n By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Feb 16
INDIA might have easily won three back to back Test series at home in last few months but former India captain Rahul Dravid expects a tough fight from the Australians.
India will play a four-Test series against Australia starting February 23 at Pune. India Jrs coach Dravid felt a tough series against the Australians with an Indian win would be the perfect way to finish the domestic season.
“It’s going to be a good series. It will be tightly fought. As always Australia will come here well prepared, there is no doubt about it. They are always very competitive. But I think India is well prepared at the moment,” Dravid told ‘The Hitavada’ at Jamtha Stadium on Thursday.
‘The Wall’ said the Indian contingent must be pretty confident with 19-match unbeaten streak.
“India should be pretty confident at the moment. They are playing at home for the last four of five months and everyone is used to play in these conditions. All our players have lot of match experience in these conditions so I definitely think that India would be confident. But I think it’s going to be a good series. It will be well fought out,” Dravid said.
“I think it’s the perfect way to finish what has been a fantastic domestic season in India with so many Test matches and the kind of interest it has generated. A tough series against Australia would be a perfect way to finish, hopefully we win it,” he added.
Dravid, who has played 33 Tests against Australia with 233 being his highest at Adelaide, said it would be important for the Indians to score big which would help the spinners to attack the opponents.
“It’s very simple... In India you have to score big runs... score runs when you get the opportunity. In a good condition you need to make the most of it. You need to bat well and post a good total and then give your spinners plenty of opportunity and the time to be able to take 20 wickets,” he explained.
Last time when Australia visited India in 2012, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja picked the bulk of wickets and Dravid said it would be the same this time too. However, he added that there should not be extra pressure on Ashwin.
“I think we should not put too much pressure on Ashwin. He is a terrific performer for India and has always been a great bowler. But I think it’s not only his responsibility, there are others also in the team and they are also bowling well. Jadeja has also performed superbly, the seamers have been superb with reverse swing. I think they are a very good balanced team. We should not rely too much on Ashwin although he is our main strike bowler. I think the attack is very balanced,” he said.
Dravid said the bowlers should stay calm instead of getting frustrated if they did not get early wickets.
“Wickets have been good in the last few months and in the last few series (in India) but it does takes time to take the opposition out. We have seen against Bangladesh, it took time to
bowl them out. So if you score big runs like in the first innings (against Bangladesh) then you give your bowlers time to set an attacking field. Score big runs and let the spinners do their job,” said the man with 36 Test hundreds.
“The team is playing beautifully at the moment. You can’t argue with the team scoring 600 runs in the last three Test matches. I think whatever they are doing they are doing really well and I hope they just keep continuing it,” he said and concluded with a late cut.
“I don’t make any predications. I am looking forward to a good exciting series and hope
India win.”
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