Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has said heading to India with a stiff approach won’t serve their purpose of finding success, and that they should step in with a flexible slant to come over Indian duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
“I’m not sure it’s a place you ever really feel comfortable. It’s a place where you’ve got to work so hard to get your runs, and you’ve got to have different strategies at different times of a game.”
Maxwell, who eyes to cement the number sixth place in the Tests side said he and his Australian team should look up to the technique of Indian batsmen’s to know the best way of handling spin in the forthcoming four-match series.
The Victorian has been an integral part of Kings XI Punjab side in IPL from past three years and was also bestowed as the MVP in 2014 for scoring 552 runs in the season. He was also the part of Aussie Tests side which toured India in 2013 and played in two Tests, putting up just 39 runs in total on board.
Owing to an idea about the change in nature of surface by now, he said the batters should move in and out of the crease to unsettle the bowlers and changing feet movement has been crucial tried and tested method.
“That’s probably what I’ve learned; you can’t go in there with just one strategy and stick to it. You’ve got to be adaptable and you’ve got to be able to change your game almost mid-innings. So it’s going to be a real test of everyone. Even for the Indian players, you watch them, they go through different stages of their innings from sweeping, to using their feet, to playing off the back foot – they change all the way through their innings. Hopefully we can do similar stuff and work on our play of spin because it’s going to be pretty key.”
Happen to be used between number three to number the eighth position in the batting line-up in Tests, Maxwell has been an attractive package for the selectors, given his ability to roll his arm around for a decent number of overs.
Claim to prefer batting at the sixth position, Maxwell said it’s a great spot for him to come and lash few balls out of the park.
“I’d certainly like to be the No.6, in all countries. I think it’d be a great position for me to try and nail down, and that’s something I’m hoping to do starting in India.”
Maxwell is currently with the Australian ODI side in New Zealand for the Chappell-Hadlee series and later will travel to Dubai to prepare for the Tests series.
“So hopefully we can finish with a good result (in New Zealand), then I can head to Dubai (for Australia’s training camp) and start preparing for the next tour.”
New Zealand, however, leads the three-match series 1-0, with the second game being washed out and the third one is scheduled to take place in Hamilton on February 5.