The Pat Cummins-led Australian cricket team is aiming for their first Test series win in India after 19 years when they visit the country for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in February-March 2023.
Australia is currently playing a three-match Test series against South Africa, which would be their last assignment before the India tour, and the head coach Andrew McDonald believes that their "no tour game" policy on overseas tours will really help the Kangaroos in the upcoming Test series.
Australia is likely to arrive in India just a week before the first Test, beginning in Nagpur on February 9, and McDonald feels his players will be fresh both physically and mentally, and they will also have enough time to acclimatise to the Indian conditions before the much-awaited Test series.
Andrew McDonald was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald: “No tour game is something we’ve done in the last few series, before embarking on overseas tours. We feel as though we don’t need that match practice as such. We’re going to go to India about a week out from the first game. We didn’t want to press for too much longer, in terms of the preparation.”
He continued, “We feel as though seven days is ample time to get ready and to ensure we maintain freshness throughout the four-Test match series. We had some success doing that, going to Pakistan. We had a shortened period on the ground there.”
The Australia coach further revealed that they have planned a three-day camp in Sydney for the players before traveling to India for the bilateral series next month.
He added, “We can be creative in our own conditions. We’ve done it before with the Pakistan build-up in Melbourne. Dusting up wickets. Fit for purpose. Working with the local groundsmen who really help us in and around the country. We feel we can get as close to that as possible without necessarily having a practice game.”
Meanwhile, McDonald hinted at having a large squad on the upcoming tour of India, considering Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green’s fitness issues.
The coach further noted, “Yeah, I am confident he (Green) will be fit with the time frames I’ve been given… The challenge will be making sure we can be creative in the way he trains to make sure his body is in order. But we feel as though with the medical team that have done an outstanding job in the last game, we feel as though we’re confident he’ll be ready for that first Test match.”
The Australia coach also hinted at including the likes of Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Swepson, and Todd Murphy on the side for the India tour.
He said, “Matt Renshaw coming in again in Test cricket has had some success there before. Pete, no doubt, would probably consider himself unlucky not to be in that conversation for Sydney, but there’s another one that comes back into the Test fold in conversation.”
McDonald further added, “We’ve got Marcus Harris also. So, feel we’ve got Test experience within that depth. Some will say the age profile is a little bit older in those and potentially not as many youngsters in that, but we feel as though that experience is beneficial.”
He concluded, “Todd’s putting his hand up with the performances he’s put on the board. Mitch Swepson performed well in the subcontinent previously. Sometimes the second spinner isn’t necessarily the best next spinner if that makes sense. It’s the one that complements what you have.”
(With PTI Inputs)
