Thaindian News

Melbourne, Dec 27 (IANS) Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin hopes for another sunny day at the Mebourne Cricket Ground (MCG) Wednesday as it will make the pitch more batting friendly for his team to gain a sizeable first innings lead in the first Test against Australia.

India trail Australia by 119 runs after ending Day Two at 214 for three and have a great chance of dictating terms in the match.

Ashwin said the team is looking to bat Australia out of the game by putting up a huge total in reply to their 333.

“If the sun is going to belt down like this and the wicket eases more and more, I think we will have to look at batting out as much time as possible and trying to get as much ahead in the game as possible,” Ashwin told reporters after Tuesday’s play.

“That is very important. As far as this game could go, I think it is all about the first innings lead or first innings situation that both teams find themselves in.

“I hope the pitch just flattens out and becomes a really good day for us tomorrow.”

Ashwin maintained that the wicket was good for batting, though it had a bit in it for the bowlers.

“The wicket is hard and solid underneath, it doesn’t look it would break much. Any deviation from the wicket would certainly help. We have to put ourselves in a good position with the bat and then take it from there.”

Ashwin, who took three wickets in Australia’s innings, felt he did okay in the conditions.

“I thought I bowled well but it didn’t go my way. You have to test a spinner in the second innings when there are really some patches that open out.

“There was a lot of swerve in the air yesterday, the ball appeared to hang and drop on the batsmen. It was also drifting both ways, that is what I relied on mostly,” he said.