Published: Dec 02, 2013, 04:28 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 02, 2013, 04:28 PM (IST)
By Aayush Puthran
Looking at the way things have panned out for England so far on their tour Down Under — in the first Ashes 2013-14 Test as well as the tour games — they would’ve realised that they don’t have the arsenal ready to outdo Australia in their tactic. Even as they packed their squad with five tall pacers to take advantage of the hard pitches in Australia, the home team batsmen seem ready to fight fire with fire and unleash their own pace battery to dislodge the opposition.
Even now, on paper, England looks a far stronger unit as compared to their counterparts. Yet, Australia seem to be in a much better state to apply themselves in home conditions. Thus it is essential for the visitors to outsmart their rivals, than simply expect to beat them in skill. If they can’t beat them with pace, they should look to beat them with spin.
Even as the Australians made Graeme Swann look ordinary in the first Test, it would be an interesting move if they look to use the services of Monty Panesar along with the off-spinner in the second Test at the Adelaide Oval. Unlike Brisbane, Adelaide will offer more assistance to the spinners. To add to it, the home side batsmen, barring Michael Clarke and Shane Watson, aren’t the greatest players of spin bowling.
During the Test series against India last year, England had brought in Panesar into side for the second match even though the Indian batsmen looked completely at ease while facing the greater-skilled Swann in the first Test. How things panned out from thereon is recorded safely in history books. One might argue that there was ample assistance from the pitch when they played in India. However, it is essential to realise that the players who were facing Panesar had demoralised much bigger names in spin-friendly conditions earlier.
In Australia, maybe the track won’t give sadistic pleasure to Panesar, but the batting line-up that will face him are quite ordinary against quality spin bowling. And Adelaide would be an ideal ground to leak out the tricks that the left-arm spinner has in store. His performance during the recently-concluded tour match against CA Chairman’s XI also offers good hope.
The performance of Chris Tremlett hasn’t been inspiring enough. At the same time, the return of Jonathan Trott to England has left a room in the starting XI. Depending on what combination the England team management chooses to have, Panesar can replace either of them for the second Test.
(Aayush Puthran is a reporter with CricketCountry. Mercurially jovial, pseudo pompous, perpetually curious and occasionally confused, he is always up for a light-hearted chat over a few cups of filter kaapi!)
