BENGALURU : In the lead-up to India’s tour of Australia, experts had underlined how the pace attack of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood could impact the outcome of the series, which is poised at 1-1. However, in conditions which assist pacers more, Nathan Lyon has created plenty of problems for the visitors than the trio, who have scalped 23 wickets in two Tests. The off-spinner alone has 16.
With Indians, who are said to be the most skilled in playing spin, not finding much success against him, their inability to handle quality spin paints a sorry picture. It seems to be more troublesome when the pitch has more bounce.
One has to remember that the quality of finger spinners in world cricket is no longer the same. Besides India’s Ravichandran Ashwin, Lyon and Moeen Ali, there are not many quality finger spinners around. And India’s record against the two is not impressive.
One look at India’s performance against these two in their home conditions makes it clear this is a concern for a nation that took pride in playing spin. Lyon had taken 23 wickets in the 2014-15 Test series Down Under and is tormenting India again. Earlier in the year too, India did not look comfortable against Ali, who took 12 wickets in just two matches. Lyon and Ali may not be massive turners of the ball, but it is their traditional style of flighting the ball, which seems to be troubling the Indians.
“You look at the pattern of both these bowlers, how they bowl. They are not afraid to toss the ball up to batsmen. When you beat batsmen in flight and bounce, it makes a huge difference. India have not batted well against high-quality traditional spinners, who give the ball good flight. Also, India batsmen are not using their feet, which is another aspect. When you are playing against a spinner, it is important to go and meet the ball,” former India all-rounder Kirti Azad told this newspaper.
In the ongoing series, besides Cheteshwar Pujara, it has been a rare sight to see batsmen coming down the track to unsettle Lyon. Most of them have been stuck at the crease defending, which allows close in fielders to come into the game. The batsmen are also coming under pressure for failing to rotate the strike. Former India opener Lalchand Rajput feels it is important to play shots when required, besides taking singles.
“If you only defend, one good ball and you are out. You have to score runs. Rotating strike is very important, which is not happening. If a bowler bowls six balls to one batsmen, he has a greater chance of taking a wicket. But if the strike is rotated, the bowler has to adjust. His line and length has to change. A batsman should try and rotate so that the bowler doesn’t bowl six balls at him,” said Rajput.