Former Australia stumper-batter Ian Healy has made a sly dig at Indian pitch curators, asking them not to produce ‘unreasonable wickets’ for the forthcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The 58-year-old said that if India develops spin-friendly surfaces, the Rohit Sharma-led team might win the series 2-1.
He also noted that the previous time Australia played a Test series in India, India constructed awful and unjust surfaces. He said that it solely benefits Indian players and should not be pushed again.
“They (India) have got a good team but I’m not too scared of their spinners unless they produce unreasonable wickets. If they produce unreasonable wickets like they did half the series last time (we won’t win), two wickets were just terrible, unfair, spinners jumping over your head on day one,” Healy said.
“So that type of thing they will play better on than we will, but if they get flat wickets that India used to put out, nice flat batting wickets and bowlers have to work really hard, I think we can do it. But (my prediction is) 2-1 India, if (Mitchell) Starc’s unavailable in the first Test,” the cricketer-turned-commentator added.
Notably, the four-match Test series would be critical for the Indian squad. They are now second in the World Test Championship points chart, but if they fail to win the series, Rohit Sharma’s players may forfeit their place in the competition’s finals. The Australian team is now in first position and just needs a couple more points to ensure their spot in the final.
Meanwhile, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be a four-match Test series between India and Australia beginning on February 9. The first game will be played in Nagpur’s Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, while the second, third, and fourth will be held in Delhi, Dharamsala, and Ahmedabad, respectively.
