Australia are wary of complacency, never mind they walloped India inside three days in the first Test at Adelaide.
To make matters tougher for the visitors, their captain Virat Kohli won’t be available for the remaining Tests as he is leaving on paternity break, while pacer Mohammed Shami’s fractured wrist has also forced him out of the next three matches.
Leading 1-0 in the series, Australia, though, would like to take nothing for granted.
“Shami and Virat not being here is obviously a big loss for India. In saying that, the Indian team still has very good depth, so it’s going to continue being very challenging for us,” opener Joe Burns said at Monday’s virtual conference facilitated by Sony Pictures Sports Network.
In spite of having suffered the ignominy of getting bowled out for their lowest-ever Test total, India are still capable of bouncing back in the second Test that, Burns believes, would be “crucial” in deciding the fate of the series.
“It’s always hard to replace world-class players like Virat and Shami. But we’ve got to look at who are going to come in their place, so we’ve got to prepare well for the next game as we know India are capable of bouncing back.
“You know that we have got some scars as well, so we just have to prepare well, start well and carry on the momentum we’ve gained from the last game. We know that India will try hard to bounce back, so the next Test is going to be crucial in deciding the fate of the series,” Burns said.
The 31-year-old batsman, who was going through a lean patch with a series of low scores, found some rhythm back with an unbeaten half-century in the second innings at the Adelaide Oval when Australia needed just 90 for victory.
The cracking pull shot he played against Umesh Yadav en route to victory provided an encouraging sign to Burns in terms of rediscovering his form.
“It’s funny how in this game there’s often one shot that can just give you everything you’ve been searching for as a batsman,” he said.
But India opener Prithvi Shaw continues to struggle, getting cleaned up twice in almost similar fashion in the opening Test.
Burns, naturally, wants Shaw’s woeful run to continue till the end of this series.
Asked if he has any advice for the India opener, Burns cheekily replied: “I wouldn’t give him any advice as I am playing against him. I’m hoping that he makes no runs at all.
“I actually don’t know what form he has been in. I haven’t been following him.”
“He’s obviously a quality player if he’s playing for India and the opener’s role is never quite easy. I might give advice at the end of the series, but not after the first game,” Burns said.