Australia break with tradition by trusting spinners against India

I n Ahmedabad, everything is about colour. Hot pink and deep purple to celebrate Holi festival the day before Thursday’s fourth Test. The sea of orange planned for morning one, masses of people brought in on buses in a political flex for India’s prime minister. Emerald green for the pitch that India would have used had they won the third Test and locked in a World Test Championship final in England. Pure white covers on the drier pitch they will use instead, with a win still required.

For Australia, the obsolescence of a green seamer means that they can rely on Green and a seamer. That is, all-rounder Cameron Green can be the support for a lone pace specialist in Mitchell Starc, leaving room to pick three spinners.

As recently as two Tests ago, even within the team management making the decision, this was seen as a gamble. Australian teams don’t pick three spinners, at least not since radar was invented. And two of this particular three had one Test between them. But after setting up what should have been a win in Delhi, then securing one in Indore, there is suddenly faith in Nathan Lyon, Matt Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy.

The new kids picked up five-wicket bags in an innings, taking it in turns to dismiss Virat Kohli. Lyon watched on, gave guidance, then took 11 in the match at Indore.

So, even though the Ahmedabad pitch looks like it will be better for batting than anything seen in the series, it is still likely it will be shorn of grass at either end, meaning Australia would stick with the method and keep all of those spin options at their disposal. For the stand-in captain, Steve Smith, it was all about them giving him variety.

“Kuhnemann, spinning the ball away from the bat, bowled really well that first morning [in