NEW DELHI: Australian cricket legend Ian Healy weighed in on Australia’s recent 1-2 ODI series loss to Pakistan, offering a detailed critique of the team’s strategy and approach in Australian conditions.
Despite a promising start with a win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the Aussies stumbled in the subsequent matches, suffering comprehensive nine-wicket and eight-wicket losses at the Adelaide Oval and Optus Stadium, respectively. This was Pakistan's first ODI series win over the hosts in 22 years.
Healy highlighted Australia’s apparent failure to adapt its game plan to the unique demands of bouncy, seaming wickets on home soil - a mistake he believes Pakistan capitalised on to clinch the series after Australia took the first match. For him, Australia’s path to success in such conditions involved conserving wickets during the first 20 overs - setting a strong base that would allow for a push in the later stages of the innings, regardless of whether they were setting or chasing a target.
"Bouncy, seaming, wickets were excellent for all three contests and brought the bowlers into contests that are better than ever before.
This means conserving wickets for the first 20 overs is the way to reach winnable totals, both if you're making runs and chasing big totals, " Healy told SENQ Breakfast Podcast.
"It isn't India where you need to get in before the spinners slow things down in those conditions. So just check how Pakistan batted and how easy they did it when they took their time and conserved their wickets up front."
He also criticised Australia’s inability to gauge what constituted a good total on Australian wickets. Rather than aiming for “big totals” through aggressive play, Healy argued that the team should have focused on batting for the full 50 overs and grinding out a respectable score.
Australia’s innings scores in the last two games - 163/10 in 35 overs in the second ODI and 140/10 in 31.5 overs in the third - revealed a lack of understanding of the game plan that would best suit these pitches.
"Assessing what a realistic good total is, was absent as well. So too, batting for 50 overs. 140 in 31.5 overs, 163 in 35 overs and 204 in 33.3 overs were the results when we said, we're going for big totals."
Healy's strongest critique, however, was directed at the coaching staff, especially after hearing the head coach address the team’s disappointing performance in the final game. “For mine, the Australian coach’s judgment went on the line in game three, ” he said.
Healy reviewed the footage and found only two true “defensive shots” in the innings, contrasting sharply with the numerous risky, half-baked attacking shots that led to wickets falling cheaply.
Looking ahead to the Test matches against India starting in Perth, Healy remains hopeful that the team will approach its campaign with renewed discipline and pragmatism, drawing lessons from the ODI series on playing conditions and adjusting strategies to suit Australian wickets.
"Wickets are generally flatter in T20s and let’s see if that is the case – Brisbane, the SCG and Ninja Stadium in Hobart are all in for some fireworks before the Test cricket starts in Perth, " Healy concluded.