Michael Clarke, a former Australia captain, cannot understand why Pat Cummins’ team isn’t playing practice or touring games in advance of the Border-Gavaskar series that begins in India on February 9.
Australia will tour India for the four Test series. The opening game is scheduled at Nagpur. Clarke suggested that the inability to play a tour game could have an “important” effect on the outcome.
Clarke said, “That’s part (not playing tour game)” in Big Sports Breakfast’s Tuesday interview.
“The first Test in India will be the last tour game. Although I’m sure I’m wrong, I believe that it will be important.
Clarke, who played more than 8,600 runs in 115 Tests, said that it was totally different to compete in long format games in India, particularly when you counter spin.
He stated, “You need a completely new plan than what you’ve been playing in Australia. The way you start your innings against spin, the way that you play reverse swing. Through the Australian summer, we didn’t see any reverse-swing, the games were over within two, three days.”
Ian Healy, former Australia wicketkeeper, had also expressed surprise at not being able to play in a tour match and said he was “a little worried”.
Clarke said that India could play at least two spinners in the four-Test series, as the Australians are primarily quick bowlers.
“So, reverse swing is going be a major part (in India), all those batters who walk out and play bowlers bowling 130 – 140ks — there’s every possibility India will play at least two spinners so it’s completely different.”
Australia is expected to arrive in India around the middle of next week. This will give them seven days to prepare for the series. Clarke didn’t feel that was enough.
“You must bat in the best conditions in India because it is extremely difficult to begin your innings if you don’t have that experience.
“And if your get in, you should go on and make big runs because your first 20 runs against India in the second innings, whoa! A ball that you can go forward to and block in Australia effectively against spin, over there can roll down the ground, bounce and take your gloves.
“You can block it outside and it will bowl you over the leg stump. Natural variation is huge.”
Andrew McDonald, Australia’s head coach, said that the team had played quite a few series lately without any tour games being included in their schedule.
McDonald’s was quoted by SMH as saying, “No tour game”: McDonald’s stated that it is not something they have done in the past few series before going on overseas trips.
“We don’t feel the need for match practice. We will be going to India approximately one week before the first match. In terms of preparation, we didn’t want too much more.
We believe seven days is enough time to prepare and to ensure that we are fresh throughout the four Test match series.
