Arthur confident of taming India’s batters

Aus coach Mickey claims to have all 'information' to tame India's batting line-up

Arthur confident of taming India's batters

Aus coach Mickey claims to have all 'information' to tame India's batting line-up

Australia coach Mickey Arthur is a sharpshooter. As coach of South Africa, he did the extraordinary -- thrashing an Indian side at Motera inside three days of a Test in April 2008. About two-and-a-half years later, he was ruthless while attacking the Indians in his autobiography 'Taking the Mickey'.

Australia's coach Mickey Arthur (right) with skipper Michael Clarke
during a training session. Pic/Getty Images

"The Indians were awful (at Ahmedabad), and all the talk about their minds being elsewhere was obviously true. They were spineless and distracted," Arthur wrote, blaming the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the reason for India's humiliating defeat.

Arthur is once again at his attacking best, claiming to have the needed 'information' to tame the famed Indian batting going into the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) here. "I do reckon that we now have a lot of information (on India's batsmen) that we can use going forward in the series. We will alter our game plan slightly for the top four of the six.

"But, we do have enough information to enable us to change our plans if and when necessary," he told reporters before Australia's departure from Melbourne on Saturday after their 122-run victory in the first Test.

Arthur acknowledged the fantastic records of Sachin Tendulkar (three hundreds from four Tests) and VVS Laxman (three hundreds from three Tests) at the SCG, but was quick to remind the Indians that wicket here had changed in recent years.

"If you look at the records at Sydney over the years, Sachin and Laxman have played really well. It has been one of the places in Australia where the surface has been closer to sub-continental conditions. "But, the SCG has changed a little in recent years. I am hoping to see some grass on it. It has seamed around a little of late, we hope that it would continue to assist the quicker men," he said.

Psychological blow
Arthur hailed his pace attack of James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus for downing India in the first Test. "We could keep them (Indian batsmen) under the pump (at MCG) for long periods. I would like to believe that we have struck some psychological blows on them.

"Sure, they all come with great records and fantastic scores. But we managed to keep them under pressure. Every batsman in the world cricket loves to score freely. We believe it's about stepping up the pressure with lots of dot balls. We have been able to do that," he said.

Arthur played down talk of Australia including Ryan Harris in a four-pronged pace-attack. "I am pretty loath to go into any Test match without a spinner. Obviously, conditions will determine that, but the SCG has normally got a history of favouring spin down the line," he said.