Pressure on India, say Aussies
Australia are relishing their underdog status as they seek to shock India on the subcontinent, declaring all the pressure will be on the world’s top-ranked test side.
Every meaningful indicator points to Steve Smith’s side being beaten in the four-test series that starts in Pune today.
India haven’t lost a test at home since 2012. They’re on a 19-test undefeated streak and, unlike Australia, aren’t perplexed by the spin-friendly pitch in Pune.
Australia haven’t won a test in India since their breakthrough series win in 2004. They’re on a nine-test losing streak in Asia and, unlike India, don’t have the world’s two best spinners in their ranks.
It is a form guide that has prompted former India skipper Sourav Ganguly, monkeygate antagonist Harbhajan Singh and even current opener Murali Vijay to predict a 4-0 thumping.
The widespread expectation that Australia will be steamrolled in the next six weeks suits the tourists just fine, according to Josh Hazlewood and Peter Handscomb.
‘‘Every test we play at home we’re expected to win and all the pressure is on us. Shoe’s on the other foot now with India,’’ Hazlewood said.
‘‘They’re expected to smash us. If we put them under pressure early in this first test hopefully they crumble.’’
Handscomb, asked about the risk of dwelling too much on Ravichandran Ashwin’s status as the world’s top-ranked bowler, was likewise forthright and suggested Australia would play with freedom because India ‘‘are the ones under pressure’’.
‘‘We know India are under the pump,’’ the batsman said, preparing for his first test on foreign soil.
‘‘They’re in their own conditions and they’re seen as being these great players. If we can start well, then we know we’ve got them under pressure.’’
Hazlewood also put Virat Kohli’s side on notice to be ready for some chin music.
‘‘A few are quite vulnerable to the short ball. We’ll have our plans in place to each batsman, if there’s any bounce in the wicket we’ll definitely be sending a few short balls through,’’ Hazlewood said.
Hazlewood added Australia would not be intimidated by the threat posed by Kohli, who scored a double ton in each of his past four test series.
‘‘He can [intimidate a team] if you let him,’’ he said.
‘‘He’s the key wicket ... if we can contain him it’ll go a long way to winning the series.’’
Saying it and doing it are two very different things - unless you subscribe to the theory Kohli can be taunted to a point where he’ll start playing loose shots.
David Warner cautioned teammates against doing so, noting if ‘‘you get under his skin, he’ll probably get even better’’.