Sydney, Jan 30: Australia coach Mickey Arthur believes the Indians will come back hard in the two T20Is, and ODI tri-series, after the 0-4 Test drubbing. "I think we're going to see a totally different India. There's no doubt in my mind. They're definitely hurting,” Arthur said.
The Aussie coach felt that the advent of India’s limited-overs specialists would bring freshness into the team’s performance. “They've got players in who bring a huge amount of enthusiasm – the likes of Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja. I'm sure they're going to come very strong at us."
Speaking about his own team, Arthur said the younger players were in for some gruelling preparation ahead of the first T20 scheduled for February 1.
"The boys are going to get fairly flogged today. There's going to be a good start; we're going to put our mark in the sand for them.
"It was really nice meeting a whole new ground of players. It almost refreshed us as a support staff because we've been on the road for long with the Test team. To see the crossover and to start working with some other players was really exciting. It energised us a little bit," Arthur said.
Carrying on from the recent Test successes, Arthur has his eye set on the 2012 World Twenty20 in September. "It's the start of something new. There's a group of players there that have got first bite at a potential World Cup [spot] in six months’ time. We want to see what they are all about."
Asked why the out-of-form opener Shaun Marsh was picked in the T20 squad despite being left out of the ODI team, Arthur said, "If I said he [Shaun Marsh] was fine, I would probably be lying. He has had a tough time of it. But I thought his efforts in the field were fantastic. He never once dragged the dressing room down.
“That's the type of character we want from the bloke. He will go back and he will score runs and he will be back again. [The two brothers] get on really well and I know [Shaun] was rapt for Mitch and Mitch is obviously disappointed for him but they will play together for a long time to come," he said.
Senior wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, who has been out of touch with the bat, also misses out on in the tri-series. "I've had a good chat to Brad and he knows exactly where he stands if he wants to play on. He feels he has a lot to contribute and so do I but like any other player, players need to give us ammunition to keep picking him.
“[Haddin] has been ticking over. But we need to take two wicketkeepers to the West Indies and we probably have the best two in mind," Arthur said, expecting Matthew Wade to rise to the occasion.
"I really hope he does because it breeds competition in the squad and as I have always said, nobody has a permanent place in the Aussie cricket team. I've coached against him. The quality he brings is he's a terrier, a fighter – unbelievable in two disciplines. We want players who fight. They're strong of character and Matthew's got all of that."
Arthur also feels there is a need to tap new resources in the presence of pros like Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey. "I've spoken about increasing our depth pool. We believe again with our batting we know where it could be with no Ricky and no Mike. We need to have a look at other players.
"Philip Forrest has got an opportunity now for the first three ODIs. There are other young potential batters out there that might get an opportunity," he said.
"If [young talents] are knocking the door down domestically, they will be given an opportunity. There's no closed shop in Australian cricket," Arthur said.
