India vs Australia: ‘He has got a better range than Smith,’ Irfan Pathan on how Labuschagne will tackle spinners

Pat Cummins’ Australia are bracing up for a tough challenge against hosts India in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and one of the challenges for the Aussies will be turning tracks on offer at venues.

An experienced player like Steve Smith has a decent record in Tests on Indian conditions, having scored 660 runs from six matches at an average of 60, but former India pacer Irfan Pathan feels that Marnus Labuschagne ‘has a better range’ than Smith.

Labuschagne has so far played seven Tests on Asian soil, having scored 400 runs at an average of 33.33, although he is yet to play a Test in India. The 28-year-old had made his Test debut against Pakistan in 2018 in Dubai, with Australia having last toured India for a Test series in 2017.

“Very similar to the plan you would make against Steve Smith. He has got a better range than Steve Smith but how he is going to face when Ravichandran Ashwin uses the rough and bowls the off-spin or takes the ball away?”, questioned Irfan Pathan during a discussion on Star Sports’ Game Plan show.

Pathan, who has played six Tests against Australia during his five-year Test career, felt Labuschagne might find it difficult to face Indian spinners in the upcoming series.

“How he is going counter the rough against the left-arm spin of Ravindra Jadeja and maybe Axar Patel, that’s going to be seen. Can he take out the sweep and can he take out the counter against the spin, I am really looking forward to it, but numbers don’t make him very, very happy in Asia and as an Indian, I hope it stays that way,” added the 38-year-old.

Australia’s last series triumph in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy came in 2014/15, and are yet to win a Test series on Indian soil since 2004/05.

India emerged victorious last time out Down Under, where the visitors managed to pull off a remarkable heist at the Gabba on the final day of the final Test in 2021.

The Test series commences on 9 February, with the first Test taking place at Nagpur’s Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.

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