Starc ready for challenge from India

Aware of the range of challenges India will offer during Australia's upcoming four-match Test tour, fast bowler Mitchell Starc says he hopes to extract swing, both conventional and reverse, from the SG balls in spin-friendly conditions there.

With 24 victims at 15.16 on Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka last year, Starc eclipsed Dennis Lillee’s record (23 scalps against England in the 1979-90 home Ashes) for the most wickets taken by an Australian quick in a three-Test series.

Starc admitted the quicks will need to go through a period of assessment with the Sanspareils Greenlands (SG) made ball.

The SG like the Duke ball used in England, is handmade unlike the red Kookaburra ball used by most Test playing nations. spinners and seamers alike grip the seam well and the ball tends to reverse swing more.

'It's a different ball (there in India), so there are different challenges there to try and get it reversing and to see if it swings when it's brand new,' said the left-arm pace spearhead.

Former Australia pacer and bowling coach Craig McDermott believes it will be the pace combination of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood who will play a major role in tackling Virat Kohli and Co during the four-Test series.