SYDNEY: Coach Darren Lehmann said Australia’s batsmen will have to be prepared to bat for long periods in next month’s four-Test series in India.
Australia scored seven centuries in the 3-0 Test series clean sweep of Pakistan completed in Sydney on Saturday, but Lehmann warned the batsmen would have to be prepared to “grind it out” in India.
While Australia had it much their own way against Pakistan, winning all three Tests, attention has now switched to the coming tough assignment on the subcontinent with the squad to be announced this week.
Pundits said it is expected to include the 13 players who were in the squad in Sydney, plus Shaun Marsh and probably two others — likely an additional fast bowler and an extra batting all-rounder.
There will be a great deal of focus on Australia’s spin contingent of Nathan Lyon, Steve O’Keefe and Ashton Agar.
But Lehmann said it was the batting that must be ready for the challenges against Virat Kohli’s top-ranked India.
“Batting long periods of time is going to be the key,” Lehmann told reporters after Saturday’s 220-run Sydney Test win.
“I think (England’s) Alastair Cook summed it up really well on their tour, where they didn’t bat long enough.
“They got decent scores but they still didn’t bat long enough. That’s going to be the challenge for this group.
“We batted 135 overs in the first innings (in Sydney). We’ll need to bat for 150 overs plus in India to post a big total.
“It’s a great challenge for the young group. They’re fit and strong so they should be able to bat long periods of time.”
Skipper Steve Smith was careful not to set expectations too high, recalling Australia’s 4-0 Test series drubbing on their last tour to India in 2013.
“It’s obviously going to be a very difficult series,” Smith said.
“We’re under no illusions that it’s going to be tough. We’re going to have to play some very good cricket if we want to compete over there.
“It’s going to be a great challenge and learning curve for this group.
“A few of us have been there before. We know it’s extremely difficult to play them in their own backyard.
“It’s a completely different place to play, playing on those wickets that are nothing like playing on the wickets here in Australia.”
Lehmann refused to guarantee third-Test hero Matt Renshaw a starting berth against India.
The young opener is under threat from veteran Shaun Marsh if selectors adopt a horses-for-courses policy for the tour of the subcontinent, despite being one of the revelations of Australia’s Test revival since their innings debacle against South Africa in Hobart in November.
Marsh is yet to play a Test in India but has made two centuries from three Tests in Sri Lanka, including 130 in August at an average of 76.5.
Renshaw has the weight of a career-best 184 in the first innings against Pakistan in Sydney and would be deemed unlucky not to play the first Test against India, let alone miss the tour entirely.
“It’s a case of what’s the best line-up to win in India and compete,” Lehmann said.
“At the moment you would say he would play but we have to sum up what the conditions are like, what the pitches will be like, how we’ll play, how we’ll play everyone in the XI to give us a chance to take 20 wickets.”
The first Test against India begins in Pune on Feb. 23.
Aussies need to bat for long periods in India, says Lehmann
Aussies need to bat for long periods in India, says Lehmann
Al-Hilal’s woes continue as Blues drop points against Al-Taawoun
- Two penalties saw the game at Wolves Park end 1-1 between Al-Hilal and Al-Taawoun
- Simone Inzaghi’s side drop to third place, one point behind Al-Ahli in first and level with Al-Nassr, who play on Wednesday
DAMMAM: As we head into the final third of the 2025/26 Saudi Pro League campaign, it’s looking more likely that the deciding factor won’t be team finances, star signings or managerial strategies. Ultimately, it will all boil down to the referees.
With the delayed Matchday 10 now fully underway, Al-Hilal made the short trip to Qassim to face one of the season’s early dark horses, Al-Taawoun. Under Péricles Chamusca, who returned for his second stint at the club last summer, they’ve firmly positioned themselves as an upper mid-table side in the league.
After dropping points to 10-man Al-Ittihad last weekend, Al-Hilal returned to their position in the first half of the season: chasing Al-Nassr. While just one point behind their city rivals, Al-Hilal have a more difficult set of games in the upcoming period. Al-Nassr face Al-Najma on Wednesday, a side which have won just once in 22 games this season and sit dead last.
Al-Hilal weren’t helped by the fact that Karim Benzema was unavailable for this game. Out for a several matches, according to L'Équipe, with an adductor injury, Simone Inzaghi decided to use Marcos Leonardo.
Frozen out of team training after expressing his disdain at the club’s decision to not include him in the league squad as a regular player, the Brazilian’s return to the starting XI highlighted just how fragile the current squad rules are. On one day, you can be out of the club. A knock to an important player means you’re back in.
It was a game to forget for Marcos Leonardo, however. Besides seemingly being pulled down in the box by Mailson in first-half stoppage time, he barely threatened his countryman’s goal. The referee decided not to award a penalty.
Had he awarded that penalty, it would have been the third in nine minutes. In the 36th minute, Théo Hernández put his foot out to grab a ball in front of Mohammed Mahzari. The Frenchman was brought down in the process, leading to a VAR review.
Al-Hilal won the penalty, and Rúben Neves coolly converted to open the scoring. The video of the VAR decision quickly made the rounds on social media, with fans especially incensed after decisions that allegedly went in favour of Al-Ahli on Monday. Their opponents on the day, Damac, released an official statement citing their disdain at the refereeing decisions which they felt led to their defeat.
The penalty decisions wouldn’t stop at Hernández’s fall. Four minutes later, a Roger Martinez free-kick looked like it was on its way to goal, only for Sergej Milinković-Savić’s arm to block the ball’s trajectory. Another VAR review followed, with another penalty given. Martinez slotted it home to equalise before half-time.
Usually, Al-Hilal would deal with challenging opposition like Al-Taawoun by upping the tempo after the interval. This occasion was different. Al-Hilal looked out of sorts. They were positionally weak and lacked a decisive touch. They created chances, but this was not the Blues at their strongest.
Al-Taawoun deserve their fair share of praise. Chamusca’s traditional 5-4-1 saw greater freedom in the press, with a slower build-up preferred as opposed to previous outings. When pressed back, though, it quickly formed into a compact shape of at least nine players blocking key central areas.
Whereas in the game against Al-Okhdood — the evening where Benzema netted a debut hat-trick — the visitors were much better at breaking down the opposition block’s compactness. This time, Al-Taawoun would not grant the same level of freedom.
In stoppage time, Al-Hilal missed a golden chance that they may come to regret at the end of the season. Leonardo was released in space down the right and delivered a cross to Salem Al-Dawsari, who seemed set for a clear strik at goal. The ball flew past him as the game ended 1-1, adding further worry to Al-Hilal’s title challenge.
Elsewhere, Al-Ittihad and Al-Hazem played out a 1-1 draw in a game that saw Sérgio Conceição’s side struggle to take control. Muhannad Al-Shanqiti, who started on the bench, came on at half-time and changed the game — for better and for worse.
In the 80th minute, he broke into the opposition half and delivered a cross to Roger Fernandes, who unleashed a shot from outside of the box to score the opener. Four minutes later, he was beaten by Nawaf Al-Habashi on the counter, as he released Abdulaziz Al-Dhuwayhi to finish past Predrag Rajković.
Meanwhile, Ramiro Enrique continued his stellar season for Al-Kholood by scoring a brace against Al-Khaleej to increase his tally to 13 goals for the campaign. His goals were sandwiched between an early Paolo Fernandes strike in the second minute and an 87th-minute equaliser from Saleh Al-Amri to finish 2-2.
Matchday 10 concludes on Wednesday, with Al-Fayha welcoming NEOM and Al-Najma hosting Al-Nassr at 10:00pm.
