The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between Team India and Australia will not begin with the hosts having a predetermined attacking mindset, according to KL Rahul, Team India’s vice-captain for Test matches. He stated that the batters would assess the game situation and devise the best strategy for the team.
India began 2023 with a bang, defeating Sri Lanka and New Zealand in white-ball matches at home. One of the standout aspects of the Men in Blue’s performances was their aggressive all-around approach.
Team India, on the other hand, has been jittery in red-ball matches over the last year. They won the two-match series in Bangladesh during their previous Test assignment in December 2022, but not convincingly.
The Indians are now preparing to face Australia in a four-match series that begins on February 9 in Nagpur. Rahul was asked during a pre-series press conference if the team would try to bring their white-ball mindset into the Test matches as well. He responded:
“We don’t really plan and think like this is a Test game or a one-day game and this is how you are supposed to play. You obviously have individual plans on how to tackle every bowler. We all try and assess the situation.”
“If the situation demands for us to play a few shorts, then that is what we’ll have to do. If the situation demands us to play regular Test cricket, you just play on the merits of the ball. Just adjust and adapt according to the situation.”
“We know how the pitches are going to be here in India and what to expect” – KL Rahul
Rahul admitted that India’s preparations for the series have been focused on how to play spin now that they know what will be available. According to Rahul:
“The (one) thing that we have obviously worked on is playing spin. We know how the pitches are going to be here in India and what to expect. Keeping that in mind, we have practiced playing spin.”
“Each person has their own individual plans – everybody wants to play a certain way, which has been discussed with the coaches. As a batting group, we have discussed that and tried to get used to spinning conditions.”
The pitch for the India-Australia series has been a major topic of discussion in recent weeks. According to reports, the surfaces will likely provide plenty of opportunities for spinners. According to some media reports, India may field four spinners in the first Test against Australia in Nagpur.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
