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Adelaide’s truncated test match will play in the hands of Australian fast bowlers, who will be looking forward to participating in the Boxing Day Test again.
This is the view of former captain Mark Taylor, who noted that the Australian team spent just 93 overs on the pitch in Adelaide, barely more than a normal game day.
With the match ending in three days, the bowling attack was given two more days off before the Melbourne game.
This extra rest will be invaluable in such a condensed series, with the third series of tests starting January 7, followed eight days later by the fourth test.
It’s a perfect storm for India and a dream scenario for Australia, the quicks haven’t played too much in Adelaide and they’ve all taken wickets, ”Taylor told Wide World of Sports.
“All three rapids are in good shape and rested so this is not a good sign for India.
“The other bright spot for Australia is that they have now bloodied Cameron Green which is great for the balance of the Australian team.”
The other bright spot for the home side in the first test was an unbeaten 51 in the second inning for out of form opener Joe Burns.
The right-hander had only managed 70 points in 10 first-class heats before that, a race that had seriously challenged his place in the side.
And while Adelaide’s state of play means he’s unlikely to score many easier test matches over half centuries, Taylor explained that the time in the middle would have been priceless.
“Without a doubt, a fifty is a fifty, especially when you’re struggling, but obviously it has to keep scoring,” he said.
“If he could win a century on Boxing Day, that would silence all the critics, and obviously cement his position for a while.
“These are opportunities for people like Burns, Travis Head, even Matthew Wade and Cameron Green. It’s a chance to make a big contribution in a great game.
Taylor noted that with the sidelining of David Warner and Will Pucovski, the Selectors were faced with a conundrum later in the series.
“Warner will definitely come back, and I imagine Pucovski will be considered at some point as well,” said the former captain.
“You have an opener who will definitely be back, and one who probably would have made his Adelaide debut without a concussion.
“There is one, maybe two drummers who need to be pressed very soon, so the competition is intensifying.”
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