Former England Test all-rounder Paul Collingwood feels that if Australia field an all-out pace attack in the third Test starting on Friday, India's beleaguered batting line-up will face an uphill task on a juicy WACA wicket.
Published: Jan 08, 2012, 10:17 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 08, 2012, 10:17 PM (IST)
Paul Collingwood is presently playing in the Big Bash League © Getty Images
Perth: Jan 8, 2012
Former England Test all-rounder Paul Collingwood feels that if Australia field an all-out pace attack in the third Test starting on Friday, India’s beleaguered batting line-up will face an uphill task on a juicy WACA wicket.
Collingwood was of the view that if the Australian pace attack could topple a dominant England on a bouncy Perth strip, then come Friday it would a big challenge for the visiting Indian batsmen.
The 35-year-old Englishman recalled how a four-man Australian pace attack demolished England on a bouncy Perth wicket last summer.
“It wasn’t pleasant against that four-man pace attack if I am entirely honest,” said Collingwood, who retired after England’s 3-1 Ashes triumph last year.
“It is the fastest, most bouncy track in the world, whether you are out in the middle or practice nets. Indian techniques don’t tend to be too good on bouncy tracks and Australia is exploiting that,” he was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.
With James Pattinson ruled out of the remaining two Tests against India due to a foot injury, paceman Ryan Harris is sure to make his return to the playing eleven.
Australia could also be tempted to replace an out-of-form off-spinner Nathan Lyon with left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc as the hosts head into the match with an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-Test series.
“If you have guys bowling at 150km/h it can be a very hard place in the middle but I am sure Australia has its own idea how to go about things,” said Colingwood, a veteran of 68 Test matches.
“Lyon has also done a very good job for them so far but it wasn’t that nice against four pacemen in the Ashes,” he said. (PTI)
