On Friday, the premier Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin reckons that the Australians are still favorites at home going into the 4-match Test series. Speaking to reporters after the 3rd day of the Practice Test against Cricket Australia XI, the veteran spinner was questioned on the ongoing troubles in the Australian camp, and whether he would consider the visitors as the favorites.

Replying to the reporters, the off-spinner said, “There are a lot of headaches when you play international cricket, personally and for the teams, you are part of, so it makes no sense to try and get your heads into another dressing room. It’s never easy to come over to Australia and win series. In the Ashes, they almost whitewashed England, knocked them over, and so as far as I’m concerned they are starting favorites. It’s very important for us to chip away every single day, every single ball, and if we can get our noses ahead, stay ahead.”

Speaking on India’s strategy ahead of the first Test starting from December 6, 2018, in Adelaide, the bowler said that Indian bowlers need to work as a unit and stitch partnerships among themselves. He feels that it will change the dynamics for the captain when he goes out with one bowler less or one bowler more. 

ALSO READ: R Ashwin Explains The Seriousness Of Prithvi Shaw’s Injury

Explaining his point further,  further added that he expects the pitches to be dry in the first session in Australia, and hence would hope he gets some help from the wicket in the second innings and makes his mark. “You don’t turn up to Australia thinking wickets are going to seam or spin around. They are always going to be flat we know that. We cannot really complain and we have to put it behind us to try and go play some good cricket. Mostly the first innings are big scoring innings so we have to be aware to play some smart cricket through the series.”

He further added, “Every hour, the game can get away from you really fast in the field. We have some quality batsmen who can take the game away from them. It’s very important to soak together good partnerships as a bowling group then try and knock them over. You won’t blow oppositions away – it might happen once in a while – but you have to get your noses ahead and keep it ahead.”

Ashwin has recently been criticized quite often over his inability to take wickets like Nathan Lyon or England’s Moeen Ali. Replying to that Ashwin said that a person needs to stick to his strengths. He also said that a bowler needs to keep going the same way and learn a few things on the way.

ALSO READ: 3 Australian Players Who Will Sledge Virat Kohli

Speaking about his efforts in the ongoing match, in which he has registered figures of 63/1 on the third day, Ashwin said, “I thought the wicket was pretty flat. Initially, we conceded a few runs with the new ball and then we realized what lengths we had to bowl and what sort of fields we need to keep. In practice matches, you are looking to get something out of it for yourself, and as a bowling group, when you go out there in the park. I think we got pretty much what we wanted to get out of it.”

India and Australia will play 4-Test series starting from December 6, 2018. Earlier, the two teams drew a T20I series 1-1.