Michael Clarke: India Will Lose Tests If They Fail In Limited Overs
Nov 24, 2020 at 2:10 PM
Michael Clarke, former Australian skipper believes that India will get trounced by Australian Test team led by Tim Paine in the impending Test series unless Virat Kohli sets the tone before his departure.
Virat Kohli, who will captain his side in three ODIs beginning on November 27, and as many T20Is starting on December 4, will leave Australia after the first Test match on paternal leave. He will be at home to attend the birth of his first child.
Michael Clarke: Virat Kohli Should Lead From Front In Limited Over Series And If India Don’t Succeed There, They Will Lose Tests 4-0
Michael Clarke believes that for India to have any chance of defending the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, they will need Indian skipper Virat Kohli to set the tone by leading from the front in the white-ball series. He said the same on Sky Sports Radio on Tuesday.
“These one-dayers and these Twenty20s is where Virat Kohli can really stand up and lead from the front. I think the tone he sets with this team will play a big role when he leaves, after the first Test match.”
“If India don‘t have success in the one-dayers and the T20s, they are in deep trouble in the Test matches and they’ll get smoked 4-0, in my opinion.”
Michael Clarke led Australia to their 5th Cricket World Cup triumph in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 against New Zealand. He represented Australia in 115 Tests, 245 ODIs and 34 T20Is and his team won the most of them.
Michael Clarke Believes Jasprit Bumrah’s Aggression Will Be Key Against Australia
Michael Clarke also said that pacer Jasprit Bumrah‘s aggression will play a big role in India’s chances of success. According to the World Cup 2015 winning captain, Jasprit Bumrah will have to bow constant bouncers to negotiate Australia’s talisman, Steve Smith who averages more than 60 in Tests and is no. 1 ranked Test batsman.
“He‘s quick, he’s got a really different action, so I think he needs to set the tone and be really aggressive to the Australian batters. Even to someone like Steve Smith, he’s got to use that short ball consistently and regularly, as Jofra Archer did to Steve Smith in the Ashes.”
“They’ve got to take the Aussies on and those two players are India’s best two players to be aggressive to the Australians.”
The first Test begins on December 17 under the lights in Adelaide followed by the Boxing Day Test on December 26 at the MCG. Ajinkya Rahane is expected to lead the side in Virat Kohli’s absence.
The 26-year-old pacer Jasprit Bumrah has played only 14 Tests but has an exceptional average of 20.33 taking 68 wickets with 5 five-wicket hauls to show.