Australian cricket’s ‘new group’ eager to revive team in T20Is vs India
Steve Smith’s Australian cricket team, who lost the ODI series 1-4 against Virat Kohli’s Indian cricket team, will be banking on a new group of players in Jason Behrendorff, Tim Paine and Dan Christian to lift the side in the upcoming Twenty20 International series
The Australian cricket head into the Twenty20 International series against Virat Kohli’s dominant India side, having lost the ODI series 4-1. The team from Down Under’s record in the T20Is against India is not great either, having lost their last six encounters.
In this daunting scenario, the players who have come in the Australian squad for the T20I series are hopeful of relieving some of the burden of their colleagues. Left-arm pacer Jason Behrendorff, allrounder Dan Christian and wicketkeeper Tim Paine are the three players who have been selected.
“We speak about having a good attitude in the training, good attitude during the game. Making sure that we are doing everything we can keep the situation positive. I am one of the new guys in the group, we are expected to have the energy and keep the room buzzing,” Behrendorff said.
“I have worked hard for it (getting a national call). I am really excited. I am very much hopeful of making debut in one of the three matches here,” said the 27-year-old Behrendorff, who is yet to debut for Australia and till recently was playing for Western Australia in the domestic JLT One-Day Cup. The left-arm pacer has an impressive record, having taken 123 wickets in 29 first class games, and 53 wickets in 38 T20s.
“The wickets here are really different from those back home. Execution of plans with proper field setting and bowling right ball at the right time will be really important.”
With Nathan Coulter-Nile by his side, Behrendorff is expected to be the second Australian pacer in the first T20Is starting on October 7. “I’m 100 per cent focused on these three games. (Glad to be) making my debut. I’ve had an uninterrupted pre-season for a change which is my first time in quite a while,” he said.
Since the fifth ODI in Nagpur on October 1, the Australians have got a week-long break and it will help them regroup, feels Behrendorff.
“The moral is really good. The boys who played in the ODI series had a couple of days off and they had a good time relaxing, recovering. We have just joined the squad for the T20Is, we are full of energy and looking forward to an exciting series,” he said.