Watson hopes for bouncy decks against India

Australia all-rounder Shane Watson hopes the groundskeepers Down Under are hard at work preparing tracks made for fast bowlers rather than spinners, so that India feel out of their depth.

India play a Test series in Australia later this year, and Watson hopes his side can get revenge for the whitewash they suffered on the sub-continent last year. There the decks were made for India’s spinners, and he wants the same advantage for Mitchell Johnson and the like this time.

Watson told Sydney radio station 2GB: “They have got a lot of world-class players, especially in their batting, but over here is a different challenge for them.

“We are hopeful that the groundsmen are going to make the grounds very conducive to what we do [because] in India, they certainly make sure the conditions are favourable to them.”

Watson has been out with a calf injury in recent weeks, and is looking to make a comeback soon, despite missing the Test series against Pakistan. When he does return, he’d like to open the batting again, rather than coming in at six.

He said: “I have had my best success opening in all formats. I love going in knowing I can just take on the game and not worry about the consequences, which is when I am batting at my best.”

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