The upcoming India vs Australia Test series is only a few days away. The first Test begins on February 9 in Nagpur. Both the teams have begun the prep as Australians are getting ready to play the spin of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel by batting on rough wickets in nets. The Indian spinners are almost unplayable on pitches that assist the spinners in India. The teams outside Asia struggle on these tracks, some experts even call them 'unfair pitches' for cricket. Ian Healy, former Australian wicketkeeper, has made the same statement just days ahead of the first match, adding some spice to the series. 


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What did Healy say?


Previewing the Test series, Healy said on 'SENQ Breakfast' that if India make unfair pitches for the Tests, they will win. "I think if they produce fair Indian wickets, that are good batting wickets, to start with, (that) probably spin and spin pretty consistently but spin a long way, late in the match … we (Australia) win. I'm worried about (Mitchell) Starc and (Nathan) Lyon in the first Test … if they're unfair wickets which I've seen in the last series, where balls were jumping ridiculously and sliding down low from day one, I think India play those conditions better than us," Healy had said.



Ashwin reacts to Healy's statement


Ashwin, who will be a big threat for Aussie batters, reacted to Healy's statement on the pitches in India. The spinner said that Healy's statement has provided the much-needed spark ahead of the Test series. "Anyway, an Australian broadcaster and former player Ian Healy has given a few gems before the BGT (Border Gavaskar Trophy). He has given a few statements that say 'India will make sure the Australians feel uncomfortable in India. I don't believe that they will give us wickets that will look even slightly closer to what we will actually get during a game'. So he has said that Australia's approach is only correct. The support staff might have given their opinion, but Ian Healy's quote has set a spark with this take. It's Border-Gavaskar Trophy guys. So we need this spark, right? (The) banters will keep coming from the Australian camp for sure. We saw what Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja had to say. Even Marnus Labuschagne and Matt Renshaw have said some controversial things."


Menwhile, the Australians have started preparing for Ashwin by hiring a net bowler who bowls exactly like Ashwin. The Australian cricketers want to leave no stone unturned to prepare for the tough India challenge and have been batting at wickets which are dry and rough.