In a candid conversation which lasted an hour, Greg Chappell answered many questions relating to the World Test Championship (WTC) final. In this, the second part of the conversation, he addressed the unique challenges of playing Test cricket in England in June, and the difficulties that players on both sides might face when they switch to the red ball after two months of playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). You can read the first part of the chat here.
Boria: In 2021, India got to England on the back of half a season of IPL and a Covid-19 lockdown. New Zealand had already played Tests against England, and had spent time in the country. This time, all the Indians, except Pujara, go on the back of a two-month-long IPL season. For the foreseeable future, the WTC final will be in England in June. The IPL is usually always April-May. Does this mean India will never be well prepared?
Chappell: I don’t think the Australians are any better prepared in that sense. I think both the teams are going in with similar sort of preparation, or lack of it. To assume that the Australians are going to get it right in England from ball one is not correct either. Unlike the English bowlers like [Jimmy] Anderson and [Stuart] Broad, who know the conditions inside out, the Australians will also need a little time to get used to what is on offer. In that sense, I don’t see India behind Australia. I think it is as even as it can be at the start of the final. Also, when it comes to the IPL, we all know that Test cricket is very different and the conditions are as different as they can possibly be. So yes, the Indians will need to adjust. But then, each of them are experienced players who are capable of doing so. They need to be mentally switched on, and that will matter much more than anything else.
Boria: You played a Test in early June at Old Trafford on your first tour of England. You didn’t make a big score, but what did the experience teach you that allowed you to score centuries at Lord’s and The Oval later that summer? What’s the best way to prepare to do well in England as a batter in early June?
Chappell: The first thing you need to accept is that there will be questions asked of every batter. Rohit or Virat will be no different to Smith or Warner. Each batter will be asked questions because both sides have quality bowlers in their ranks. But The Oval is as close to Australian wickets as you will ever get in all of England. Yes, the track will have bounce, and that is something the batters will have to negotiate. You need to be ready to struggle if the bowlers are on top, and there will be periods when the bowlers will be on top.
The weather can have an influence. Every batter should be mentally ready to survive the tough conditions. Also, you can never bat well in Test cricket if you just look to survive. You need to score runs. At every opportunity that you get, you need to score runs. That’s the way to bat in Test cricket and be successful. And that’s why, mentally, you need to be in the best space. Take the case of Warner. There is a lot of talk about his struggles in England in 2019. Firstly, he struggled against Anderson and Broad, who are the two best in these conditions. If the Indian bowlers err slightly against him, Warner has the ability to punish them and get Australia off to a flier. That’s what he will be hoping to do. And it will be a fascinating mental battle to watch.
Boria: As a batter, is it harder to adjust when you go from a format where you need to play more shots to one where you need to play fewer, than the other way round? Rohit, Kohli and Rahane, to name just three, have spent the last two months trying to hit almost every ball for four or six. In England in early June, they may need to leave two of every three balls they face. How much of the adjustment is mental, and how much technical?
Chappell: Test cricket, as we all know, is challenging. There is a lot of difference between T20 cricket and Test cricket, and every batter who has achieved success at this level will know that. With the experience they have, they can and should be able to adjust. Also, some cricket is always better than no cricket. The adjustment will be more in the mind. Game awareness. They need to be fully focussed on the task at hand. It is Test cricket in early June in England, and it will have certain demands. They will all know it, and be prepared is my guess.
Boria: Which set of bowlers looks better equipped to take advantage of English conditions? Everyone is talking of how Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood or Boland will ask questions of the Indian line-up. Are you a bit wary of what Shami, Siraj and, even, Ashwin might do to Australia?
Chappell: I don’t think the Indian bowling attack is any lesser than Australia’s. Shami is a very good bowler, and Siraj has been in very good rhythm in the IPL. They will pose as much difficulty for the Australians as the Australians will for the Indians. If you ask me, I think India should go in with two spinners. Ashwin and Jadeja have both been fantastic for India, and you need to go in with your best bowlers. And even if Jadeja doesn’t pick up too many wickets, he will not leak runs and hold one end up. That will give the fast bowlers the breather they need. And Jadeja’s batting has been fantastic at the Test level in the last few years.
Coming to Ashwin, he is one of the best of this generation. He thinks deep, and that stands him apart. With Starc bowling from over the wicket, Ashwin will also have the footmarks to use from day 3 onwards. Also, he has a slight mental edge over the Australians from the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy. And when you add his batting at No.8, he is a key player for India. I think they should play both spinners for the simple reason that they are both quality players with plenty of experience.
Boria: So is Australia marginally ahead, you reckon, or is it all even going into the match?
Chappell: I think it is very close to start. A lot will depend on the toss, what the weather is like on the first morning, and all the variables that can influence the contest. But India versus Australia at a neutral venue is the best you can get as far as Test cricket is concerned. In that sense, I am waiting to see the Test match. With a reserve day in store, there will be a result and that’s the best part of this final. So almost even to start with, but we need to see who is more mentally switched on and seizes the early advantage.