Former Australian wicket-keeper batter Adam Gilchrist feels it is Pat Cummins and Co’s best chance to win the Test series against India. Gilchrist expects the visitors to come up with a good performance in the tough Indian conditions.
Meanwhile, Australia had last won a Test series on Indian shores back in 2004 when Adam Gilchrist led them to a 2-1 win. Since then they have only won a single Test match in Indian conditions and they will have their work cut out.
Gilchrist admitted it is going to be tough for the tourists to win against a potent team and feels they will have to bring their best to the table.
Gilchrist told AAP: There’s not going to be anything easy and it’s not going to be a walk in the park, but it is their best chance and I expect them to do really, really well. The balance of their squad and how experienced the team is now is important.”
He continued: “They’ve had a number of tours to subcontinental countries to gain and learn from and that was what held us up in 2004. “We were very well planned and prepared due to the experiences we had, both positive and negative, previously in the subcontinent.This group of players has built up that bank of knowledge and the skills that they have, so they have a very good chance of winning.”
Australia was beaten 2-0 in 2008 by India, the visitors suffered a 4-0 whitewash in 2013 and lost 2-1 in 2017. Furthermore, India defeated Australia in their last two tours (2018-19 and 2020-21) to Downunder by 2-1.
Recalling their win in 2004, Gilchrist revealed that they completely changed their tactics for the series as Shane Warne played a holding role.
“We completely changed our tactics, particularly at the start of our bowling innings, going away from the typically aggressive fields. We decided to start with one slip, maybe a catching midwicket, but with a deep backward square field and just attack the stumps, attack the pads and wait for the ball to start to go reverse.”
Gilchrist continued: “Shane became pretty much a holding bowler, where he just had to hold an end for us and not let the pressure ease and he did that brilliantly. It was a real step away from what traditionally Australian cricket teams did, to the point where we went on the defense to create an offense.”
Australia will begin their India tour with the first Test match, which will be played in Nagpur on February 9.
