‘India need to execute their plans against Bangladesh,’ says Glenn McGrath

Chennai: Australian pace great Glenn McGrath said that the Indian team would need to execute their plans properly during their one-off Test match against Bangladesh starting in Fatullah on Wednesday.

"There is only one Test and they need to play like any other Test. When you play in a Test series you think about the next Test. You do not think about the second or third Test here," McGrath said.

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"They (Indians) must have prepared themselves for the single Test and they need to execute their plans. It is just another test match," said McGrath, who is currently the coaching director of the MRF Pace Foundation here.

The Bangladesh tour, which also features three ODIs, will see Ravi Shastri once again donning the role of Team Director. The former India captain has said India doesn't need a head coach now and he might fill up the role if needed.

Asked to define the role of a chief coach and a team director, McGrath said: "I do not know, what Ravi is doing is different to what a team coach will do. I do not know what the job description is for Ravi. If he is not, then I do not know again."

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Talking about the ongoing series of Australia and England against the West Indies and New Zealand respectively, he said: "I think the way the Australians are playing they can win 10-0. If England want to be competitive, they have to really lift themselves."

On his objectives for MRF Academy, McGrath said: "For me personally, we are only giving the facility for the spinners to use and they have their own spin coach here and he is working with them.”

"Troy Cooley (Australia's National Cricket Centre head coach) has brought in fast bowlers for training at the Academy. In order to have few games here he has brought couple of batsmen and bowlers including spinners here,” McGrath added.

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"I will work with the boys of the Academy and the junior fast bowlers from Australia and the BCCI is sending couple of boys for training here till June 20. We still focus on the fast bowlers. I cannot teach on how to play against spin," he said.

Asked about Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who was awarded Man of the Tournament in the 2015 World Cup, McGrath said: "He always had the potential and to bowl at 150kmph, the left-armer swings the ball well. He is a one day player and knows the one day very well.”

(Photo: AP)

"He can bowl with the new ball and take couple of wickets and come back with the older ball and bowl good yorkers that not many bowlers in world cricket can do, perhaps except Malinga (Lasith) and no one else. He bowls such good yorkers in one day games,” McGrath pointed out.

"Still, he can bowl well in Test too. I think the confidence that he has got in one-dayers, he has carried it to the Tests too. World Cups, one-day games and T20 games suit his type of bowlers," McGrath said.

Emphasising on yorkers, McGrath said: "I do not think that the bowlers practice enough at the nets. If you are practicing to bowl yorkers at the nets, you need to bowl behind the line. If you are bowling no balls, you are practicing the wrong way.”

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"Even if you are bowling good yorkers in the nets, you are going over the front line and if you do not practice at the nets, you cannot straightaway bowl your length in a competitive game," he added.

On the ICC rule of having one more fielder during the powerplay and allowing one more bouncer, the 45-year-old said: "Probably if you got one more fielder when the power play is up, obviously then you can protect one portion of the field. Some batsmen look at the short ball as a scoring option. Again it depends on the bowler. He should know what fields that he requires. It is something that a bowler needs to show more perfection that can work in his favour," he added.

Cooley said Shastri may "walk into" the job of chief coach of the Indian cricket team. "I think the relationship between the captain and coach is necessary as he cannot talk to 10 people. The captain leads the players and works with the coach. When it comes to decision making, final call is taken by the captain and the coach.”

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"I am led to believe that Ravi would walk into that spot (chief coach) and it is my take. I do not know, he would be still be the head coach. In a team, a coach, head coach and captain is the common thing. Otherwise, there will be confusion," said Cooley, who earlier worked as bowling coach of the England team.

"I had always supported somebody in charge. Ravi is still in-charge and he is bringing his counsel around him until you find another coach. If you need leadership, you should have somebody in charge. In Australia, we love great champions coming back," he added.

Asked if India should play its full strength team against Bangladesh, Cooley said, "I am always for giving young players the opportunity. Of course, Bangladesh would be a great opportunity for young players in the Indian team.”