Australia is visiting India for the 4-match test series under the Border-Gavaskar trophy. This series will be crucial for both teams as they will look to cement their place in the ICC Test Championship finale. Meanwhile, the Australian opener Matt Renshaw has named an Indian bowler who could be the biggest threat for the Kangaroos in the upcoming red-ball series.
In 2021, the star off-spinner became the first bowler in history to notch 200 wickets against left-handed batters. Renshaw will go on tour with David Warner, Usman Khawaja, and Travis Head, the other top left-handers in the Aussie team. Wicketkeeper Alex Carey is also left-handed and R Ashwin is going to generate so many difficulties for them.
Being selected in the main squad, Renshaw would bat in the middle order. Back in 2017, he played one of the four Test matches during Australia’s 2017 tour of India. In the first Test at Pune, he was dismissed by Ashwin, and only after he had scored the highest total of 68 with his bat.
While talking to Australian Associated Press, Renshaw said, “Ashwin is difficult to face. He is a smart bowler with a lot of variations and he uses them very well, but you do get used to him, once you’ve faced him for a while.”
“I think the big challenge from Ashwin and any off-spinner in spinning conditions to a left-hander is the lbw threat.”
He further added, “Obviously everyone thinks about the one that turns and gets you caught at slip, but the big one is the LBW when it doesn’t spin. You just have to be ready for that one. I think two years of batting at No.5 helped me with facing spin. I know my game a lot better now and I am a lot more comfortable in different situations.”
The first test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy will be played on February 9 at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur.
