Pat Cummins is backing his Australia team to rise to the challenge of playing India on a potentially troublesome Nagpur pitch in the first Test.
The surface has been the subject of much debate ahead of this week's opener at VCA Stadium.
Images of the pitch appear to show bare patches that could cause left-handed batsmen some concern against India's spin bowling.
For Australia, that represents an issue, with several of their key batters – including openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja, Travis Head and wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey – left-handed.
Captain Cummins, preparing to name his team ahead of Thursday's first day, acknowledged the turning pitch would be "a factor".
Right-hander Peter Handscomb would appear to be one man likely to benefit, while spin bowler Todd Murphy is set to debut.
But Cummins is also looking forward to seeing how Australia "problem-solve", with Warner, Khawaja, Head and Carey all in good form in a series win against South Africa last time out.
"I think it looks a little bit dry for the left-handers," he said.
"And knowing how much traffic will probably go through there from the right-arm bowlers [from over the wicket], there potentially might be a fair bit of rough out there. That's something you've just got to embrace.
"It's going to be fun. It's going to be challenging at times, but our batters relish the chance to problem-solve on their feet and I think quite a few of them will get that chance this week."
India have a right-hand dominant batting line-up, but captain Rohit Sharma was understandably keen not to focus on the state of the wicket.
"I just feel that you've got to focus on the cricket that's going to be played for the next five days and not worry too much about the pitch," he said.
"The last series that we played here, a lot was spoken about the pitches and all that.
"I think all 22 cricketers who are going to play are all quality cricketers, so not to worry too much about what the pitch is going to be like, how much is it turning, how much is it seaming and all those kind of things.
"You've got to just come out and play good cricket and win the game, as simple as that."
Happy hunting ground
This will be India's seventh men's Test at VCA Stadium, and they have won four of the previous six, losing just once.
It will be the second meeting between India and Australia at this venue, with the tourists beaten by 172 runs back in November 2008.
Australia's bogey team
Based on recent results, India may not need help from the pitch to beat Cummins' side. Australia have lost only one of their past 10 Tests, but that was against India in January 2021.
India have won six of their past eight Test series against Australia, including the past three in a row. They have lost only one of the last 15 Tests between the teams.
Athanaze happy after debut half-century against UAE- “It was a really good experience”
Ever since his exploits at the 2018 ICC Under-19 World Cup, Alick Athanaze was expected to transition well to the senior international level.
In a tournament that included the likes of Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw and Harry Brook, Athanaze finished as the leading run-scorer with 418 runs in six matches, including two centuries and two fifties.
Five years later, the 24-year-old was finally given a chance to perform for the West Indies on the biggest stage and he grabbed that chance with both hands.
The left-hander opened the batting as the West Indies pursued 185 for victory in the third ODI against the UAE and played excellently, making a 45-ball 65 to top score.
“It was a really good experience. I haven’t batted much in the night so it was a first for me, actually,” Athanaze said in a post-match interview.
Athanaze also made history at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. He brought up his half-century off just 26 balls, equaling India’s Krunal Pandya for the fastest ODI fifty by a debutant ever.
“Normally, that’s how I play in the powerplay. I always look to get the team off to a good start,” he said.
“I was a bit nervous but I think they went away when I got my first runs,” Athanaze added.
Athanaze also gave credit to the mentorship he has received from West Indies legend and current performance consultant, Brian Lara.
“For me, it has been really good. Basically, what we spoke about was judging lengths and trying to get ahead of the bowler; try to think about what is to come and pre-meditate balls. It worked really nicely. I got myself into some good positions. It was good to bat out there tonight,” said Athanaze.
Hopefully, this is the start of an excellent career in international cricket for the Dominican.
Australia in total control against India at the Oval
Australia continued their push towards victory in the World Test Championship final against India, taking their lead to 374 on the fourth morning at the Oval.
Despite Shardul Thakur declaring that his side would back themselves to chase 450, the Test record fourth innings chase at Surrey’s home ground stands at 263, leaving Australia as huge favourites.
At lunch Australia had moved to 201 for six, having scored 78 in the session for the loss of overnight pair Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green.
Labuschagne, the world’s number one ranked batter, failed to add to his existing score of 41 and was sent on his way in the third over of the morning as he drove at Umesh Yadav outside off stump. The edge flew hard at Cheteshwar Pujara in the slips, but he held on well.
