MUMBAI: The Australian team launched into what should be a tough India tour, involving four Tests, in right ear nest on Wednesday. They slogged it out for over three hours in their first practice session of the trip at the
Cricket Club of India
(CCI).
The session began with some fielding drills monitored by former Australian batsman Greg Blewett. Later, all batsmen - skipper
Steven Smith, openers David Warner and Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Shaun and his brother Mitchell Marsh,
Glenn Maxwell, Peter Handscomb and wicketkeeper
Matthew Wade - had a decent hit in the nets. In an attempt to perhaps develop an understanding between them, Warner and Renshaw focused on running between the wickets too. Quick singles, the visitors, know, can upset the rhythm of any bowler, especially spinners.
Expecting a heavy dose of spin in the series, the batsmen faced a few local tweakers to get accustomed to the challenge. Before landing in India, the Aussies trained on roughed-up pitches in Dubai. They were being keenly observed by former England batsman Graeme Hick, who is currently the Kangaroos' batting coach. Almost 23 years ago, the Zimbabwe born Hick had slammed 178 -his highest Test score -in the third Test against a rampaging Indian spin attack led by a young Anil Kumble, who is now the coach of the Indian team, at the Wankhede Stadium, around 200 metres from where the Aussies were practising.
England went on to lose that Test and were thrashed 0-3 on what was a disastrous tour for them. Hick, though, would have learnt enough during that trip - and during the course of that big hundred -about how to tackle spin in India.
The Aussies will train at CCI on Thursday morning too, before beginning their tour with a three-day match against India A from Friday.