Glenn McGrath offers to help the Aussie pacers ahead of the Border-Gavaskar series

Former legendary fast bowler Glenn McGrath has offered to help the Australian pacers ahead of the Border-Gavaskar series to be played in India from February. Australia has had a tough time in Test cricket in the recent past and will surely benefit if McGrath joins as a mentor ahead of one of the toughest assignments of the year.

Traditionally teams have struggled in India and Australia is no exception. They have won only 4 of the last 30 Tests in India since 1970 and McGrath has been part of three of those. “It’s probably the toughest place in the world to be a fast bowler,” McGrath told AAP.

“I’m over in India six weeks a year, working at the MRF Pace Foundation, so I’ve learnt a lot about the technical side of fast bowling. To bowl in India is something you have to do and get out there and experience and I’ve had a lot of experience bowling in the sub-continent before my time at the MRF. So I’m always happy to help the boys out wherever I can,” said McGrath, who was a member of the Australia side who defeated India in their own den in 2004.

Australia suffered a humiliating 4-0 whitewash at the hands of India during their last tour in 2013. McGrath said he was interested in working with the current crop of pacers and advising them on what worked for him in the subcontinent. He felt if his suggestions helped them it will surely benefit Australia in the longer run. “What the future holds for me in coaching, I’m not too sure,” he said. “But I’m always happy to give the boys a little bit of advice and chat about what worked for me over the sub-continent. If it works for any of them, brilliant.”

Despite the tough and challenging conditions which Australia is expected to face during the upcoming series, McGrath felt the pace battery can succeed. “First-class cricket in India, in the Ranji Trophy, they actually do leave a little bit of grass on the wicket. But I can’t see that happening in the Test series,” he said. “Obviously Australia has struggled against spin in those conditions in the past so I dare say it will be something very similar.

“So Australia will need to come up with a game plan of how our batsmen are going to combat that. That’s the biggest issue. Our bowlers, I think they’ll still enjoy bowling over there. If you look after the ball, you get good reverse swing.”