Matt Renshaw reveals which Indian bowler will be the biggest threat to Australia in BGT 2023

A four-match Test series between India and Australia, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 will begin on February 9 in Nagpur. And this will be the first time the two sides would meet since India last won the series 2-1 in Australia in the 2020-21 series.

Australian batter Matt Renshaw said that veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will be among the hardest bowlers to face in the series. The Pat Cummins-led Australia’s strategy against the Indian off-spinner, who made history in 2021 by being the first bowler to capture 200 wickets of left-handers, is a major topic of discussion as the Border-Gavaskar series gets underway in Nagpur.

Given the abundance of left-handed batsmen in Australia’s batting order, including David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, wicketkeeper Alex Carey, and Renshaw himself, Ashwin might be a real problem for the visitors during the important series.

Obviously, everyone thinks about the one that turns and gets you caught at slip: Matt Renshaw

“Ashwin is difficult to face. He is a smart bowler with a lot of variations and he uses them very well, but you do get used to him once you’ve faced him for a while. I think the big challenge from Ashwin and any off-spinner in spinning conditions to a left-hander is the lbw threat.” Renshaw indicated Australia should be wary of Ashwin’s delivery which doesn’t spin and has caused a lot of LBW dismissals,” Renshaw asserted on Australian Associated Press on Wednesday.

“Obviously everyone thinks about the one that turns and gets you caught at slip, but the big one is the lbw when it doesn’t spin. You just have to be ready for that one. I think two years of batting at No.5 helped me with facing spin. I know my game a lot better now and I am a lot more comfortable in different situations,” the 26-year-old stated.

Renshaw played for the 2017 India tour team and started the first innings of all but one of the four Test matches. In the first Test at Pune, Ashwin only got rid of him once, but not before Renshaw had reached the fifty-run mark. The batter, who would most likely slot in at No. 5 in the XI for the next trip, was nevertheless sure that his team would be a formidable opponent.