Compared to the wobbling tower of Jenga blocks that is the current state of Australian batting, the team’s bowling remains a paragon of stability and boasts enough quality to dash India’s hopes of a first Test series win Down Under.
Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon; Starc
Melbourne:
The three quicks, should they remain fit and firing through to the fourth and final Test in Sydney, will hope for another decent harvest against Virat Kohli’s India. Managing their workload will be of no small concern to Australia’s medical staff given the litany of stress injuries each has suffered in the past.
All three were spared from New South Wales’ Sheffield Shield match in Perth to keep them fresh for the series opener starting in Adelaide on Thursday. The move robs them of match practice but may prove sensible in light of the quick turnaround between Tests.
Should Adelaide last a full five days, they will have only three days to recover before the second match in Perth.
The gap between the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and the final match in Sydney is also short, so there may be a role to play for reserve seamers Peter Siddle and his uncapped Victoria team mate Chris Tremain.
As England found to its dismay last summer, pace trumps all in Australia, the home trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood filling their boots with more than 20 wickets apiece to help thrash Joe Root’s team 4-0.
The three quicks, should they remain fit and firing through to the fourth and final Test in Sydney, will hope for another decent harvest against Virat Kohli’s India. Managing their workload will be of no small concern to Australia’s medical staff given the litany of stress injuries each has suffered in the past.
All three were spared from New South Wales’ Sheffield Shield match in Perth to keep them fresh for the series opener starting in Adelaide on Thursday. The move robs them of match practice but may prove sensible in light of the quick turnaround between Tests.
Should Adelaide last a full five days, they will have only three days to recover before the second match in Perth.
The gap between the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and the final match in Sydney is also short, so there may be a role to play for reserve seamers Peter Siddle and his uncapped Victoria team mate Chris Tremain.