Australia Test Captain Tim Paine said that when facing India in the game’s longest format, it’s always a highly awaited clash due to the quality of cricket and proceeded to equate the match with the Holy Ashes series between Australia and England. India secured the first ever Down Under Test series when it toured in 2018-19. But Paine remained adamant that the Australian side did not seek retaliation. “India and Australia as a rivalry, we’re all looking forward to a series a bit like the Ashes,” a leading sports website quoted Paine as saying during a video-press conference with reporters.
“This is a different side, their side will obviously be subtly different as well, but it’s two high-quality teams, a highly awaited series only because of the standard of the cricket, not because of what’s happened before,” he said.
India is scheduled to tour Australia in December this year for a 4-match Test series. However, this time the Australia will have the services of Steve Smith and David Warner, who were serving a suspension in 2018 when the two sides last met over their participation in the sandpaper-gate scandal.
Australia All Ready To Take On India For Ashes Series:
Tim Paine said Australia would be well prepared to take on India’s bowling attack led by Jasprit Bumrah, with the addition of the two main batsmen as well as the development of Marnus Labuschagne since the Ashes last summer.
“I think you’ve put in 15,000 Test runs with two guys alone, Steve Smith and David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne’s coming on in leaps and bounds and he’s now the world’s top three or four batsman himself. You’ve put that amount of runs on a cricket side, last time we didn’t have …” he said.
“We know how good the bowling line-up in India is and last time we just weren’t quite good enough if we’re completely honest against that attack, while this time I think we’re going to be a different kettle of fish. We’ve got three of the world’s best batsmen in our top six,” he added.
