'I've adapted my game to foil his ideas': Australia star's stern warning to Ashwin ahead of Border-Gavaskar series
Ahead of the impending Border-Gavaskar series in India, Australia star Marnus Labuschagne has set his eyes on tackling Ashwin as he issued a massive warning to the spinner.
India are yet to lose a Test series at home. The last time it happened was in 2012. The last time India lost a match in the format was in 2017. One of the biggest factor in India's dominance at home has come from the presence of their indomitable spin pair of Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. And ahead of the impending Border-Gavaskar series in India, Australia star Marnus Labuschagne has set his eyes on tackling Ashwin as he issued a massive warning to the spinner.
Labuschagne has played in India before. In early 2020, he had made his ODI debut in India. But he knows the Test series will be a different challenge and will be an ultimate test for him as well. It will be his first ever Test appearance on Indian soil, but he has faced the team before and is well aware of the threat that Ashwin is, who has dismissed him twice in six innings in the last edition where India won in dramatic fashion in Gabba to retain the series.
"Since then [the last series] I've already started thinking," Labuschagne said. "I've changed some of my game because of what I've heard about Ashwin and how he bowled to me. I've adapted my game to try and foil a few of his ideas and ways he goes about it, so it's going to be a lovely game of chess and I can't wait for it."
Australia have a crucial phase ahead of them in the Test format with the overseas series in India and then England, later in the year. And in between lies the possibility of a World Test Championship final, probably against Rohit Sharma's men.
"Can't wait, so excited for the next 10 Test matches," Labuschagne said. "We've played really well, people know we are very good at home, very tough to beat…but the challenge we have going two away series in a row, that's going to be awesome. I can't wait for the challenge against spin in India and can't wait for the challenge of Bazball verses Ronball."
