Indian head coach Ravi Shastri might have claimed that his pacers are enough capable to beat Australia in the upcoming Test series at their own den, but world’s No.1 Test batsman Steve Smith wasn’t sure.
As Australia and India gearing up for the white-ball series followed by four-match Test series, Smith has heaped praise on New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner for his ability to bowl short-pitched deliveries all the day and the Aussie feels this ability run in and bowl bouncers day in and day out many don’t have.
Last year, Australia and New Zealand played three-match Test series and Wagner was the second-highest wicket-taker with 17 scalps with best figures of five for 50 on the Australian soil.
During the series, Smith was dismissed by Wagner 4 times out of 5 innings played and the right-hander has credited the World No.3 Test bowler’s variation in pace and ability to consistently bowl bouncers for his success against him during the Kiwis last tour of Australia.
Smith said: “Looking back at the last Test series, Neil Wagner got the better of me, he's pretty good at what he does, he possesses a set of skills that not many people can do and he does it for a long period of time. While I had some contributions, my strike rate was down, but Test cricket, that's the beauty of it, you can bat for as long as you like and form partnerships and I was able to do that.”
Former Australian skipper further said, “So if others want to take that kind of approach then great. It's not the same as what Neil does, the way he bowls it. I think what you're alluding to is a short-pitched bowling sort of approach that others might take, and people can go for that. In a way it's a bit of flattery if people believe that the only way they can get me out because they've exhausted so many more options, it gives me a lot of confidence to know that.”
Meanwhile, Smith feels Indian pacers may not be able to spew the same venom in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, starting December 17 at the Adelaide Oval.
The 31-year-old further explained, “You look at Neil Wagner's career, the way he bowls, I think he's the No. 2 Test bowler in the world or something like that [No. 3] and you see the majority of wickets he's got are from short-pitched bowling and the way they set that field up. He's really patient and he's able to do it all day. There's not too many quick bowlers who can run in and bowl bouncers all day, and I guess the way Neil does it is particularly special.
He gets balls between shoulder and rib height, he's incredibly accurate, and then he's got an ability to change his pace. I think that was one of the hardest things the guys, not just me but some of the other guys as well coped with last year, was he'd bowl one ball at 135kph, next ball would be 128, and the next ball would be 130 and then 135.”
Smith signed off by saying, “It was just tough to get a real rhythm against because balls were coming out at different paces. So I think he's got a pretty unique set of skills, the way he does it. He's done it to not just me but to plenty of batsmen around the world. It's different to when anyone else has tried to do it.”
(With ESPNCricinfo Inputs)
