"Kind of mind-boggling to me" - Steve Smith on Australia's tactic of playing 3 spinners coming into question
Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith isn't impressed with the questioning of the decision to play three spinners on the ongoing India tour. However, Smith is pleased that his side have proved their detractors wrong by winning in Indore.
After playing two quicks in the first Test in Nagpur, Australia opted for three spinners in the next two games. The tactic paid rich dividends in the third Test as Matthew Kuhnemann took a fifer in the first innings and Nathan Lyon snared 11 in the match.
Speaking ahead of the fourth Test in Ahmedabad, Smith iterated how the pitches have spun and that the result in Indore vindicated their decision to play three spinners contrary to opinions back home. As quoted by cricket.com.au, the star batter said:
"It's been weird with a bit of the commentary back home, people talking about us playing three quicks and one spinner. It's kind of mind-boggling to me when we look at these surfaces and we see what we've had – 11 innings in six days or something like that. Spinners have taken the bulk of the wickets and you see how difficult it is to play the spin."
"It's kind of odd to hear that kind of commentary. But we've had faith in what we're trying to do and it's good that we are able to show that we can play with three spinners and win."
Australia's spinners ran riot as they bundled India out for below 200 in both innings in Indore, the first time the hosts have done so since 1978. Lyon took 11 wickets to earn the Player of the Match award.
"The variation all the spinners have is beneficial" - Steve Smith
Smith further asserted how Kuhnemann, Lyon, and Todd Murphy possess different skill sets and are a threat to the batters in various ways.
"I think just the variation all the spinners have is beneficial. Kuhnemann spinning the ball away from the bat, bowled really well that first morning in Indore in particular when the wicket was a bit more 'stoppy' than it was as the game went on."
Smith added:
"Gazza' has obviously gone from strength to strength, Murph can bowl a bit more side-spinning than Nathan can and maybe doesn't get as much bounce and can defend really well as we saw last game when he had to."
Should Australia win in Ahmedabad, it would be their best result in India since the 2004 leg when they won two Tests and claimed the series.