5 unanswered questions for Australia before the Pune test

#4 Will the bowlers take 20 wickets?

Darren Lehmann has already backed the Australian bowlers to take 20 wickets

The Australian bowlers are going to face a daunting task to pick 20 wickets in a match as only twice in the last 8 matches have India been wiped out by the opposition in both the innings. In fact, when Michael Clarke’s Australia endured a 4-0 humiliation in 2013, the Australian bowlers did not pick 20 wickets not even once in the four Test matches.

After the second Test in Hyderabad, the bowlers came under scrutiny and as a result, Shane Watson, James Pattinson and Mitchell Johnson were three of the four players suspended by then-coach Micky Arthur for failing to complete an off-field assignment, the infamous homework-gate incident.

The present Australian squad contains only two bowlers from the ill-fated tour but Darren Lehmann has already backed the current bunch of bowlers to have the ability to take 20 wickets. “We’ve got spinners who can take 20 wickets and quicks who can reverse the ball. So we are not fearing to get the 20 wickets, we’ve just got to put enough scoreboard pressure on them. ” said the Australian coach.

There is no denying that Australia’s chances in India would hinge upon their ability to take 20 wickets. They would surely rely on Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, but, are they consistent enough to repeat the performance for a period of 2-3 matches in a stretch remains to be one of the biggest questions.