Fast bowlers won’t shed a tear for MCG

THERE are many balls in the air for the Indian Test schedule, but Australia’s fast bowlers won’t be unhappy if they manage to escape breaking their backs on the lifeless MCG pitch.

Amid all the COVID-19 chaos, there is the potential that the Australian Test team might end up with its dream scenario – and that is Indian Test matches at the two blood-and-thunder venues, Brisbane and Perth.

In March, Australian coach Justin Langer said his ideal scenario would be India’s batsmen forced to battle with the uncomfortable fast and bouncy conditions at the Gabba and Optus Stadium.

At the time, Langer was giving that a snowball’s chance in hell, but now the world has been turned upside down by a pandemic and suddenly Melbourne is racing the clock to hold on to its Boxing Day Test.

Perth is scheduled for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, but there is every chance it could end up hosting Virat Kohli instead, in a Plan B that would have the likes of Mitchell Starc salivating.

“Perth and Brisbane are two of the great places to play cricket.

Obviously Australia has a great Test record at Brisbane and we saw a fantastic couple of Test matches over the last few years at Optus Stadium and a fantastic Test match against India the last time they were out here at that ground,” Starc said.

“They’re two wonderful places to play cricket and we certainly wouldn’t be unhappy to see two Test matches there against India for sure.”

Cricket Australia is still at least a week or two away from any decisions about the schedule, and many calls will be left until the eve of the summer. For example, there will be no rush to put a line through the MCG in the hope Melbourne will get on top of its COVID-19 crisis.

Competitive advantage is the last thing on Cricket Australia’s mind in juggling all the moving parts.

Australia’s white ball squad leaves for the UK on Sunday and will have to quarantine in Perth for two weeks when it returns.

Starc says he and fellow Test bowling spearhead Nathan Lyon want their red-ball preparations prioritised once they enter lockdown in WA.