Sunil Gavaskar gives suggestions on how to counter Australia's tactics
Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar recently acknowledged the lack of response from Indian cricketers, both current and former, to the psychological tactics employed by the Australian team. His comments come ahead of the impending Border-Gavaskar series Down Under. The only exception Gavaskar noted was Ravi Shastri, who has been actively engaging in these mind games. This observation was made in Gavaskar's column for mid-day. Gavaskar also urged off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to bring out his usual antics.
Gavaskar's strategy for to counter-attack
In response to Australia's psychological tactics, Gavaskar suggested a unique strategy. He proposed that Indian spinner Ashwin should start discussing a "special delivery" he is developing specifically for Steve Smith, Australia's top Test batsman. This suggestion was made in an attempt to counterbalance the mind games often employed by the Australian team, and add an element of unpredictability to India's approach.
Gavaskar highlights importance of mental preparation for Australia tour
Gavaskar emphasized the importance of mental preparation for India's challenging tour of Australia. He stated, "The five Test matches that India play (at home) before they go to Australia will be good for the mental tuning that is required for a tough tour like that." The former cricketer also highlighted how that Australian players have already started expressing their views about the potential outcome of this series.
Ashwin's record against Smith in Test cricket
Ashwin has a notable record against Smith in Test cricket, having dismissed him eight times, the joint second-most with James Anderson and Ravindra Jadeja. They are only behind Stuart Broad, who has removed Smith as many as 11 times in the longest format. Gavaskar's suggestion for Ashwin to develop a "special delivery" for Smith could potentially add another layer of intrigue to their upcoming encounters on the field.
Gavaskar predicts India's victory in Test series
In his column, Gavaskar also predicted a 3-1 victory for India in the forthcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Notably, Australia have not beaten India in a Test series since 2014/15. India also remain unbeaten in Test series Down Under ever since.
