Michael Kasprowicz, an important member of Australia's last Test triumph in India close to 19 years ago, fondly looks back at the past as the current squad finds itself under the pump again in spin-friendly conditions.
With India recording a massive win in the series opener in Nagpur, Australia will have to pull off something miraculous to beat the mighty hosts in their own backyard.
Kasprowicz, who supported Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie with nine wickets in the 2-1 series win in 2004, fails to understand the non-stop talk about the pitches by the travelling Australian media.
He feels the nature of the pitches has not changed at all and it was because of their tactics that they were able to conquer the final frontier close to two decades ago.
“Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie were obviously (the stand out bowlers). I was fortunate enough to be included in the side having had experience of playing in India in the 1998 and 2001 unsuccessful series,” the 51-year-old, who is in India as a commentator, said.
“We changed the way we bowled (on previous tours). We bowled a lot straighter. We used the bouncer with strategic field positions like a catching midwicket or two men for the hook shot."
“Essentially it was bowling to India's strengths but with the field placement and execution, that worked in our favour. That was the benefit of doing something a lot different compared to (earlier tours),” he recollected.
Fast forward to 2023, Australia, whose traditional strength has been fast bowling, are playing three specialist spinners in the second Test with skipper Pat Cummins the only fast bowling option.
The unusual selection has also been forced upon due to injuries to Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and all-rounder Cameron Green.
“The current side's strength also has been three fast bowlers but because of injuries to Starc and Hazlewood, they have had to change the team combination to maintain balance of the team."
“Coming here after seeing Nagpur, they have come here backing the spin bowlers. That is why we have got two spinners getting baggy greens in the last two Tests,” said Kasprowicz referring to rookie spinners Todd Murphy and Matthew Kunhemann.
The Adam Gilchrist-led side had sealed the series in 2004 with an emphatic 342-run in Nagpur, where a pace-friendly track was laid out for the Australian pace trio of McGrath, Gillespie and Kasprowicz himself.
Kasprowicz was quick to butt in at the mention of a green top in Nagpur.
“I won't say wickets have changed a lot and I would not say Nagpur was a green top. It was a little better than the usual with more grass covering. The surface possibly had a bit more bounce."
"Having said that, pitches have not changed. It is the same. I don't know if it has become fashionable to talk about wickets in the lead up to the series here.”
From the next series onwards, India and Australia will battle it out over five Tests. Over the last decade or so, rivalry between the two teams has only got more intense with India getting the better of Aussies on their previous two tours Down Under.
Kasprowicz thinks the rivalry has become even bigger than the Ashes and rightfully so.
“When we came in 1998, we hadn't been here for a number of years. Then you had the 2001 series (which India won). For a longer period of time India was the destination and it was seen as a massive challenge. From the BCCI's point of view they are really keen on turning this series into a marquee one."
“It is bigger than the Ashes and rightfully so as you are talking about the two best Test teams in the world.”
It may not look probable at the moment but Kasprowicz signed off with 2-1 prediction of the ongoing series, in favour of Australia.
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