The likes of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are expected to trouble the Indian batsmen in home conditions and the legendary Sachin Tendulkar feels that the Indian openers need to bat well. The Master Blaster feels that the top three batsmen need to play out the first 30 overs to ensure that the middle-order doesn’t need to take strike against the moving ball in trying conditions.
“When you are travelling to these places, the opening pair becomes very critical. In fact, 1, 2 and 3 and sometimes, even No. 4 get in quickly. The responsibility of 1 to 3 is to play out almost the first 30 overs. But that again boils down to the surfaces that you get to play. I said before the start of the England tour that the first 40 overs are critical, after that the ball loses its hardness. There might be a little bit of swing later on, but it just gives you the time to adjust; when the ball is new, the hardness of it does not give you the time.
“In Australia, the first 30-35 overs are going to be very critical when the ball is new and the seam is upright. Then the seam kind of flattens and fast bowlers may not find zip off the pitch. The first 35 overs would be critical unless they provide green tops where all the bowlers will be in the game longer,” he told Sportstar.
Smith and Warner’s absence has hurt the Australians and Tendulkar feels that this is a golden opportunity for the Indians to clinch their maiden series victory on Australian soil.
“The Australian team is not settled. It doesn’t require me to say that, everyone says so. Its batting relied heavily on David Warner and Steve Smith and so that is fragile right now. Its bowling attack is decent, but it will have to think on how to dismiss a strong Indian batting line-up to stay in the game. India has a golden opportunity (to win a Test series in Australia),” he said.
