By IANS
Adelaide : Mike Hussey rates India’s attack a poor man’s swing ensemble compared with the English one that destroyed Australia in the 2005 Ashes series, the Herald Sun has reported.
Indian bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad called his attack the best in the business after it dismantled Australia with swing in the third Test in Perth.
But Hussey is adamant India won’t bowl its way to a series-levelling win in the fourth Test in Adelaide starting on Thursday.
“I didn’t play in the Ashes Test series when we lost in 2005, but that England bowling unit seemed to bowl very well as a group,” Hussey said.
“Just from watching, they seemed like the best bowling I have seen in Test cricket for a long time outside the Australian team.
“There are some pretty fine bowlers around. I think South Africa have a pretty good bowling line-up. England fully fit have a pretty good line-up.
“It is hard to say if they (India) are the best in the business. I am not sure about that.”
Regardless, R.P. Singh, rookie Ishant Sharma and reborn all-rounder Irfan Pathan confounded Australia at the Western Australia Cricket Association Ground after receiving advice from fast bowling great Dennis Lillee.
Hussey said Sharma, who dismissed Ricky Ponting in both innings, would be challenged to repeat the heroics.
“He is a very good bowler, is young, aggressive, has good pace and hits the bat hard,” Hussey said.
“He is new on the scene with a fair bit of ability but has to continue to do that day in, day out.”
Hussey suspected Adelaide Oval wouldn’t offer India’s pacemen the same help.
“I think they have the skills to consistently swing the ball,” he said.
“Any batsman is going to find it tough against the ball that is consistently swinging. But I don’t think it will swing as much here in Adelaide as it did in Perth.
“You just have to make those adjustments. In the second innings I thought I was a lot more disciplined outside off stump.”
Hussey appeared surprised by India’s omission of former skipper Sourav Ganguly for the one-day tri-series.
“You have to pick your best cricketers whether they be 35 or 23 and give yourself the best chance of winning matches,” he said.