Maheesh Pithiya in action at the Australian Test team training camp at Alur
| Photo Credit: cricket.com.au
The Australian Test team got to work at a training camp in Alur Cricket Ground here on Friday, doing their best to replicate the spin-friendly conditions expected in the first Test to be held at Nagpur.
The Australian batters – Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head and others – faced a spinner in the nets whose action and run-up resembled R. Ashwin, one of India’s spin threats in the Tests. The bowler, Mahesh Pithiya, has played four First Class matches for Baroda.
“There are a lot of net bowlers here. They are all different, and they have been fantastic so far,” Australia wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey said in a cricket.com.au video.
“I did not get to face the carrom ball. Hopefully Gaz (Nathan Lyon) can bowl a few of them to me,” Carey added.
The pitches used at Alur took more turn as the day wore on, cricket.co.au reported.
Many left-arm orthodox spinners were also brought in to bowl in the nets, cricket.co.au reported. The Indian Test squad has two world-class left-arm orthodox tweakers in Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
“In Australia, pitches are less spinny. It is important for us to have a really strong mindset, and go to every game and situation ready and fresh,” Carey said.
Carey added that he was excited to see experienced off-spinner Nathan Lyon bowl in India. “He (Lyon) has done so well here in the past. Same with (left-arm spinner) Ashton Agar – he bowls a bit quicker and into the wicket. Our other spinners – Travis (Head) is a real threat with the ball, and same with Marnus,” Carey said.