Gambhir says India’s vaunted spinners won’t suffer against Australia
By ANIFriday, May 7, 2010
BARBADOS - Opening batsman Gautam Gambhir has rubbished claims that India’s spin-heavy attack will suffer a murderous assault at the hands of Australia’s batsmen on the pace-friendly Kensington Oval pitch during their Super Eights clash on Friday.
“We cannot plan for what the opposition has strategised for us, we will go with our own strengths,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Gambhir, as saying.
“We have a good-quality set of bowlers who can dismiss the opposition. We also have a set of spinners who are really good. I personally think that a quality spinner is an asset and the quality will show irrespective of what the surface is. Our bowling unit has performed well. Zaheer [Khan], Harbhajan [Singh] and Ashish [Nehra] have done really well. They look to dismiss the opposition,” he added.
Australian captain Michael Clarke talked up the strength of his side’s pace attack.
“I think these conditions are really going to help our fast bowlers; there was a lot of pace and bounce in that wicket,” Clarke said after Dirk Nannes took 4-18 and Shaun Tait 1-15 against Bangladesh.
“Our fast bowlers will bowl as much short stuff as they like. We [the batsmen] cop it in the nets so we’ll definitely see it in the game. We’ve got some pace up our sleeve and I’m sure in these conditions we’ll be able to use it,” Clarke added.
Australia are grouped with the three nations that orchestrated their exits from previous World Twenty20s: India, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
“Australia haven’t done well in the T20s,” Gambhir said.
“The first time they lost in the semis and the next year they did not qualify, so you can expect Australia to come back really strong. They have got some quality players in their side who can change the course of the match,” he added. (ANI)
