"I don’t think we win in India by being conservative" - Ian Healy on Australia's team combination for the 1st Test
Former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy has opined that the visitors cannot afford to be conservative while playing in India during the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Healy's recent comments over 'fair pitches' have caused quite a stir on social media. He backed Australia to win the series should India prepare sporting tracks for the four-match Test series.
In the build-up to the first Test, Australia are on the receiving end of a massive selection headache on the back of injuries. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are confirmed absentees, while Cameron Green is a major doubt despite only being able to feature as a batter.
Players OUT of the 1st Test at Nagpur #INDvAUS
- Mitchell Starc (The middle finger injury in left hand)
- Cameron Green (finger injury in right hand) - could play the Test as a batter.
- Josh Hazlewood (left Achilles tendon injury)
- Shreyas Iyer (back injury).
#IndvsAus
Opining that Australia will have to play Scott Boland or Lance Morris or potentially even both according to the combination, Healy said:
"First Test, we’ve just got Cummins. We might play two spinners or may not, which would mean we’d need Boland and Morris. If we play two quicks, I’d play Boland, if it’s three quicks then Morris gets in."
Healy continued:
“I don’t think we win in India by being conservative, but I think just Cummins and Morris in together only is maybe not enough. We’ve only won one Test (in India) since 2004."
Australia, the No.1-ranked Test side, are on the cusp of making it into the World Test Championship (WTC) final. India, on the other hand, need a positive result to secure a top-two finish and head to the final for the second consecutive time.
"The guys are excited first of all to play in the subcontinent" - Hazlewood on Scott Boland and Lance Morris' adaptability to bowl in India
Scott Boland has had an extraordinary start to his international career. The domestic veteran, ever since making his debut in the 2021-22 Ashes, holds a bowling average of 12.21. All of his six Test appearances have come in Australia.
Lance Morris, the quickest of the Australian bowling unit, is yet to make his Test debut. He has been impressive in the county set up and received his maiden call-up during the home season in late 2022.
An injured Josh Hazlewood says both Scott Boland and Lance Morris are primed to take on India's batters should either of them take his place for the first #INDvAUS Test starting on Thursday https://t.co/loiWihqhCk
Josh Hazlewood spoke about the inexperienced pace bowling prospects in the squad and backed them to succeed in the seniors' absence and said:
“Scotty has bowled plenty at the MCG when it was a flat wicket, it probably wasn’t swinging or reverse swinging so he knows how to work hard for a long period of time."
Hazlewood continued:
“You’ve got Lance Morris who has worked hard on reverse swing for the last month and then a nice lead-in here with a few sessions. The guys are excited first of all to play in the subcontinent, they both haven’t yet, but they’re very well qualified to do so.”
Australia opted against playing a warm-up game and instead set up a practice camp in Alur, particularly to combat their woes against spin bowling. The first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is scheduled to begin in Nagpur on February 9.
Will Australia go with two seamers and three spinners for the first Test? Let us know what you think.
Also Read: "Probably a 2-1 win for Australia, but it's going to be a tough one" - Mahela Jayawardena