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Australia Vs India: Hosts still strong at home, important for us to play as a team: Ajinkya Rahane

India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane believes they will have to perform collectively well as a batting unit against Australia if they wish to win the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Australia Vs India: Australia still strong at home, important for us to play as a team: Rahane

Adelaide, Dec 4: India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane believes they will have to perform collectively well as a batting unit against Australia if they wish to win the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Addressing media on Tuesday (December 4) Rahane said the Indian cricket team isn't going to take the Tim Paine-led side despite the absence of their senior-pros David Warner and Steve Smith. The four-Test series between India and Australia starts Thursday (December 6) at Adelaide Oval.

India tour of Australia: Full ScheduleIndia tour of Australia: Full Schedule

Smith and Warner are facing a suspension of 1-year following their role in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, earlier this year. In the absence of their seasoned campaigners, the Australian side looks weaker in the batting department but Rahane believes the hosts are still going to be the favourites as they are playing in their own backyard.

It is a Team Sport: Rahane

"When you do well as a team, you feel really good. This is a team sport... and it is the job of each and every batsman to contribute for the team. And I think it's important that we get those long partnerships together, in Australia that will really help us a lot," said Rahane.

'Mitchell Johnson went after Virat Kohli'

'Mitchell Johnson went after Virat Kohli'

"Last time here, we really enjoyed batting together a lot, especially at the MCG," Rahane recalled.

"Mitchell Johnson was really going after Virat Kohli and I was at the other end playing my game. Virat at the other end was really aggressive and going after bowlers.

"I was able to focus on my game, I still attacked but I was completely the opposite to Virat."

On the previous tour of Australia, Rahane and Kohli stitched a partnership of 262 runs for the fourth-wicket in India's first innings with scores of 147 and 169 respectively.

We have plans for all Indian batsmen: Mitchell Marsh

We have plans for all Indian batsmen: Mitchell Marsh

Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh earlier said that his team has strategies in place for all the Indian batsmen and would be aiming for perfect execution when the action begins.

"We all know Virat's a great player. We'll have our plans for him and hopefully, we can execute them. But if people think we're not prepared for the other batsmen in the Indian team, who are all very good players, then they'd be pretty silly," said Mitchell Marsh.

Taming Virat Kohli important: Hazlewood

Taming Virat Kohli important: Hazlewood

Legendary India batsman and former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar feels pacer Josh Hazlewood will be key bowler for Australia in the upcoming series. Hazlewood is also prepared for the upcoming battle and felt taming Kohli will be crucial for them.

"I see the Indian line up as the best in the world, if not right up there, led by Virat and I think they feed a lot off him and how he goes about things. They've played a lot at home since we played them last in Australia. They toured England and South Africa, and it was only Virat who stood out. A lot of the other haven't scored too many of the runs," Hazlewood said.

Story first published: Tuesday, December 4, 2018, 16:36 [IST]
Other articles published on Dec 4, 2018