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Opinion
Australia can take the third Test deep into day five, be competitive and even jag an upset over India if they take a session by session mindset.
Particularly with the batters, they need to ensure they set a goal of winning each session or at the very least, don’t have a shocking session. If they do that, they’re a chance but if they don’t, momentum runs away from you in India faster than anywhere else in the world and it can quickly get to a stage where it’s too late to get it back.
One really bad session and you lose the game, it’s gone in the blink of an eye.
If you look back at the sessions over the first two days of the second Test in Delhi, the Aussies were either in front on a head-to-head count or held their own but then it all fell apart on the morning of day three.
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In the first Test the batters were too timid and looked like they were focused only on trying not to get out and then in the next match they swung the pendulum too far the other way, especially in the second innings with too many attacking shots, particularly the sweeps.
Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates taking the wicket of Steve Smith. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
I’d be focusing on how do we shift momentum when it’s starting to go against us so we don’t let it overpower us?
What are the players going to do to make sure the Indians don’t get on a roll. The spinners like to rush through their overs so batters should look at making them wait until they’re ready to face up just to break their momentum here and there.
How are we going to deal with that when we’ve lost a couple of quick wickets? If we can find a way to get through those periods the game will go deeper.
And it’s not a one size fits all approach for the batters.
Travis Head, when he opens with Usman Khawaja, I expect him to play his natural game of attacking the bowlers. He should go hard because that’s his strength.
You’ve got to do what works for you – individual plans are needed not a blanket approach with tactics like sweeping.
It’s not a bad shot to play in India if the ball is moving away from the stumps, particularly if it’s going down leg side and you’re hitting with the spin.
Just play to your game plan. Usman and Peter Handscomb batted beautifully in the first innings at Delhi and they didn’t have to smash fours everywhere.
Every batter for this Test has shown something in the first two Tests but no one has gone on with it. You need multiple batters firing to build a substantial first innings total to put the pressure back on the locals.
Marnus Labuschagne’s plan has been fine but he’s just been getting out before he gets through that 30-40 run period where once he’s established he can go big on the scoreboard.
Steve Smith won’t be sweeping early, he’s learned his lesson. Same with Alex Carey – he goes too early with the reverse sweep and the Indian spinners are awake to it so they dart the ball in at leg stump and he’s cooked. Early on I’d love him to stay tall in his stance and get forward or get right back.
Having Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc back in the team strengthens up that middle to lower order but I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do with the ball too.
(Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
Starcy should get some reverse swing going and he will be a big help in getting through India’s tail and that’s a very loose term because they’ve got some very strong batters all the way down to No.9.
He will give them some “nose and toes” treatment at top pace so that will be a massive benefit because spin hasn’t worked trying to get through Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin.
I want Green to go full early, he can bowl outswingers and with the ball skidding off the pitch, it brings LBWs and bowled into play as well as the nicks to the cordon.
Starc and Green can go short and if they have fields set for that, it can be a useful tactic in India even though they’re not the bounciest wickets. We saw the Indians rough up David Warner in the last Test so that’s an option we haven’t really taken yet but these two fresh guys should be able to give it a crack.
It’s unfortunate for Australia that they won’t have Pat Cummins for this Test but he’s certainly done the right thing by going home to be with mum and his family. Let’s hope for all the best for them at this time.
With Smithy taking over, he’s very experienced so we’re a bit fortunate in that way. He knows the conditions in India so it will be a well-run side and he tends to thrive when he’s got the leadership.
No one will be bashing themselves up more than Smith after getting two low scores in the previous Test so I think he will be active in the field with his captaincy with the bowling changes but also with the bat in this Test.