Batting will decide series: Zaheer
SHARJAH: Former Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan feels the outcome of the upcoming Test series between India and Australia would depend on how the batsmen from both sides perform. The first Test begins at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
While India, under Virat Kohli, have been at the top of the rankings, Australia are going through a torrid time after losing two of their best batsmen in Steven Smith and David Warner due to the ball tampering scandal.
“I think if you look at both the (bowling) attacks they are looking pretty much balanced in many ways. The contest is really going to be how the batting for both the team shapes up,” said Zaheer on the sidelines of the T10 League in Sharjah.
For India, who are fancying their first-ever series win in Australia this time, Kohli has been the top performer in both their overseas tours earlier this year with the bat, but has found very little support from the others, leading to India’s defeat.
Zaheer backed the Indian fast bowlers to continue giving their best, having put up impressive performances in both South Africa and England. “We (India) have five bowlers in Australia right now who have been there, (also) those who have been playing for India for a while,” added Zaheer, who has been captaining the Bengal Tigers side that lost the race to the tournament’s final on Saturday.
“The experience is there (in the bowling attack), the understanding is there. It is just about executing those plans and it is important that the fitness levels are maintained (through the course of) the series,” Zaheer expressed.
The former pace spearhead backed India to learn their lessons from previous defeats and come good in Australia. “Absolutely, this is a great chance for the Indian team to win the series Down Under,” Zaheer said. SYDNEY : Australia skipper Tim Paine says his bowlers won’t shy away from having a go at India captain Virat Kohli but will pick their moments carefully.
The Australian team is in the middle of cultural transformation following the ball tampering scandal that brought the focus on team’s ethics and values that included unbridled aggression resulting in sledging. Coach Justin Langer has stressed on the need for the team to be elite in values, which includes being humble and offering handshake to opposition.
Some former cricketers like Michael Clarke have hit out at this transformation saying that it takes away the traditional aggression from Australian cricket.
“It’s been received well, I haven’t heard otherwise,” Paine told cricket.com.au of the handshake idea. “I just think it’s a bit of a no-brainer, just a show of sportsmanship. It doesn’t mean we’ll be the nicest team in the world to play against by any stretch of the imagination.
Paine said they’ll be calculative against Kohli.
“He’s certainly someone who, from what I’ve seen, enjoys getting into that sort of stuff. We’ll just play it by ear; if there’s a time when we think we need to have a word with him, I’m sure we will. If there’s other times when we feel like we’re bowling well against him and are troubling him, then
The experience is there (in bowling attack). It is just about executing the plans and it is important the fitness levels are maintained. ZAHEER KHAN, former India pacer
you don’t have to do it,” Paine said of Kohli. “It’s just about picking your time and picking your moment and doing what the team requires.”
Kohli has toured Australia twice earlier and has been successful with the bat. In 2014-15, he scored 692 runs, the most by an Indian batsman in Australia.
But Paine feels Australia have enough firepower in the pace attack to trouble India’s talismanic captain although he cautioned them against being too emotional that can disorientate them. “I think our fast bowling attack, if they play purely on skill, they’re going to trouble him,” Paine added. “At times when we get too emotional, we can lose our way a little bit. So it’s a really fine line.
“There’s going to be times when they’re going to get a bit fiery, I’m sure. But we need to be mindful of keeping ourselves calm enough so we can execute our skills as well,” he added.
Paine said a one-on-one contest with Kohli is okay as long as it doesn’t go over the top.
“I think it’s important that guys play the way that suits them. If you’re someone who likes to get into a contest one-on-one with someone like Virat, then go for your life,” he said.
“But I don’t think it needs to be over the top and I don’t think guys who aren’t normally like that need to start doing it.”