Former speed merchant Brett Lee reckons Australia’s pace triumvirate would hold the key during the year-end home Test series against India and is keen to figure out how much the kookaburra ball swings without saliva Down Under.
Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood form a fine pace attack for Australia.
With the ban on saliva due to the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the world’s fastest bowlers wants the custodians of the game to come up with an “artificial substance” to maintain the balance between bat and ball.
“Playing at home obviously gives you that advantage, but that said I know that India will pack a full strength squad to tour Australia. I still believe if Australia is to win our bowlers hold the key,” Lee said.
The kookaburra seam is not as pronounced as Dukes or SG Tests balls and the flattening of seam coupled with ban on saliva will make it harder for bowlers of both teams.
“It will definitely change the way the game is played so we don’t want to make it even harder for bowlers even more than it is currently is,” said the 43-year-old Lee.
India’s pace attack, which has been phenomenal in the past three years, has the capability of “knocking over any top order” in world cricket but it will again boil down to how much the ball swings.
“India have got some extremely good pace bowlers that are capable of knocking over any top order. Once again I think it comes down to how the ball will swing or not swing in different conditions (Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney).”