Laxman, Clarke stoke fire ahead of Australia series

The sparks are expected to fly as the two great rivals clash again, with a fivematch ODI contest starting in Chennai on Sunday. VVS Laxman and former Aussie skipper Michael Clarke made their point forcefully in a chat organised by official broadcasters ST

VVS LAXMAN

They are not just modern-day captains, they are modern-day greats. In such a short span, the impact the two wonderful batsmen have had is amazing. When you are playing international cricket, it is not necessary to be friendly with your opponent. You take a lot of pride playing for your country. And I am sure both Virat Kohli and Steve Smith will go all out. They will be aggressive to make sure they win. It has already started in Sri Lanka. There were two important aspects. One was identifying a wrist spinner. India found out in the Champions Trophy that when the pitch was not conducive to the finger spinners (it was an issue); the wrist spinner taking wickets in the middle-overs is crucial. Finishing is very important, and they have found Hardik Pandya. He is taking up a role which MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina have fulfilled over the last decade. India won’t be cautious. One thing about Virat is he is always aggressive, positive and proactive. The way they were ruthless in Sri Lanka was very impressive. That shows this Indian team is not looking at the opposition, but looking within. India are a very balanced side in every department, even the mental attitude; it is an opportunity for youngsters to prove

themselves. Kohli is a better captain. Smith in the Test series was not as proactive. Virat is improving every match. He also has the advantage of having Dhoni. I was impressed with the way he used three young spinners against Sri Lanka and got the best out of the senior bowlers as well.

MICHAEL CLARKE

The talk about Steve Smith versus Virat Kohli will be there leading up to the first game. But at the end of the day, it comes down to the team that wins. It doesn’t really matter how many runs Virat Kohli or Steve Smith makes. As captain, you want your team to win. Time for the team to really decide its style of play. Smith, David Warner and the support staff need to work that out. Are they going to play aggressive? Are they going to let the top order go hard or consolidate? There is plenty of time before the World Cup. But they will have to work hard to beat India. Over the last 12 months, we have been inconsistent. Fans expect the team to be top of the tree. If we beat India, we go back to No 1 in one-dayers. Experience of playing in India will matter. They know the conditions very well. The heat, the hotel, the food. India is their second home. It’s a shame there is no Josh Hazlewood and

Mitchell Starc. But this Australian team has no excuses. This team knows these conditions well. Virat is a better limited-overs batsman. Smith is a better Test batsman. Captaincy is even. We can’t split them — two very good captains. Virat’s team is winning. Smith needs to find that momentum. VVS Laxman and Michael n

Clarke were at a promotional event for the series broadcasters Star India.