That was the quick breakthrough India needed to lift their spirits, but the scale of the task ahead was pressed home immediately as new man Alex Carey steered his first ball for four to take the lead past 300.
Green and Carey set about firming up the Australian position, playing carefully on a pitch that has continued to misbehave throughout the match.
Green was struck on the shoulder by Mohammed Siraj, no mean feat with the all-rounder’s 6ft 6in stature, and later gloved a bouncer down to the fine-leg boundary as it climbed towards his rib cage.
He eventually fell for 25 in 95 balls, a becalmed knock by any measure, losing a battle of wills with spinner Ravindra Jadeja. Having used his pad to block Jadeja’s negative leg-side line, he got defence slightly wrong and allowed the ball to canon into his stumps after ricocheting off the glove.
Carey remained in place, with five fours in a resourceful 41no, with Mitchell Starc in support as India’s chances dried up.
Surrey record fourth highest T20 Blast total after scoring 258 in Sussex mauling
Surrey recorded the fourth highest score in T20 Blast history after running up a massive 258 for six in their emphatic 124-run victory over Sussex at Hove.
Laurie Evans led the way with 93 off 51 balls and shared in a 157-run second-wicket stand with with Sam Curran, who clubbed 68 off 35 deliveries. Jamie Overton maintained the impetus with a rapid 24 before Tom Curran smashed three sixes and two fours in an nine-ball 29.
Sussex were never in a position to challenge despite Tom Clark’s 43 off 23 at the top of the order and they were bowled out in the 15th over as Surrey moved second behind Somerset in the South Group with their biggest T20 win.
The leaders, who hold the Blast record with their 265 for five last season, were similarly comfortable 80-run winners over neighbours Gloucestershire.
Opener Will Smeed struck eight sixes and eight fours in a 35-ball 94 to propel his side to 231 for four, which proved well beyond the reach of their hosts at Bristol.
Essex also enjoyed a convincing victory at Glamorgan after Paul Walter’s career-best 78 off 34 saw them post 226 for nine and despite the hosts’ top three all getting into the 40s they could not maintain the momentum.
Kent dented Hampshire’s hopes of keeping the pressure on the top two as they registered only their second victory of the summer as Daniel Bell-Drummond’s 89 off 55 saw them secure a six-wicket win with three balls to spare at Canterbury.
Ben McDermott (57) and Joe Weatherley (67) put on 85 in eight overs in Hampshire’s total of 177 for seven but Jack Leaning hit the third ball of the final over to the boundary for victory.
Shaheen Shah Afridi saw Notts Outlaws home against Derbyshire with a quick 14 off seven balls – including a towering six off Pakistan team-mate Zaman Khan – as they retained top spot in the North Group.
Chasing the hosts’ 142 for six, Notts looked comfortable at 123 for five in the 17th over but the loss of Steven Mullaney ramped up the pressure until Afridi stepped up.
The three-wicket win, their fourth in succession, left Derbyshire still looking for their first victory over their neighbours in this format since 2015.
Moeen Ali, who came out of retirement to rejoin England’s Test squad this week, and Dan Mousley bowled Birmingham Bears to victory over Northamptonshire Steelbacks with three wickets apiece.
Bears failed to complete their full allocation of overs as they were bowled out for 137 – Freddie Heldreich claiming four for 27 – but Northamptonshire were limited to 107 for nine in reply as Birmingham moved into second place.
That was because Worcestershire Rapids came up 26 short in their high-scoring game against Yorkshire, for whom James Wharton scored 111 not out off 56 balls and shared in a second-wicket stand of 159 with Dawid Malan (79) as the Vikings amassed 224 for four at Headingley.
Kashif Ali (48no) and Ben Cox (35) made a game of it with an 81-run stand for the fifth wicket but they could not get their side over the line, finishing on 198 for six as Jordan Thompson took four for 34.
Leicestershire’s second win of the season was not enough to lift them off the foot of the table as they beat Durham by six wickets courtesy of a 149-run second-wicket alliance between Rishi Patel (104 off 49 balls) and Lewis Hill (54 not out).
Australian Ashton Turner had accelerated Durham to 172 for four with a late unbeaten 60 but the Foxes won with 14 balls to spare.
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