Published: Apr 08, 2013, 03:46 PM (IST)
Edited: Apr 08, 2013, 03:46 PM (IST)
Mitchell Starc feels the conditions in England will be a lot more conducive for fast bowlers when compared to Indian conditions © Getty Images
Sydney: Apr 8, 2013
Australian speedster Mitchell Starc felt that the critics were reading way too much into the challenges that Australia faced in India to determine how the upcoming Ashes tour will pan out.
Starc proved his worth as an important member of the team by taking additional responsibility and grit with the bat — scoring 99 in the third Test against India.
Starc, who recovered after a bone-spur operation, said that the playing conditions in England will be a lot more conducive for him and the likes than the subcontinent was.
”I don’t think there’s any point in comparing England to India. The conditions are so different, obviously the wickets in India are flat and slow. There’s no grass on them at all and they’re made to favour the Indian spinners,” Starc said, as reported by Sydney Morning Herald.
”You go to England and depending on what time of the season it is; early on it’s going to be a lot more grass, a lot more in the wickets, a lot more seam movement and, obviously, the Duke ball is going to swing as well. On the fast-bowling side of things, coming from India means even if we get a flat wicket in England it’s going to feel like a green seamer. England is going to be a tough tour again, but the conditions mean a different game plan to India,” he added.
Starc also said that he was set to train harder after recovering from his recent injury.
“It’s two weeks post-op, I’ve had the stitches taken out. I’ve been back in the gym for a couple of days but now I have the stitches out [two on each side of the ankle] I can really start to ramp it up. I have a lot more range now than I had in the last four months.”
Starc also said that the challenges faced by him and his team in India have only made them stronger.
“Obviously, it was a pretty tough tour. For most of us it was our first tour there for Test cricket. For the quicks the tour was all about trying to wear [the Indian batsmen] down and slow the scoreboard down. I think that’s when we were most effective, when [we] bowled in those partnerships and slowed the flow of runs.”
