CHENNAI: Exactly a month ago, Tim Paine, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Wade and Travis Head among others had to be airlifted from South Australia because of a Covid-19 outbreak in the area next to Adelaide. In hindsight, it signalled the start of what has been a chaotic build-up for the hosts ahead of the Test series, beginning in Adelaide on Thursday. It included talks of shifting the opener from Adelaide, an injury to David Warner, concussion-related blows on the head to multiple players, the sight of Steve Smith cutting short his training stint and walking back gingerly and a serial lack of form for an opener.
So the first question Paine was asked at the pre-match match conference was entirely predictable. "Do you have a team?" Even though Australia have refused to name the XI on Wednesday — something the visitors did — the captain assured the hosts did have a line-up. Wading through his quotes, it looks likely that all-rounder Cameron Green will debut in the middle-order. Joe Burns, who scored five runs in four innings against the Indians in the tour games, could open, possibly with Matthew Wade, who has never batted there previously in 32 Tests. It's emblematic of their build-up but that doesn't mean that Australia begin the series on the back foot.
Smith has shaken off whatever was troubling his back and Green, touted to be Australia's next big thing, has passed his fitness test. The bigger threat, though, is their three prong seam attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. They are a threat under normal conditions. With the pink ball, they might as well be the three horsemen of the Apocalypse. The three combined have picked up 87 wickets at an average of a shade above 20. Why is the trio so devastating? The pink ball does a fair bit, both through the air and off the surface. The pitches in pink ball Tests always have a fair covering of live grass and this helps the ball to deviate. The condition in the post-dinner sessions also favours the bowlers a fair bit.
Cummins touched on this a few days ago. "You can have some sessions under the lights where the balls just zip around. After dinner, when the light takes effect, just for whatever reason it seems like the ball zips around a bit more,” he opined. Experience wise, that's got to be a big boost for the hosts, who have done this song and dance seven times previously, a disadvantage for the visitors who are yet to taste the night life in this format away from home. Against a team that's full of green horns in that aspect, the bowlers could make hay while during afternoon sunshine as well as evening twilight.
It's a point Paine touched upon. "(Starc) was quick at the nets yesterday (Tuesday)," he said. "He's shaping up well, he's a nightmare to face with the pink ball irrespective of whether it's day or night, he's another big asset for us and pleased to have him on deck."
To sum up, if Australia's opening combination survives enough overs whenever they come to bat, the bowlers may just replay an oft-watched film.