Mindset will determine if India can survive in Nathan Lyon’s den, batsman Ajinkya Rahane says.
Lyon looms as Australia’s trump card as the hosts set their sights on a last-day victory in the Adelaide Test.
The Australians hold a 363-run lead over the Indians, who struggled to combat Lyon in their first innings when the offspinner took five wickets.
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And Rahane realises Lyon presents the main danger to the tourists on a wearing final-day pitch.
“We just have to focus on the present and if we do that, I’m sure we will do well tomorrow,” he said.
“I think patience … all the batsmen have got good skill, it’s going to be based upon mindset.”
Lyon claimed 5-134 and exploited footmarks created by India’s tactic of frequently deploying their pacemen around the wicket to Australia’s lefthanded batsmen.
“That decision was completely up to captain and coach, that was our strategy,” Rahane said.
And the middle-order batsman defended the performance of Indian spinner Karn Sharma, who was belted in Australia’s second innings.
Sharma, on Test debut, returned figures of 2-95 from 16 overs and was whacked for 11 boundaries and four sixes.
Rahane said it was unfair to compare Sharma’s performance to Lyon.
“Nathan Lyon, he is an experienced bowler and he bowled really well,” he said.
“Karn, it was his first game and he bowled pretty well. But the Australians, they batted really well against him.
“It’s no point blaming Karn because I think he gave his 100 per cent but didn’t get too many wickets.”
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