SYDNEY: Australian captain Michael Clarke challenged his bowlers to bounce India out from the second Test that starts on Tuesday at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
“I love the aggression of our fast bowlers. I love the way they served it up to the Indian tailenders during our strong victory in Melbourne. If conditions suit, I have absolutely no problems with them bouncing the Indians again during the second Test in Sydney this week,” he said.
Clarke wants his bowlers to be ruthless and continue with the same strength and aggression that they showed during their 122-run win in the first Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground ( MCG).
“We generated positive body language, making it clear to India we were up for every challenge that was presented. But we have to be smart about the way we attack them in Sydney and play according to the conditions and circumstances on offer,” he said.
Clarke, however, warned his team that India can come back strongly in the second Test at the SCG.
“A team with as many quality players as India will hit back hard after this initial disappointment and some of their batsmen have outstanding records at the SCG. The great challenge for us is to play consistently strong cricket so we can get off the win/loss roller-coaster of the past few months,” Clarke said in his column in The Sunday Telegraph.
Lauding Australia’s bowling attack, Clarke said: “The most impressive part of our bowling in the first Test was the way our guys bowled as a unit, constantly maintaining pressure. We haven’t done that well for a long time, and what a difference it makes.”
“It is a real credit to our quicks given that James Pattinson was playing just his third Test, Peter Siddle has fought his way back to become an important member of the attack again and Ben Hilfenhaus was at his best in his first Test for a while.”
Meanwhile, swing bowler Ryan Harris was included in Australia’s 12-man squad for the second cricket Test against India, while the eleven who played in the opening match here retained their places.
Pacer Mitchell Starc and all-rounder Daniel Christian were left out from the 13-man squad for the opening Test which Australia won by 122 runs at the MCG.
The 32-year-old Harris from New South Wales has picked up 35 wickets from eight Tests at 21.37 average before a hip injury during the Cape Town Test against South Africa last month put him on a rehabilitation programme. (Agencies)
