When Australia pack their kit bags for the first Test against India in Chennai this week, there is one thing the players can leave behind – their helmets.
With India set to play three, possibly four, spinners in the first Test at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, the Australian batting line-up can at least be certain not to have to face any chin music.
Australia, in contrast, have named debutant Moises Henriques in their line-up, the all-rounder joining fellow seam bowlers Peter Siddle, James Pattinson and Mitchell Stark in an effort to knock over the home side with pace and reverse swing.
Nathan Lyon is the only frontline spin bowler, with support to come from Michael Clarke and David Warner.
Whatever the result, the fact that both teams have a clear plan in place in my mind makes the outcome in the first Test of a four-game series even more important.
Whoever comes out on top gains confidence and a mental edge not only because they played well, but because the reasoning during planning proved to be correct.
The support staff are under as much pressure to make the right choices in putting together, and maintaining, a team than the players are to perform on the field.
And focus on the selection process, and the panel itself, has been as intense this summer as I can ever remember – everybody seems to have an opinion on the subject and the great majority of them seem to be negative.
Should the Aussies gamble on pace pay off, John Inverarity and co will be breathing perhaps the biggest sigh of relief of their careers.
Possibly an exaggeration, but if you listen to the court of public opinion, there is a definite rumbling of discontent against the current selection set up, but perhaps it’s more like confusion.
The debate this summer has been about rotation and inconsistent team selection as indicators to the fact that the selection panel don’t really know what they’re doing, or at least seem as such.
There can be no ambiguity about the choices they have made for this Test and the reasons behind them, however, whether you agree with them or not, and that can only serve to quiet some of the rumbling should it prove a success.
It will have quite the opposite effect should it fail.
One thing is for sure, any team should not simply load up on spinners for the sake of it, they need to be picking best bowlers available to bowl a side out.
Nobody can argue with the form of any of the pace bowlers picked, nor the all-rounder in Henriques, the debutant claiming four wickets in the tour match after a strong end to the recent one-day series in Australia.
Against an Indian side well versed in playing spin bowlers on their own pitches, it would be unwise to take any bowler who is not in form or because that is what the opposition is doing, despite the fact that the pitch will take spin from the first morning.
Nathan Lyon will be expected to provide the majority of overs of Australian spin, with Clarke and Warner, both recovering from injury, unlikely to bowl long spells.
The form of much-maligned Lyon this summer has been good despite criticism, and he should be relishing the chance to establish himself on the turning pitches in India.
The Australian team was announced “subject to change at the coin toss”, so the option to play Glenn Maxwell is still available, but unlikely.
Whatever the final team or the result, the Australian team clearly have a plan of attack for India, and that plan is clear to everyone.
Australian cricket fans will be hoping the team is up to executing it.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.
Australia are set to turn their back on rising star Jake Fraser-McGurk’s whirlwind IPL form and drop Steve Smith in their T20 World Cup…
If people can lose their job, and clubs can face massive payouts, due to the behaviour of coaches, it will drastically change the way sporting teams in Australia will be run.
Australian fast bowling great Jason Gillespie has been named head coach of Pakistan's Test team, as the nation overhauls its coaching department ahead of…
Will Jacks got RCB past the 200 target set by Gujarat with four overs to spare.
With Rajasthan needing 25 off 17, both batsmen ended up at the same end but the bowler dropped the throw from his teammate -…
A six-laden, 27-ball 84 from Jake Fraser-McGurk to continue his outrageous debut IPL!
