By Ashish Shukla
The forthcoming India-Australia Tests series could be decided by how the visiting batsmen fare against the young and enthusiastic host pacers, feels domestic opener Ed Cowan who is in the shortlist to make the team for the opening Test in Melbourne from December 26.
Published: Dec 18, 2011, 10:11 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 18, 2011, 10:11 PM (IST)
Ed Cowan stands a chance to make his debut for Australia if Shane Watson refuses to open the innings against India © Getty Images
By Ashish Shukla
Canberra: Dec 18, 2011
The forthcoming India-Australia Tests series could be decided by how the visiting batsmen fare against the young and enthusiastic host pacers, feels domestic opener Ed Cowan who is in the shortlist to make the team for the opening Test in Melbourne from December 26.
“I don’t think the Indians have had a good look at the Aussie quicks. That’s where the series would probably be decided on — Indian batsmen vs Aussie quicks,” said Tasmanian opener Ed Cowan, who is in the short mix of openers Australian selectors could be asking to open the innings with David Warner.
As opener Phil Hughes has regularly failed in Tests this summer, Australian selectors are looking for his replacement.
Shane Watson is a front-runner but if somehow the Australian vice-captain refuses to open the innings, then Cowan stands a chance to make his debut for Australia. Cowan has been the highest scorer in domestic competition this year
“It would be a great Test series. India has some fantastic cricketers. But so does the Australian team. Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey have all been world class performers for a number of years, forgetting the last month about which a lot of people to rely heavily upon.
“People are forgetting they have been world class performers for a number of years. They would be pretty pumped up, come Boxing Day. There is no occasion bigger than a boxing day Test.”
However, Cowan feels that the Zaheer Khan-led Indian attack would be a far sterner test for the Australian batsmen than New Zealand — a daunting remark given the Black Cap bowlers were quite a handful against the home batters in a recent series.
“Indians are proven to be better attack than New Zealanders who were inexperienced. Dough Bracewell was in his third Test; Trevor Boult was playing his first Test; Daniel Vettori was missing.”(PTI)
