Australia have to do all the hard work after falling 1-0 behind in Adelaide. The hosts put up a good fight in the opening Test but the Indians remained in control of most sessions in the first Test, which means Australia will have to raise their game considerably to draw level in the second Test in Perth.
The pitch at the new Perth Stadium is a bit of a mystery but all reports suggest one of the fastest surfaces in Australia in recent times will be on offer.
Here we look at key tactics for Australia as they aim to level the series.
TOP ORDER MUST ATTACK
Australia’s lower middle order has proven to be more than capable of scoring handy runs. In Adelaide, after being 187-7 chasing 323, the Aussies came within 31 runs of a famous win. Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb had a quiet match and if they can score at a fair clip in Perth the Indians will feel the pressure because the Aussie tail will wag.
In Adelaide, Australia were 120-5 and 111-5 after batting at barely two runs an over. If the top order can ensure a total closer to 200 by the time the fifth or sixth wicket falls, the hosts can aim for 300. They should look to play more cut and pull shots instead of drives as India will get the ball to move.
CROWD THE BAT WHEN LYON BOWLS
Nathan Lyon showed he is a master on Australian pitches. The moment Tim Paine got fielders close in on the off and on-side, Lyon got Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara to glove the ball to short leg. The overspin and extra bounce that Lyon gets will get accentuated and the tendency of almost all Indian batsmen to push at the full and wide deliveries from Lyon means the fielders on the leg side will remain interested.
India have shown they want to attack Lyon and score as many runs as possible off him, even if they lose wickets to the offie. It’s going to be a great hunt.
