Australian legend Ian Chappell has come down heavily on the current Test team and advised them to ignore the hullabaloo around the pitch and focus on bettering themselves against quality spin bowling.
Chappell, in his column for ESPNCricinfo, said that Pat Cummins and company need to make sure that the loss in the 1st Test doesn't impact the team mentally, or they will have to pay a massive price.
The first Test saw India spin Australia to an embarrassing defeat by an innings and 132 runs, bowling them out for just 91 runs in the 2nd innings. This is Australia's second-lowest total against India, the first being 83 in 1981 in Melbourne. India's dominance was on full display as they scaped 10 Australian wickets within a session, and that goes a long way in saying how poor Australia were in this Test.
"The first Test has exposed Australia's weakness against good spin bowling on turning pitches. If they can ensure this setback doesn't mean their mental capacity to cope in India is not dented, it will keep them in the series. If they waver, they are in big trouble," the former Australian captain wrote in his column.
Heading into the first Test, India, as usual, faced pitch doctoring allegations, but Ian said that it was nothing, but a typical first-day Indian red-soil wicket.
"Not unexpectedly, it turned out to be nothing more than a fairly typical first-day Indian red-soil wicket. It was by no means impossible to play on, as Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith showed, but Australia failed to post a testing first-innings total. The media making allegations about pitch-doctoring is nothing new. Players need to ignore this little game or else it has a debilitating effect on the visiting team. Far too much emphasis is put on how pitches are going to play and on doctoring. It's worth remembering that both teams have to play on the same pitch," Chappell wrote.
He said India currently boast of a strong side and has the ability to win in any conditions.
"The reality is that India have developed into a very strong side all round the world, with a special feel for how to win at home," the 79-year-old wrote. If Australia, who have a weakness against spin in India, don't adapt to conditions quickly, they are going to suffer the same fate that has befallen other visiting sides," he added.
The caravan now moves to Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, where the 2nd Test match is set to be played, starting on Feb 17.
India vs Australia: Test Series Schedule
- 2nd Test: Feb 17 - Feb 21 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
- 3rd Test: Mar 01 - Mar 05 at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala
- 4th Test: Mar 09 - Mar 13, Monat Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
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