3 reasons why preparing rank turners for Australia might backfire on India during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

The India-Australia Border-Gavaskar Trophy is all set to kick off with the first Test at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on February 9.

Ever since arriving in India for the four-match Test series, the Aussies have been practicing in Alur on pitches prepared by the local Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). The surfaces have been readied as per the Australian team’s instructions and are an attempt to replicate the turning conditions that could be on offer during the Test series.

Australia also roped in young Baroda off-spinner Mahesh Pithiya as a net bowler since his bowling action resembles seasoned Indian offie Ravichandran Ashwin. Even before the Aussies landed in India, they had a short camp back home where one of the pitches at Bon Andrews Oval in Sydney was scuffed up in an attempt to replicate spinning Indian pitches.

Most of the talk in the build-up to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has centered on turning tracks. Recent history also shows that India have preferred surfaces spinning surfaces to defeat opponents at home.

While rank turners have traditionally been an advantage for India, we analyze three reasons why the ploy might backfire against Australia.

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#1 India’s batters are not in the best of form

Virat Kohli’s Test form remains a concern. Pic: Getty Images

Team India may have dominated Sri Lanka and New Zealand in white-ball contests recently. However, they have struggled in red-ball cricket over the last year. They played seven Tests in 2022, winning four and losing three. Two of the victories came against Bangladesh, but even those were far from convincing.

Speaking specifically of Indian batters, Rishabh Pant was the best of the lot by some distance. He smashed 680 runs in seven Tests in 2022 at an average of 61.81, with two hundreds and four fifties. Pant rescued the team from tough situations a number of times. Unfortunately, India won’t have his services for a while now due to a car accident.

Shreyas Iyer was India’s second-leading run-getter in Tests last year with 422 runs in five matches. But he too has been ruled out of the first Test in Nagpur. A startling stat about India’s performances in Tests in 2022 was that Ravichandran Ashwin (270) scored more runs than Virat Kohli (265) in the same number of Tests - six.

KL Rahul managed only 137 runs in eight innings at an average of under 18, while Shubman Gill scored 178 in six, 110 of those coming in one innings. Team India skipper Rohit Sharma missed most of the Test matches last year due to injury. He played two matches and scored 90 runs, with a best of 46.

A lot could again depend on Cheteshwar Pujara, who has rediscovered his form over the last few years. While most Indian batters might be jittery, preparing rank turners might thus not be such a good idea.

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#2 Nathan Lyon has the skills to exploit conditions

Seasoned Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon can be a threat to India’s batters. Pic: Getty Images

India have four quality spin-bowling options in Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav. Whoever plays will be expected to have a massive impact in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

However, if the likes of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne fire for Australia with the willow, the visitors too have a high-quality spin option in Nathan Lyon to exploit the conditions if there is an excessive spin on offer.

The 35-year-old possesses an impressive Test record against India. In 22 Tests, he has claimed 94 wickets, including seven five-wicket hauls. Lyon has tasted success in India as well. In seven matches, he has picked up 34 scalps and has three five-fers to his name.

With his height, Lyon can get the ball to jump and turn uncomfortably at the Indian batters. He also has vast experience to make an impact in all conditions. Lyon’s match-winning spell of 5/83 in the Lahore Test last year led Australia to a series victory in Pakistan. He will be a massive threat to the Indian batters.

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#3 India’s rare home defeats in recent years have been caused by spin

Steve O'Keefe claimed 12 wickets in Australia’s win in the 2017 Ranchi Test. Pic: Getty Images

India have an incredible record at home in red-ball cricket, like most other top Test-playing nations. Since the start of 2012, India have only lost four Test matches on home soil. However, the most common factor in all those defeats has been the role played by visiting spinners.

In the Wankhede Test against England in November 2012, left-arm spinner Monty Panesar claimed 11 wickets, while off-spinner Graeme Swann chipped in with eight. In the Kolkata Test of the same series, Panesar’s four-wicket haul in the first innings put India on the back foot.

Left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe famously claimed six wickets in each innings as Australia stunned India in Ranchi during the 2017 tour. India’s last Test defeat at home came against England in Chennai in February 2021. Off-spinner Dom Bess claimed four wickets in the first innings, while left-arm spinner Jack Leach chipped in with a four-fer in the second.

Speaking to PTI, former India left-arm spinner Murali Kartik opened up on what could be a possible quandary for the hosts against Australia and explained

“Playing spinners on a flat deck isn’t the problem. We must admit that our batters have struggled against quality spin bowling on tracks that have offered turn. I don’t know what kind of tracks will be in the offing but rank turners could backfire.”

Talks surrounding the pitches are expected to remain a matter of focus in the build-up to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well once the games begin.

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