Josh Hazlewood: Three pacers should be enough for India tour

“I think three’s plenty for a tour of India. There hasn’t been many quicks go there and be successful,” news.com.au quoted Hazlewood as saying ahead of India tour.

Melbourne: Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood believes three pacers would be more than enough for the upcoming four-match Test series in India. Cricket Australia (CA) on Sunday named a spin-heavy 16-man squad with four specialist slow bowlers in it for the Test series against the number one Test side in February-March. “I think three’s plenty for a tour of India. There hasn’t been many quicks go there and be successful,” news.com.au quoted Hazlewood as saying. “I think we can take something out of the way Starcy [Mitchell Starc] bowled in Sri Lanka on similar wickets. He sort of takes the pitch out of the equation sometimes with how full and fast he bowls,” he added.

Besides, Hazlewood, Starc and Jackson Bird, Mitch Marsh is the only other option for pace. And with Indian pitches set to favour spinners, Steve Smith might play only two fast bowlers in each of the Tests. “We don’t all have that luxury. But we’ve got to find a way to be successful as a group of quicks, as well as with the spinners,” Hazlewood said. Australia have not won a Test in India since 2004 and their last series victory in Asia came against Sri Lanka in 2011. They have since suffered nine straight Test losses in the subcontinent.

FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs Australia, 1st Test at Pune

Earlier, Steve O’Keefe backed Australian opener Matthew Renshaw for a successful tour of India, which begins on February 23 with the first Test slated at Pune. Renshaw, who made his Test debut recently against South Africa, impressed with a splendid 184 in the third and final Test against Pakistan.

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