Former Australia cricketer Dean Jones is a bit concerned about Australian side while reiterating the team is more like a damaged fishing net. He stressed the side requires some calm and steadiness to come good on the Indian soil.
“Australia has more holes in this team at the moment than a fish net! What they need now are some calmness and stability,” Jones wrote in his column for ToI.
The cricketer-turned-commentator Jones suggested Aussie to fix the problems at the top, in the shortest version of the game. He reiterated that it would allow D’Arcy to get better as things didn’t go well for the attacking cricketer.
“They’ve got to fix up the top end with the bat, particularly for the T20s. So that allows an opportunity for D’Arcy Short who has got to improve because he hasn’t played well in India before,” Jones added.
With India and Australia all set to face-off in the limited-overs series, starting February 24 in Vizag, Jones asserted with the recovery of Short, Peter Handscomb could get a chance to bat up the order alongside explosive Glenn Maxwell and Ashton Turner, who had a decent outing in the domestic fold.
“Handscomb will get an opportunity to bat high along with Maxwell and Turner. Aaron Finch needs runs desperately,” Jones added.
However, while considering the weak links of the visitors, Jones believes Australia has slim chances to win the series in India. Of late, Australia as a unit has struggled to put up a good show in the white-ball cricket.
Jones maintained India are the clear favourites to seal the series.
“Can Australia win this series? No, I don’t think they can. Like the Apollo 13, I’m trying to see how they can make it a successful mission. Australia need to get their reputation back of being world beaters, bring some fear back into the opposition. That’s what this tour is about for Australia!” Dean Jones said.
Since past one year, David Warner and Steven Smith’s absence has hurt Australia badly following their one-year ban in the wake up of the ball-tampering saga in South Africa, last year.
Jones added it’s also the final chance for Team India and the management to test their pool of talented players. He reiterated India has one last chance to pick the squad for the upcoming 2019 World Cup. He maintained India is settled with the options to make it big in the major event of ICC, starting May 30 in London.
“The big question is what do India and Australia want out of this T20 and ODI series? This is the last chance for India to finalize plans before the IPL and then there’s the World Cup,” Jones further wrote.
In conclusion, Australia will try hard to turn the tables in the impending series against high-flying Men in Blue.