Melbourne: Former Australian pacer Michael Kasprowicz wants his side to play to its strengths and go for a three-pronged pace attack in Mitchell Starc, Cameron Green and Scott Boland for the third Test against India at Indore beginning Wednesday.
Australia had gone into the second Test in New Delhi with just one pacer in skipper Pat Cummins and three specialist spinners and still lost the match by six wickets to concede a series-retaining 0-2 lead to India.
“I don’t mind (three quicks) — and I’m going out on a limb here I suppose — not taking India on in the spin department,” Kasprowicz told SEN Radio, batting for the inclusion of Boland.
Boland could not take a single wicket in the first Test at Nagpur, but was economical conceding 34 runs from 17 overs.
Boland was dropped for the Delhi Test with Australia opting for a spin-heavy attack in Lyon, Murphy and Kuhnemann.
“We don’t need three spinners, if it’s (Todd) Murphy or (Matthew) Kunhemann (with Nathan Lyon), I reckon get Boland in there.”
“The reason why is, he’ll (Boland) build up pressure from one end,” said the veteran of 113 Test wickets.
“So, from the other end — as we saw in that first Test with Murphy — he (Murphy) was able to take wickets because they weren’t scoring (off Boland). We’ve got to look to do something else.”
The 51-year-old, who represented Australia in 38 Tests and was part of the 2004-05 series that last won in India, further batting allrounder said Green becomes an obvious choice to replace opener David Warner.
“Coming up to this Test match with the line-up, Cameron Green is going to be picked.
“You’ll have Starc in for (Pat) Cummins for other reasons he (Cummins) can’t be there. Green will come into the middle order, he may come in for (David) Warner with the changes there,” he added.
Both Green and Starc are expected to be in the playing XI after missing the first two Tests due to finger injuries.
With captain Cummins returning home to attend to his ailing mother, Starc is expected to spearhead the pace attack.
PTI