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India vs Australia first Test: We have strategy to counter 'aggressive' visitors, says Kumble

India Coach Anil Kumble Is Aware That Australia Will Come Hard At His Team But Said The Hosts Will Not Attach Any Special Significance To This Series And Would Treat Steve Smith And Co. Like Any Other Side.

PTI | Updated on: 22 Feb 2017, 09:33:07 AM
We have strategies to counter aggresive Aussies, says coach Kumble

Pune:

India coach Anil Kumble is aware that Australia will come hard at his team but said the hosts will not attach any special significance to this series and would treat Steve Smith and Co. like any other side.

Australia had lost 0-4 during their previous tour to India and Kumble said his team will have plans to counter the visiting side when the first Test begins here on Thursday. "We respect every opposition.

We spoke about this even before the season started with New Zealand. England was tougher. We all know the Australian team. They are really professional, but I would like to treat them as any other team," Kumble said. 

Read | Team India has become self-sufficient in dealing with challenges: Coach Anil Kumble

"I don't think we need to attach any other significanceto this series other than what we need to do to tick all thoseboxes we have been doing over last six to eight months. They are a good side, have some good batters andbowlers.The approach they tend to take is to be aggressive. We are aware of it and we will put together strategies in place to counter that," he added. 

The former leg-spinner said his team is capable ofadapting to different challenges and focusing on things whichthey can control rather than worrying over the nature of pitchahead of the first Test starting on Thursday. 

 "One thing we've constantly spoken about and tried to beaware of is what is in our control. The least that we discussis about the pitch, about the toss. We keep countering these types of questions at the start of the series or match, saying how is the pitch and what do you think about the toss," said Kumble.

The former leg-spinner pointed out how India had come out of difficult situations a number of times since the start ofthe home season against New Zealand in October last year.

"If you look back at the 9 Tests that we've played athome, each one has its own challenges. We've played on some new venues, first Test match. We've played at venues where Test cricket hasn't been played before. So in that sense this team is capable of adjusting and adapting to what ever challenges come up. Really satisfied with the way things have gone," Kumble said.

"On the last day of the Test match in Chennai, I don't think many gave India a chance to win the Test, let alone after England scored almost 500 runs in the first innings. Even in Mumbai it was a similar case, where we lost the toss and they put 400 runs and we won by an innings. That's the beauty about this team.  Even in Kolkata where we played New Zealand, it was in very different conditions where the seamers came into the picture. We had answers to all those questions. That's what you want from a champion team and that's exactly what we're trying to build towards and not really worry about the pitch or conditions," said India's highest Test wicket-taker. 

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First Published : 22 Feb 2017, 09:02:00 AM

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