India vs Australia: ‘No one is ever ready for short ball,’ Sunil Gavaskar on Steve Smith’s challenge to Indian pacers

India vs Australia: Steve Smith also said that he is faced short deliveries all his life and he is ready for the challenge. But on being asked about Smith’s dare, former India batsman and captain Sunil Gavaskar said that no one is ever prepared to face short balls.

Australia batsman Steve Smith raked up headlines the past week after he ‘dared’ the Indian pacers to come at him with short balls. Smith, who has faced troubles with the short deliveries in the past, and found it particularly challenging to face fast bowler Jofra Archer in the Ashes Test series last year in England, insisted that he is prepared to face off against Indian seamers if they bowl bouncers to him.

File image of Steve Smith. (AP)

Smith also said that he is faced short deliveries all his life and he is ready for the challenge. But on being asked about Smith’s dare, former India batsman and captain Sunil Gavaskar said that no one is ever prepared to face short balls.

Gavaskar also picked Mohammed Shami as one of the bowlers who could trouble the Aussies with his bouncers in the upcoming series.

“No one is ever ready for the short ball! A good short ball will trouble the best of batsmen. Nobody can say ‘I’m ready’,” Gavaskar told Sportstar.

“Mohammed Shami in particular has a fabulous bouncer. If he gets it right on target, then you can be pretty certain that not too any batsmen will be able to negotiate him.

“He is not very tall and his short ball will come skidding at you around your shoulder and head, and that’s the most difficult delivery to play. If his rhythm is right, he will not be an easy bowler to play,” Gavaskar said.

India will play 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is and 4 Tests against Australia with the first ODI set to be played in Sydney next week on Friday.