IND vs AUS: "We Need This Spark, Right?"- Ravichandran Ashwin's Response To Ian Healy's 'Unfair' Pitch Assertion Against India

The heavily hyped Border-Gavaskar series, which will determine who advances to the World Championship final, will begin in India in a little less than a week. India has the advantage due to their incredible dominance at home since 2012 as well as Australia’s dismal performance there, where they have not won a series since 2004.

Former cricketer and current commentator Ian Healy gave his opinion on Australia’s chances in the upcoming four-Test series while also making a subtle jab at India for the pitches created for the 2016–17 series, the last time it was contested in the subcontinent. Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin responded to Healy’s assertion in spectacular fashion.

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Banters Will Keep Coming From Australian Side: Ravichandran Ashwin

Healy said on “SENQ Breakfast” that Australia will have a solid chance of pulling off an upset if India produces “fair wickets,” but will struggle under “unfair” circumstances.

“I think if they produce fair Indian wickets, that are good batting wickets, to start with, (that) probably spin and spin pretty consistently but spin a long way, late in the match … we (Australia) win. I’m worried about (Mitchell) Starc and (Nathan) Lyon in the first Test … if they’re unfair wickets which I’ve seen in the last series, where balls were jumping ridiculously and sliding down low from day one, I think India play those conditions better than us,” he said.

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Ravichandran Ashwin thought that Healy’s comments, along with those made by Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja, “had sparked a spark,” a much-needed one before to the commencement of the Border-Gavaskar series.

“Anyway, an Australian broadcaster and former player Ian Healy has given a few gems before the BGT. He has given a few statements that say Indians will make sure Australian feel uncomfortable in India – “I don’t believe they will give us wickets that will look even slightly closer to what we will actually get during a game.”

So he has said that Australia’s approach is only correct. The support staffs might have given their opinion, but Ian Healy’s quote has set a spark with this take. It’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy guys.

So we need this spark, right? Besides, banters will keep coming from the Australian camp for sure. We saw what Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja had to say. Eben Marnus Labuschagne and Matt Renshaw have said some controversial things. Renshaw said that you need to analyse a few things in India like who is taking the new ball and stuff,” Ravichandran Ashwin said.

Australia Feels They Can Doctor Foreign Conditions: Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin then outlined the rationale behind Australia’s decision to forgo the tour games in favour of fabricating favourable circumstances in order to prepare for the series against India, just as they had achieved for Pakistan.

“Australia skipped their practice game when they toured Pakistan as well since they didn’t want to spend 4 days playing that. So instead of this, if we get a centre wicket on any ground, they will be more happy to practice there. So when you are playing a 3 or 4-Test series, you shouldn’t be in that country for more than a month. Despite getting good facilities in the hotel, it can get tiring.

So Australia decided instead of going to that country and practicing there, we know the conditions already, why don’t we doctor the conditions here accordingly. Just like how they are preparing in North Sydney Oval for this India tour, they practiced in Melbourne before the Pakistan tour. So this is something new for Australia,” Ravichandran Ashwin explained.

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