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'It's Border-Gavaskar Trophy guys. So we need this...': Ashwin's epic reaction to Healy's 'unfair' pitch claim on India
Giving his prediction on Australia's chances in the impending four-Test series, Ian Healy took a sly dig at India for the pitches produced in the 2016.17 series, the last time it was played in the subcontinent. Ashwin has given an epic reaction on Healy's claim.
There's little less than a week's time before the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar series kicks off in India with World Championship final at stake. India have the upper hand, not just owing to their remarkable domination at home since 2012, but also of Australia's forgettable record in India, having not won a series since 2004. Giving his prediction on Australia's chances in the impending four-Test series, Ian Healy, a former cricketer and presently a broadcaster, took a sly dig at India for the pitches produced in the 2016.17 series, the last time it was played in the subcontinent. Veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has given an epic reaction on Healy's claim.
Speaking on 'SENQ Breakfast', Healy opined that Australia will have a good chance of scripting an upset if India produce "fair wickets", but will falter on "unfair" conditions.
"I think if they produce fair Indian wickets, that are good batting wickets, to start with, (that) probably spin and spin pretty consistently but spin a long way, late in the match … we (Australia) win. I'm worried about (Mitchell) Starc and (Nathan) Lyon in the first Test … if they're unfair wickets which I've seen in the last series, where balls were jumping ridiculously and sliding down low from day one, I think India play those conditions better than us," he said.
Speaking on Healy's comment and those made by Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja as well, Ashwin felt that the statement “has set a spark”, a much-needed one before the start of the Border-Gavaskar series.
"Anyway, an Australian broadcaster and former player Ian Healy has given a few gems before the BGT. He has given a few statements that say Indians will make sure Australian feel uncomfortable in India - "I don't believe they will give us wickets that will look even slightly closer to what we will actually get during a game." So he has said that Australia's approach is only correct. The support staffs might have given their opinion, but Ian Healy's quote has set a spark with this take. It's Border-Gavaskar Trophy guys. So we need this spark, right? Besides, banters will keep coming from the Australian camp for sure. We saw what Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja had to say. Eben Marnus Labuschagne and Matt Renshaw have said some controversial things. Renshaw said that you need to analyse a few things in India like who is taking the new ball and stuff," he said.
Ashwin then explained why Australia decided to skip the tour games and rather created doctored conditions to gear up for the series against India, like they had done for Pakistan.
“Australia skipped their practice game when they toured Pakistan as well since they didn't want to spend 4 days playing that. So instead of this, if we get a centre wicket on any ground, they will be more happy to practice there. So when you are playing a 3 or 4-Test series, you shouldn't be in that country for more than a month. Despite getting good facilities in the hotel, it can get tiring. So Australia decided instead of going o that country and practicing there, we know the conditions already, why don't we doctor the conditions here accordingly. Just like how they are preparing in North Sydney Oval for this India tour, they practiced in Melbourne before the Pakistan tour. So this is something new for Australia,” he explained.
