BGT 2022-23: "Not sure who’s been the better team or worse team in this series" - Justin Langer

Former Australia head coach Justin Langer reckons that the ongoing Test series in India has been highly unusual. With the team winning the toss losing the Test match on all three occasions, the West Australian can't decide which side has been better.

Australia, who won the toss in the first two Tests, were restricted to below-par totals and lost both matches comprehensively. The hosts suffered the same fate in the third Test, getting bowled out for below 200 twice to lose it by nine wickets.

Speaking on SEN WA Breakfast, Langer opined that the trends so far in this series are completely in contrast to what they have been in the past.

"There are two really unusual trends in this Test series and there’s been a lot of discussion about the pitches in India. One, the games have finished in two days, three Test matches have finished in just over two days, it’s extreme conditions. The second really interesting fact is that the team that has batted first has lost Test matches."

The 52-year-old observed that the pitches have offered plenty of spin early on and have started breaking earlier than usual; hence, it's hard to gauge the better side.

"With the team winning the toss and batting losing all three Test matches, that tells me that the pitches are spinning earlier than usual and have been more up and down than they usually are. These have been extreme spinning wickets, therefore I’m not sure who’s been the better team or worse team in this series so far, it’s too hard to read.”

The nine-wicket victory in Indore helped Australia pull one back after two humbling losses. With the pitch assisting spinners on day one, Nathan Lyon emerged as the most successful bowler, snaring 11 wickets in the game.

"Surely he would have had an impact" - Justin Langer on Ashton Agar

Justin Langer. (Image Credits: Getty)

Speaking about left-arm spinner Ashton Agar returning home from India without playing a Test, Langer felt it was unfair to judge him based on the Sydney Test against South Africa. The 105-Test veteran added:

"It was really strange because Ash Agar played the last Test in Sydney. That was on a pretty flat wicket to be fair, and he copped a bit of criticism. But he went to India and on those wickets, I wrote an article in the West Australian where I said his type of bowling - he trained and missed the Big Bash Final, he trained in Sydney with Daniel Vettori the bowling coach - on those wickets, surely, surely he would have had an impact."

Australia will be desperate to level the series at 2-2 when they face India in the fourth Test in Ahmedabad, starting on March 9th.