New Delhi: Australia captain Steve Smith has urged the senior players of his side to step up and take more responsibility during the tough India tour ahead and also wants opener David Warner to score a big century like the one Karun Nair smashed against England recently.
Young batsman Nair had scored an unbeaten 303 in India’s innings and 75-run win against England in the fifth Test of the series.
Specifically asked about his expectations from David Warner, who has not made a hundred overseas since 2014, Smith said he must convert a century into a big one.
“It’s pretty important that our senior players step up in those conditions and take control. It’s something we didn’t do overly well in Sri Lanka, and we didn’t get the results that we wanted there. The senior players — myself, Davey, (Mitchell) Starcy, Josh (Hazlewood) and Nathan Lyon — need to step up and really take control,” Smith told a website.
“I’m going to do it differently to Davey. You don’t want to get rid of someone’s natural flair and the way they play. But if he gets to a hundred, it might be about knuckling down again and going big, get 200 or 300, like Karun Nair did a few weeks ago. Those are the big scores that set your team up, so just being hungry and willing to keep going and not let up.”
Smith said India is a difficult place to tour.
“India play incredibly well in their own backyard, and each individual is going to have plans in place. Ashwin and Jadeja have been incredible for a while now. They have got a couple of good quicks who bowl good reverse swing, and their batsmen score big runs,” Smith said.
The Australia captain said England might have lost both the Test and ODI series but the team actually played quite well.
“Looking at the India-England series, England actually played reasonably well, they scored big runs, but India just went bigger and bigger. We are going to have to find ways to get them out and we are going to have to find ways to bat for long periods — 150 overs in your first innings and set the game up from there.
“If the game is dead and buried and we can’t win, you want to see the fight to do everything you can to stay out there and get the team a draw. That is something we haven’t done overly well in the past,” he said.
Warner, meanwhile, has welcomed a rest before touring India next month saying it’s tough preparing for sub-continental conditions.
Warner, who won back-to-back Allan Border medals on Monday night, has been excused from the three one-day games in New Zealand starting next week after a hectic southern summer.
“We’re running ragged in the outfield ... we’re giving everything we can, and I’ve run as hard as I can for every ball,” the 30-year-old told reporters after the medal ceremony.
“So that does take its toll,” the opening batsman added.
Warner said he would fly out on February 5, “So I’ve got a bit of time at home which is great”.
“I’m grateful that you know Cricket Australia allowing me to get over some little niggles and having a little bit of rest at home to get me ready for India and there’s no excuses there.”
Australia has won Test and one-day series against Pakistan after losses to South Africa and a tough tour of Sri Lanka and Warner admitted to feeling the strain.
“I felt probably the first two especially one-dayers this series with Pakistan, I’ve felt quite, not lazy, but my feet weren’t moving,” he said.
— PTI
