload in check. Tim Paine, however, stated that it is not only for the bowling purpose, Marsh can also provide the quality of balance that very few do.

“We did it last year during the Ashes as well and the majority of this decision is based on the fact that it will be hot and the bowlers have had a big role play. We think Mitch can come in and do a good job with the bat and will be a great support for our bowlers as well.

“Peter knows that there are things we would like him to improve. Going into Sydney, where it normally spins, I think he will come back into it quickly because he is our best player of spin. He would like to get better because we all like to do that and he will be doing everything he can to come back into the side,” explained Paine.

After continuous under-performance by the openers, the Indian team management has decided to drop KL Rahul and Murali Vijay in order to hand the debut cap to Mayank Agarwal. India have also brought Ravindra Jadeja back by dropping Umesh Yadav who was completely wayward in his bowling in Perth. While the three changes may throw Australia’s plans away, Paine was quick to play that down and stated that India’s changes didn’t really bother him.

“India’s changes don’t really bother us because we have done our homework on all of their players for a number of weeks now. We have been prepared for all of them to play. What they do is their business, and we will keep focussing on what we are doing,” Paine said.

Paine was behind Brad Haddin in 2009 to take over Australia’s Test wicket-keeping duty, but his career almost ended by a finger injury that required multiple operations after he was struck on the hand by a Dirk Nannes delivery while batting in an Australian Cricketers' Association All-Stars T20 match. However, he made a surprise Test comeback last year and suddenly elevated to the role of captaincy in the eventful summer of 2017-18 after the Newlands scandal. On being asked about the journey, the Aussie skipper said that it has been a learning curve for him and he has been using his life experiences to lead the side.

“I haven’t changed a lot. I came into the team and into the job at a time when I have already been through so much as a cricketer and a person. I am bit older than most guys to come back into the scene so I have had a bit more life experience and happy being myself. That’s how I have kept it and so far it is working out okay. No need to change,” he said.

The MCG track was under scrutiny this year following the lifeless track used for last summer’s Test against England, which was officially rated “poor” by the ICC and criticised widely by players and pundits. The fear also increased as all four Shield matches last season were also drawn games while two of the three domestic matches in the 2018-19 season have ended in stalemates. However, curator Matthew Page has left some grass cover on it, but as Marcus Harris suggested, it might significantly change over the course of the game. Paine also agreed with Harris and stated that the wicket can’t be drastically different than the ones which were dished out for Shield games.

“I think the pitch will be really good. It will be really hot as well for most of the game. Most of the Shield games have been played here, but there has been only one result. So I don’t think it will play drastically different from how it has played all these years, although it does look a bit different. But we saw in Perth looks can be deceiving at times.

“I am not sure to be honest (if it is a bowl-first pitch). The grass here can be deceiving and I haven’t played here this year but I have a few Victorians in our camp. They said it has looked worse than it has played at times and again with the hot weather around, it would be a hard one to win the toss and bowl I would imagine,” said Paine.