'Already Inside Australia's Head': Former India Cricketer Reacts After Ashwin's 'Carbon Copy' Joins AUS Net Session

Australia are leaving no stones unturned in their preparation for the four-match Test series against India. They know the challenge that awaits is stiff and something they have found it get past to historically.

Spinners have ruled the roost in India and again they are expected to play a predominant role when the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy gets underway in Nagpur. The eyes will be fixed on Steve Smith widely regarded as one of the finest batters of this era and his impending battle with India ace Ravichandran Ashwin, one of the finest spinners in Test history.

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Ashwin has taken 89 wickets against Australia in 18 Tests with 50 of them when playing at home. And he’s again expected to be a major threat to the world’s top-ranked team which is aiming for their first ever Test series win on Australian soil since 2004.

So no wonder the tourists have been quite meticulous in their planning. So much so that they have flew in Baroda’s Mahesh Pithiya – an 18-year-old offspinner whose bowling action is quite similar to that of Ashwin.

Pithiya bowled to the Australian batters and his battle against Smith made the waves as he at times got the better of the Aussie who then readjusted his approach to deal with the challenge.

A clip of Pithiya’s stint with the Australian team in Bengaluru was shared on social media and went viral.

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Former India Test opener Wasim Jaffer poked fun at Australia, saying Ashwin is already on their minds even before the first Test has started.

“First Test is five days away and @ashwinravi99 is already inside Aus head,” Jaffer posted on his official Twitter handle.

The four-match series is important from the perspective of the World Test Championship as it could decide which two teams make it to the final.

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