Will IPL exposure help Australians in India?
India is hardly an alien land for several members of the touring party, having played multiple editions of IPL. Much will depend on them and how they translate their familiarity to success against India in the ODI series.
- Karthik Iyer
- Updated: September 20, 2013 08:12 AM IST
After a forgettable summer in England, the Australians returned home 'a work in progress'. Incompetence, a lack of form and luck has ensured that the Test team is in doldrums but the one-day international side is showing steady signs of improvement. While many in the Aussie squad would have hoped for an extended break ahead of the return Ashes series starting November, a packed international calendar means that most players will travel to India to play seven ODIs in October.
Signs of an impending miserable summer were seen in Australia's Champions Trophy warm-up clash versus India in early June. Having let the world champions post a mammoth 308, the Aussies were knocked over for an embarrassing 65, with just Adam Voges reaching double figures. They will head to India looking for revenge for the warm-up as well as the 4-0 Test reversal they suffered in March-April this year.
Unfamiliarity is not an excuse the Aussies can employ if the seven-ODI series does not go their way. A number of their squad have featured in the Indian Premier League since its inception, and while the formats are different, the quality of certain players is hard to deny.
Shane Watson is slowly getting back to top form after a laughable Ashes series, evidenced by his ODI series-winning century versus England at Southampton. A key component of the Rajasthan Royals unit, he scored a mammoth 543 runs in the sixth edition. With his wicket-taking ability, Watson is a completely different player in yellow than he is in white. As a senior statesman in what will be a tough tour, Watson needs to let his rich experience in sub-continental parts pay dividends.
Watson's opening partner in the playing XI will be Aaron Finch. In 14 games for the underperforming Pune Warriors last season, Finch - who captained the side as well - amassed 456 runs. The 25-year-old is in a rich vein of form and seemed at ease on Indian pitches. A powerhouse player, Finch can take the game away from the Indians in an instant and with his new found consistency, is arguably the biggest threat.
A concern for Australia though will be the fitness of Shaun Marsh, one of the leading lights for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL. He finished the inaugural season as the tournament's top-scorer and despite a dip in form, scored an impressive 300 runs in just 8 games this year. However, Marsh is nursing an injury at present and has been ruled out of the Champions League T20. He may be hit-and-miss at the international level but familiarity with conditions will benefit him and his team to a great extant.
The rest of the Aussie middle-order though is bereft of any real IPL experience that could translate to success on sub-continental pitches. Both Voges and George Bailey are playing for different purposes - the former to retain his berth in the side while the latter is eager for an Ashes spot. If Steven Smith could get fit then the swashbuckling cult hero for Pune and Australia will be certain starter.
Among the bowlers, both James Faulkner and Mitchell Johnson had impressive IPL seasons last time around for Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians respectively. Faulkner picked up a staggering 28 wickets in 16 games for the Royals, including a best of 5/16. Johnson, on the other hand, formed a potent opening bowling partnership with Lasith Malinga, leading the Mumbai franchise to their first IPL title. Both should start for the visitors in India, and both will have fond memories of their recent T20 tournament experience.
The ODI series is expected to be a closely-contested affair - far more than the brownwash inflicted by the Indians in the corresponding Test series earlier this year. Michael Clarke, despite limited success in his sporadic IPL appearances, remains the key and as many have suggested is Australia's only world class player. The general consensus is that Australia are a dangerous ODI side, and while India will start as favourites, the side from Down Under have not lost their ability to compete. An exposure to the IPL certainly helps and familiarity with crowds, grounds and humidity will be immensely beneficial.
Going by his IPL form though, how Australia would wish that Michael Hussey was available!