‘If India produce unreasonable wickets like they did last time, Australia won’t win,” says Ian Healy about India-Australia series

“If they produce unreasonable wickets like they did half the series last time” we (Australia) won’t win predicts former Australian cricketer Ian Healy about the upcoming marquee between India and Australia.
Speaking on SENQ Breakfast with Pat and Heals radio show he said “If they produce unreasonable wickets like they did half the series last time (we won’t win), two wickets were just terrible, unfair, spinners jumping over your head on day one.”
Australia toured India for four-match series in 2017. Visitors after winning the first game at Pune lost the series 2-1.
Healey said “They’ve got a good team but I’m not too scared of their spinners unless they produce unreasonable wickets.
“So that type of thing they will play better on than we will, but if they get flat wickets that India used to put out, nice flat batting wickets and bowlers have to work really hard, I think we can do it.” he added.
Healy predicted this time around it will be a similar scoreline “But (my prediction is) 2-1 India if Starc’s unavailable in the first Test.”
Healy expressed his concern about Starc’s absence for the first test and said “My worry for him not playing the first Test is that you don’t have a lot of time to get the bowling in that you’re going to need in the second, third and fourth Test.”
Ian Healy also gave his views on the Australian squad selection.
On inclusion of Peter Handscomb and Matt Renshaw in the side and omission of Marcu Harris
“Handscombe and Renshaw above Marcus Harris… the message I get out of that is that they’re more versatile,” he said.
“Renshaw can play spin better, if that’s what’s required, than Marcus, and Handscombe is well-known as a good player of spin but also has got the gloves, he can put the gloves on if the wicket-keeper goes down.”
Picking Mitchell Swepson over Adam Zampa
“Zampa would have been close and he’s been talking about mixed messages from the selectors.
“The selectors must’ve been thinking, ‘Zampa, he’s got good control and he will turn it if the wickets are really spinning, but we’ve had Swepson for Sri Lanka and Pakan, he’s done the hard yards’, and they’ve stuck with him, and he spins the ball more consently than Zampa.
“What good would it have been not to pick (Swepson)… if you’re going to play two spinners he should be the one, one of them with (Lyon), otherwise you’ve wasted what you’ve created this year.
“If he doesn’t come up well on an Indian tour where the wickets are spinning, then you can move on.”
Inclusion of young Todd Murphy
“Todd Murphy I see as just a learner, going to sit behind Nathan Lyon.
“You don’t need two of them in one team, so he’ll be there learning and experimenting.”
Impact of Mitchell Starc’s injury on off-spinner Nathan Lyon
“Guess what Lyon needs, he needs Mitch Starc, Mitch Starc to run through and create rough for him outside of right-hander’s off stump.
“Starc mightn’t be available first Test, and if you’re not available first Test, you’re not going to be great second Test… it’s soon after, there’s no other games.”
Inclusion of quick bowler Lance Morris
“Lance Morris I’d like, to unleash that pace, pace through the air and the ability to get at the batsman’s body if you have to.
“If you have to bowl a short ball spell, you have to be fast and that’s what he is, he’s fast and strong so he might get a run when Starc is not there.”

The first test of the series begins on the 9th of February at Nagpur.