New Delhi: Former Australian captain Allan Border has suggested significant changes to the approach to selection and tactics for the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and reckoned that Australia should go with their strengths — three fast bowlers and just one spinner.
“We tend to look at the pitches that are gonna turn and say we should play with a couple of spinners. I’m a bit the other way – I think we should go with our strengths, go with our fast bowlers, bowl with certain plans to their batsman, subtle different changes of tactics, and play with the three quicks and just the one spinner,” Border said on SEN Breakfast.
“That formula has worked for us generally. And when we’ve done it in India in the past, it’s on the back of (Glenn) McGrath, (Michael) Kasprowicz, Jason Gillespie – these guys. Fast bowlers doing a really good job for us and getting 20 wickets.”
As for which spinner should be there in the line-up, Border made a bold call, saying Australia can drop Todd Murphy and bring Nathan Lyon as their only spinner.
“You’ve got to go with (Nathan) Lyon, he’s built up enough brownie points over the years to be the first picked,” he said.
“Well done to young (Todd) Murphy, it’s going to be a tough decision to leave him out, I know the wicket is going to turn but I just reckon the formula for us to be successful is three quickies and one spinner.”
The Australian great has also slammed the selectors for the decision to omit Travis Head for the first Test, saying that the batter deserved to be in the playing XI of the Nagpur Test.
“I thought he must have been a crook or injured himself… I just couldn’t believe that Travis Head could be left just on a whim that he didn’t play very well in India last time or when they were in Sri Lanka or whatever,” Border said.
“That’s maybe a case, but you’re allowed to improve, and Travis Head is one of those players that has improved and he showed that during the summer. He deserved the opportunity to play in that First Test match no doubt about it, I think they got that selection really wrong.”
Head has been in tremendous form for the Aussies in recent times in Tests. Before the India tour, Head played five Tests at home against West Indies and South Africa, amassing 603 runs with the highest score of 175.
IANS