SYDNEY: Australia coach Justin Langer expects the new pitch at Perth to be like the ones of the past, offering up plenty of pace and bounce, testing the batsmen and making for great cricket.
Australia take on India for the second Test of the series starting Friday. It will be the first Test at the new Perth Stadium. In the one first-class game played there, bowlers have dominated.
“I’m really fascinated and can’t wait to see what the Optus wicket brings,” said Langer, speaking to the press on Tuesday. “Hopefully that’s what it is traditionally at the WACA, that’s what we’ve talked about for a long time, pace and bounce. If we can get that, it’d be a great thing for Test cricket.”
With conditions like that, the spotlight was unsurprisingly on the bowlers ahead of the Test. The four-man attack of both teams were made to work hard in the first Test in Adelaide, which India won. While the Indians sent down 218.3 overs, the Australians turned their arm over for 194.5. With a quick turnaround before the next Test and more hot temperatures expected, it could come down to who recovers better.
Langer urged his batsmen to work harder towards tiring out the Indian bowlers.“[The Australian pacers] have had a couple of days off [and] India are in exactly the same situation. It’s probably the one area where we just felt we’re not wearing down the India bowlers enough,” he said.
“It’s going to be hot on Friday, it’ll be an important toss I would imagine, and there’s always working out that balance, but hopefully on a wicket conducive to a bit of swing and seam, the bowlers will get the job done.”
Langer suggested that the team would not be tinkering with their line-up, despite indifferent performances. Aaron Finch and Mitchell Starc had come in for some criticism, but Langer hinted that he would back them.
“There used to be the old saying that it’s harder to get out of the team than it is to get into the team. That’s the perfect scenario because it means the guys are doing the job. At the moment we’re working towards that.”