IND vs AUS | Getting good first-innings totals on board will be important, opines Mitchell Johnson
With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy set to take place from February 9, Mitchell Johnson has shared a tip for the visitors saying they can put India under pressure by posting a huge total in the first innings. He further added that it would be tough for pacers to take wickets in the Nagpur Test.
India would lock horns with Australia in a four-match Test series from February 9 with the visitors keen to end their losing streak in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Australia's preparations are fiercely underway, their training methods for Indian conditions including the simulation of identical pitches and similar profile bowlers to handle the threat of the host spinners. India have dominated Australia in Test cricket in recent years, winning the last two series Down Under.
Keeping in mind India's superiority in the past few decades, former pacer Mitchell Johnson came out to share some advice that he thinks could be the key to success for the Kangaroos.
“If the Aussies can bat first a couple of times early in the series, at venues which are expected to take a fair bit of spin, and get good first-innings totals on the board that will put a bit of pressure back onto India,” Johnson wrote in his column for The West Australian.
A lot would depend on Nathan Lyon, one of the greats in Test cricket history, with Australia needing the spinner to be at his best throughout the series. Lyon has picked 94 wickets in 22 Tests against India with a bowling average of 34.75. However, Johnson opined he would be little threat to the Men in Blue given their astuteness in using their feet well.
“The Aussies have taken over four spinners and while the Indians would respect Nathan Lyon’s experience and Test record, they wouldn’t be fearing any of them. Indian batsmen use their feet well and hit spin very correctly,” he explained.
Australia last beat India in a Test series in 2015, allowing the Men in Blue to dominate affairs in the last eight years. The first Test of the series would be played in Nagpur and Australia would be hopeful of producing results in their favour this time around.
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