Conditions Will Be Much Tougher In Australia For Indian Pacers, Says Ashish Nehra

Admitting that India will have their best shot at winning a Test series in Australia during the upcoming tour, former pacer Ashish Nehra believes India’s in-form pacers will have their task cut out Down Under.

Unlike the batting lineup, India’s pacers have done consistently well this season. With the exception of Virat Kohli, no other batsmen could deliver as per expectation in South Africa and England. However, the bowlers did their job with utmost aplomb. Throughout the tour of South Africa and England, they troubled the opposition to give India a chance of winning almost every game. However, the batsmen failed to compliment those effort.

In South Africa, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya picked a total of 50 wickets in 3 games. In England, the Indian pacers returned with 61 wickets.

But there is no denying that the pacers will have to be at their best to put up a similar kind of performance in Australia.

The conditions in South Africa and England provide more assistance to pace bowlers. But pace bowling in Australia could be an unforgiving job.  Dry summer,  flat pitches and the Kookaburra ball make things tough for the fast-bowlers. Not surprisingly, Indian pacers have historically struggled in Australia. They average over 40 Down Under.

And although Ashis Nehra acknowledges that India have the pacers to beat Australia, he pointed out that the conditions will be tough.

“Australian team is going through a massive restructuring and this is India’s best chance without doubt. We have the bowling attack to beat them. But we need to be mindful that conditions will be much tougher Down Under where the wickets will be flat and weather would be on warmer side,” Nehra said.

“In Australia, you will get extra bounce but there will only be lateral movement till the kookaburra seam doesn’t flatten. It won’t be like England where the ball swings all day. Once you get adjusted to the bounce, batsmen can hit you all day,” Ashish Nehra added.

He further said that Bhuvneshwar Kumar is unlikely to play in the first Test due to lack of swing in Australian conditions.

“I don’t see Bhuvi starting in the first Test at least. He can struggle a bit with the old kookaburra as it will neither swing nor seam unlike Dukes or SG Test,” Nehra opined.

The 39-year old went on to say that Umesh Yadav’s supreme fitness and skills should make him an asset in the tough Australian conditions.

“I still believe that Umesh is not a finished product after eight years but someone who has incredible skill sets. He is a strong lad and the fittest among all Indian pacers. A testimony to that is his performances in Indian conditions when he can reverse the 65-70 overs old ball at a good speed. You need both skill and strength for that. He should feature sometime,” Nehra said.

India’s tour of Australia will get underway with the three-match T20I series from November 21.