India should fight fire with fire against Australia

Cheteshwar Pujara

With the thrashing in England fresh in everyone's mind, what should the Indian team do differently down under to redeem their lost glory?

The Australians are a formidable unit in most places in the world, especially at their home. They rarely let their guard down and their brand of cricket can intimidate any touring team. What makes matters worse for India is that some of Australian’s key players Mitchell Johnson, Steve Smith and David Warner are in the form of their lives.

The only way out for the Indian team is to fight fire with fire, showing the intent to go for the kill even when the tiniest of opportunity presents itself. Otherwise, the Australians will pounce on the visitors like a pack of wolves.

Mixing caution with aggression

The fast and bouncy tracks down under will ensure that any nick would easily carry to the waiting hands of the slip cordon at a comfortable height. So, knowing where their off-stump is will become that much more important. The same bouncy tracks can also be a blessing for the batsmen if they can see through the initial phase, where the ball does a little bit and then the true bounce can really aid shot-making. Horizontal bat shots like the cut and the pull can be very good scoring options once the batsmen settle down.

Johnson’s cannons will pose numerous questions to India’s batsmen and if they have the right technique to handle the short ball. But one effective way of countering the Johnson factor, would be to realize that he is not going to bowl long spells. So, seeing Johnson off, would put huge pressure on the rest of the bowlers and this is where the batsmen will have to cash in, putting all the loose balls on offer to the fence.

Cheteshwar Pujara holds the key in batting

Cheteshwar Pujara, who has the appetite for playing the long innings, will be the key batsman for India. If he gets into the 30s, he will be very difficult to dismiss. If he can play the sheet anchor role, other batsmen like Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, who can score at a brisk pace can play around him and keep the scoreboard moving.

Test matches are often won by the team that bowls better. Taking 20 wickets has been a problem that has haunted many Indian teams in the past. This team too has been at the receiving end in New Zealand and South Africa, where the bowlers lacked the firepower to wipe out the tail. But there are reasons for optimism among Indian fans this time around as they have three bowlers – Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Varun Aaron – who can all bowl at 140kph consistently and they should be given short spells so that they can bowl at full throttle.

The bowling combination

In Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ishant Sharma, the team has bowlers who can bowl long nagging spells without giving away much. The two, along with Aaron, who can be lethal with his lively pace and late swing are almost certainties.

The lone spinner's spot must go to Ravichandran Ashwin. He is India’s lead spinner and has a good cricketing brain and his tall frame will provide him with the bounce, bringing the close-in fielders into play. As a batsman also, he is better equipped than Jadeja to handle the short pitched stuff. He is a very strong puller and cutter of the ball.

However, Ashwin has a tendency to try too many things too soon if things are not going his way. He needs to stick to the basics and keep his line tight.

It is important for India to bowl well in partnerships. If a bowler at one end is bowling well, it is crucial for the other bowlers to not let the batsmen off the hook at the other end. This is where we were found wanting in England. When Bhuvi was asking questions, runs were leaking at the other end.

Slip catching

It is a bowler's nightmare when the nicks are not grabbed by the slips. The slips need to proactively adjust the spacing between themselves and the distance from the batsmen to see that no chance goes begging. They need not go too far than Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman for advice. Slip catching, in my opinion, has been the largest concern after the seniors retired.

Kohli leading the team at Brisbane for the first Test could be a blessing in disguise. His exuberance in the field may rub off on other players. His mantra of ruthlessness will be the perfect tonic to get the team up and running. Whether it is Kohli or Dhoni leading the team for the rest of the series, aggression should be their watchword.

If the Indians can get these areas right, we could see a resurgence down under. If at all India go down, they must go down with no fuel left in the tank, exhausting every single trick left in their armoury.

Predicted playing XI

Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni (c), Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Varun Aaron, Mohammed Shami (Wriddhiman Saha for MS Dhoni at Brisbane)