Spin legend Shane Warne says Australia is still the best cricketing side in the world - despite the 2-0 drubbing in the India
LONDON: Spin legend Shane Warne says Australia is still the best cricketing side in the world - despite the 2-0 drubbing in the India - but questions the quality of its bowling.
“There has been a huge amount of talk this week about eras ending and dynasties toppling after India's win in the Test series. I can understand where they are coming from, but writing off Australia is a bit premature,” Warne warned in the Times newspaper on Friday.
“To me, Australia are still the best side in the world,” the leg spinner said.
“If cricket imitated boxing, the series was the equivalent of a heavyweight title bout and, yes, India would have taken the belt.
“But our sport doesn't work like that. Conditions are different all over the world and you have to look at how countries go against each other home and away over a period of time before weighing everything up.”
The former world number one wicket taker said he thought the Australian batting is as strong as ever, having put on scores past 400 in the Bangalore Test and nearly 600 in Delhi, “so there isn’t a problem there.”
“The big question is the ability to take 20 wickets.”
“Ricky's problem has been controlling games in the field now that he doesn't have somebody like Glenn McGrath or probably myself to call upon,” he said.
“The aura of invincibility that we carried in the eyes of the opposition has probably gone. Teams think they can beat us now, and belief is so important in sport. In the weeks ahead against New Zealand and South Africa we should look to impose ourselves again and intimidate a few opposition players.”
“We just need a bit of spark to get things going again.”
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