Australian skipper Steve Smith has said that the upcoming three-match Test series against Sri Lanka will be a challenge but has declared his team is all geared up for the challenge.
Australia’s track record in the subcontinent is very poor as they have lost 10 of the 14 Test matches they’ve played in Asia since 2006. However, they will draw confidence from the fact that they have lost to the islanders only once in Test cricket. Their 1-0 series win in Sri Lanka in 2011 will also boost their confidence. Moreover, the hosts had a terrible time in England and their team morale would be down. It’s going to be difficult for them to bounce against a Australian team which is considered as a strong favourite to win the series.
Smith, who will be captaining his first Test series in the subcontinent, said that they are keen to improve the record in the subcontinent.
“We haven’t performed all that well in subcontinental conditions over recent years… and that’s something we’re very keen to turn around,” Smith wrote in his column for cricket.com.au on Monday (July 25). “With the acclimatising and training that we’ve done, the guys are pretty much ready to play. We just have to fine-tune a few things to make sure we’re fresh and ready for the first Test.
“I know it will be a real challenge, but I think we’re ready to go,” he added
Smith, who is currently the top most ranked batsman in Tests, said that they would learn from their previous tours.
“As captain leading my first Test tour in subcontinental conditions, I’m hopeful that we can learn a lot from the way that we’ve played on these sorts of pitches previously and change the things that haven’t worked for us,” he said. “I’ve got a few different ideas of how to approach things as captain, and they revolve around the different way the components of the game get broken up in conditions like Sri Lanka, India and the UAE.
“For example, the ball can swing quite a lot when it’s new but once the shine is off and it stops moving then that’s probably one of the best times to bat, while the ball is still hard,” he added.
On his plans for the series, the skipper said: “The challenge is in finding the right mix of strategies, and the right times to be attacking and then to pull back and be defensive. For me, as captain, it’s really important to recognise instinctively when those moments arrive, to be really adaptable to make sure we seize them when they come and don’t allow the game to drift.”