CHENNAI: Bengal’s ace spinner Pragyan Ojha believes that if the visiting Australians can be patient with their game plan, then they have a better chance to compete in the ongoing Test series.
Ojha, who last played a Test for India against West Indies in 2013, was part of the India A side that played two unofficial Tests against an Australia A side comprising the likes of Steve O’ Keefe, Peter Handscomb and Matthew Wade among others last year in Chennai.
As the Pune pitch showed on Thursday, spinners will set the tone for the series and Ojha had no doubts about it, but cautioned that India cannot take Australia’s spinners for granted. “In sub-continent, spinners will call the shots. I feel spinners from both teams will have a big role to play. Teams like England and Australia prepare well before coming to India. They will also have a mindset, they will also have a plan,’’ predicted Ojha.
Apart from the likes of David Warner, skipper Steve Smith and Shaun Marsh, other batsmen in the squad don’t have much experience in Indian conditions, but Ojha cautioned: “Some of their key players like Handscomb, O’ Keefe and Wade toured here a year back. They showed good application and intent to excel. But the key for their success this time around would be patience. Even with the ball, they have to sustain the pressure,’’ opined Ojha.