Lot of spin talk but we forget how damaging fast bowlers are: Alex Carey ahead of BGT
Feb 03, 2023
Alur (Andhra Pradesh) [India], February 3 : Australia batter Alex Carey said that they are clearly focusing on negating India's spinners in their upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the Aussies haven't forgotten just how vandalising the home side's pace attack is as well.
Spin is a big focus for Australia at their training camp in Alur this week before they head to Nagpur for the first of four Tests against India, whose spin bowlers are among the best in the world on their home fields.
Star spinners like Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja have proved the most effective bowlers in recent Tests in India.
"Going to Pakistan there was a lot of spin talk and I found the reverse-swinging ball really difficult," Carey told reporters on Friday as quoted by cricket.com.au.
"I played a four-day game (for Australia A against India A) in 2018 and a lot of the talk was about spin and you forget a little bit about how damaging how both teams' fast bowlers are with a reverse swinging ball, with a wicket that might be a little bit up and down," he added.
"Having the preparation and the game to ebb and flow between fast bowling and spin, and (during) dry periods where you won't score, (is important)," Carey said.
Carey has a painful glute muscle from all of the sweeping he's been doing to spin, but Australia's batting lineup is aware of the threat posed by fast bowlers.
"I've got a sore glute today, I played a few yesterday. I bat seven so I get to have a bit of a look at what the conditions are doing. You go out there with a bit a plan to hopefully succeed, it doesn't always happen but if you can put it in your favour a little, that's helpful," Carey said of the sweep.
"I don't see it being any different over here in India. If the wicket's flatter than what we think then the game might change a little bit, if it's tough conditions then try to stick to a plan and be ok with what happens. I like to sweep in most circumstances, in most formats. I guess then playing the conditions as well - we went to Galle for two Test matches and they were two different wickets," he added.
Carey believes Australia's batting lineup has enough experience to handle the difficulties of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
"I think the open-mindedness of what we're going to come up against, what team they're going to put on the park and what scenario I'm going to come in at. Try to plan and prepare the best we can and then once we're in the middle it's enjoy the contest, be patient with all the things that come into your head, and then hope for the best," said Carey.