What’s the story?
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell has lashed out at the Pakistan cricket team and urged Cricket Australia not to invite the Asian side for a tour down under unless they improve their game and pose a challenge to the hosts. He also said that the four-match Test series in India will answer whether the Aussies have improved or not.
“Pakistan have now lost 12 Test matches on the trot in Australia, and somebody’s got to give them a kick up the bum. Cricket Australia have got to start saying ‘listen if things don’t improve we will stop with the invites’,” Chappell told ESPN.
He also added, “Australia have made some improvements, but whether their performances were flattered by the way Pakistan played…we will find that out in India as that will be the big test,”.
In case you didn’t know...
Pakistan were beaten fair and square in the recently concluded three-match series in which the hosts whitewashed Pakistan for the fourth consecutive time in Australia. The last time Pakistan won a Test match in Australia was at the SCG, Sydney in 1995 and since then, the Pakistanis failed to even hold the hosts to a stalemate in the longer formats.
Pakistan found themselves on the receiving end of the criticisms from their former players and most of them want skipper Misbah-ul-Haq to call it a day for his dismal performance in the tour.
The heart of the matter
The 2016-17 series was no different as the Aussies held their nerve and cruised to a 39-run win in the first Test at the Gabba, Brisbane. A horror show from their batsmen cost Pakistan the second Test at the MCG before David Warner’s heroics in the third Test gave them their fourth consecutive whitewash in Australia.
Chappell was furious on how the visitors fared in the series and warned Steve Smith’s men not to be confident as they are yet to be tested and will face a stern challenge when they tour India in February.
What’s next?
After whitewashing Pakistan, Australia will tour India for a four-match Test series starting in February. Australia will look to end their 13-year wait as the Aussies are yet to win a Test match in India since the Nagpur Test in 2004.
Beating Virat Kohli’s men in India will be a tough task for Steve Smith and co. as the hosts look unbeatable at home having thrashed South Africa, New Zealand and England in the last 15 months.
Sportskeeda’s take
Ian Chappell is right in warning the team not to be confident because they didn’t have a big challenge against Pakistan and things are likely to change when they take on India. Also, his comments on the Pakistani team sounds valid as Pakistan were the no.1 Test side few months ago and are expected to do well in such conditions, but they hardly posed a threat to Australia in their last four outings.
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