Former Australia wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist is positively sure that the Pat Cummins-led side will secure a victory in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series — being hosted by India after the 2016-17 series — If they go in with three seamers to partner spinner Nathan Lyon.
Gilchrist, who was the stand-in skipper during Australia's 2004 series win — their only win in India since 1996 — added that experimenting with a new spinner in sub-continental conditions is something that Cummins should refrain from doing so.
"I think they'll do it (win the series). I really do. I think they've got a squad and final XI that will have a lot of similarities to the team we rolled with, in 2004," Gilchrist was quoted as saying by Fox Sports on Tuesday. "So often teams go to India hoping to unveil some new spinner that's going to come in and adapt and bedazzle in India — it doesn't really happen," he said.
The legendary batter also felt Australia should have faith in their best four bowlers, and that their highly-experienced seamers should have no trouble reverse swinging the ball. "Pick your best four bowlers, run with them — and if that is three seamers who can all get really nice reverse swing and Nathan Lyon, who's outstanding and clearly the best off-spinner we've ever had, can play his role — that’s my gut feeling. You do that, you go with it."
The side is coming to India without their star pacer Mitchell Starc, who is nursing a finger injury to his bowling arm and is likely to miss the first Test at Nagpur. Cameron Green also suffered a fracture on his finger and has undergone surgery, although he is expected to be fit before the first Test, which begins on February 9 in Nagpur.
The return of fast-bowling all-rounder Green could give Cricket Australia (CA) the luxury to pick an extra spinner and added the need to be patient in trying conditions.
Reminiscing the 2004 series win and the lessons it has for the current squad, Gilchrist said, "What we tried to change with our mentality back then — and I’d be interested to see if the Australians do it this time — is don't go searching and just rolling spinners out there.
"Attack the stumps right from ball one. Swallow your pride a bit, and be defensive to be aggressive... Start with one slip, start with a catching mid-wicket, put fielders out on the boundary to nullify the boundary option, but keep a couple of catchers in place — either at short cover or short mid-wicket — and just be patient."
