When It’s India V Australia It Always Is – Each Team Wants To Win: KL Rahul

The four-match Test series against Australia is one of the most eagerly-anticipated series for some time, with the result also set to have a decisive impact on qualification for the ICC World Test Championship Final.

Australia and India occupy the top two spots in the WTC Standings and are favourites to meet again in the final in London in June. But Sri Lanka could yet finish in the top two should results fall in their favour.

“It is a must-win series, and when it’s India v Australia it always is – each team wants to win, it’s a big series,” Rahul told a media conference ahead of Thursday’s opening Test in Nagpur.

“I don’t think it’s any different to any other Border-Gavaskar series that we play. Yes, we do realise that there’s a World Test Championship Final that we all want to play in and are looking forward to, but we also don’t want to think too far ahead, take it one game at a time and remain in the present, win the first game here in Nagpur and then go from there.”

“We still haven’t decided on the final playing XI, but all I can say is it’s going to be a really tough decision. There are guys who have performed exceedingly well, and there are few spots open, so there are a few discussions going on and the players are being spoken to.

“I think every time you play for the country it’s always a tough decision to select the playing XI. All 15 or 16 guys that are selected are all top quality and have performed, that’s why they are here. Everyone on their given day can be a match winner. But the vice-captain suggested that the Indian camp are expecting spinning conditions, and could even opt for three spinners in their XI if the final pitch conditions merit it.”

“The things that we’ve worked on is playing spin, we know how the pitches are going to be here in India and what to expect, so bearing that in mind we’ve practiced playing spin,” KL said.

“There will be a temptation to play three spinners. We’re playing in India, there’s no surprise that the pitch is going to spin. But we’ll make that call on the day of the game.

“Any team that has quality fast bowlers like Australia who can exploit reverse swing is going to be dangerous on pitches like this.

“We know the threat that they bring to the series, with the new ball and with the older ball if it starts reversing. That’s the beauty of playing against top teams. Especially playing against Australia, that’s what excites you, the challenges.”

The series begins on Thursday in Nagpur, with further Tests to follow in Delhi, Dharamsala and Ahmedabad.