|
Dubai: Ian Chappell, who is hailed as one of the finest Australian captains, feel that Australia has never been so vulnerable since they took over the domination of world cricket from West Indies.
"Australia has been losing top players but they had continued to do well, but today we have a bowling attack that looks one-dimensional," said Chappell who was in Dubai to attend the HSBC cricket challenge annual award function.
"We have slow bowlers but not spin bowlers for the Indian tour. What makes a team stand out is the quality of bowlers especially their pace bowlers and Australia has not got that quality of bowlers," he added.
Chappell, who led Australia when it had one of the finest bowling attack led by Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thompson, said: "What makes a team stand out is the quality of bowling. Unless you have that quality of bowling you many not win consistently. Do not forget that it is a team that recorded a success rate of 75 per cent and that is something ridiculous."
However, he feels that most teams are still not strong enough to challenge the Aussies.
"Except for India, I don't see any team capable enough to beat Australia on a regular basis," he said.
Asked whether South Africa, which is ranked No 2 in the world could do it, Chappell said: "South Africa is a pretty average side."
Chappell, who is one of the commentators of the present Australia-India series, was delighted that the series had lived up to expectations.
Good cricket
"This series has produced very good cricket and it has been very competitive. The only other series that I remember was so competitive was the Ashes series in 2005. But in the next series England lost five-nil. So what is the point in challenging in one series and getting whacked in the next series.
"Indians has been challenging the might of the Australians for the last few years regularly. So apart from India I don't see any other team likely to beat Australia on a regular basis."
To a query as to whether players should be banned for playing in the Indian Cricket League (ICL), Chappell said: "If a good strong component body is running cricket they should be allowed. It is important to have as many cricketers playing the game.
"The ideal way is to sit down and work out a plan by which all three forms of the game work together. At the moment cricket is a run away train with no one at the controls."
|
