Former Australian wicketkeeper-batter Ian Healy took a brutal dig at India for their nature to prepare "unreasonable wickets" ahead of the upcoming four-match Test series between the two teams, starting February 9 in Nagpur.
Healy further predicted a 2-1 win for Team India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. Notably, this Test series is crucial for the hosts to make it to the WTC 2021–23 final, while Australia is just one win away from securing a place in the final.
Ian Healy was quoted as saying by SEN: “They've (India) got a good team but I'm not too scared of their spinners unless they produce unreasonable wickets. If they produce unreasonable wickets like they did half the series last time (we won't win), two wickets were just terrible, unfair, spinners jumping over your head on day one.”
He added, “So that type of thing they will play better on than we will, but if they get flat wickets that India used to put out, nice flat batting wickets and bowlers have to work really hard, I think we can do it. But (my prediction is) 2-1 India, if (Mitchell) Starc's unavailable in the first Test.”
Healy is worried about Mitchell Starc’s finger injury to his bowling hand, as he is likely to miss the first Test in Nagpur, and he feels the veteran pacer might not have that great an outing in the next Test.
The Aussie further explained, “My worry for him (Starc) not playing the first Test is that you don't have a lot of time to get the bowling that you're going to need in the second, third and fourth Test. Starc mightn't be available in the first Test, and if you're not available (for the) first Test, you're not going to be great in the second Test... it's soon after, there's no other (warm-up) games.”
However, the legendary wicketkeeper is confident about Australia's success in the 2023 Ashes in England, as he predicted that Pat Cummins and his team will win the series with a 3-1 margin, but only if there are no injury concerns for the five-match Test series in June-July.
Healy noted, “Now Ashes, if we haven't got any injuries in that bowling attack and we can play our top team, then 3-1 Australia. We're going to really attack Bazball and put Bazball under pressure. We'll see how much courage and bravery they can retain in that top order with England and their bowlers.”
He signed off by saying, “I think for once we'll cope the best against (James) Anderson and (Stuart) Broad, Anderson is 40 years of age, we've got to really get some pressure back on him. Our best players for me, Pat Cummins and Steve Smith will be our stars.”
(With PTI Inputs)
