Getting Steve Smith out: Harbhajan reveals how spinners may be ‘key point’

India have had a disappointing start to their tour of Australia after the hosts crushed them with mammoth scores in the first two matches of the ODI series, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead. As the visitors look to salvage their pride in the final one-dayer on Wednesday, veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh reveals what may work to the advantage of the ‘Men in Blue’.

With two back-to-back centuries, Australian star batsman Steve Smith has rattled the Indian bowling combination, smashing 25 boundaries and six sixes in two matches. Not to mention the contributions of in-form batsmen Aaron Finch, David Warner and Glenn Maxwell. While Warner has been ruled out of the last ODI due to an injury, the others pose an equally serious threat.

Harbhajan has revealed that a spin-heavy attack may be key to dismissing Smith early in the next match.

“I would like to see Smith batting against spinners. You know, Yuzvendra Chahal or maybe Kuldeep Yadav coming in, in the side. They both bowling in tandem and bowl 7-8 overs of spin when Smith comes in. Steve Smith is someone who likes pace on the bat if you take that away from him for some time that might be the key point to get him out,” he said.

He also gave Chahal a piece of advice on his bowling performance which is lacking the firepower that was evident during the IPL last month.

“I don’t see anything wrong going with Chahal. It’s the conditions, it’s purely the different conditions what they get in Australia and what they were getting in UAE,” Harbhajan said.

“It’s just as Virat said, Australians know their wicket better than others and they are taking their chances against him. So, my advice to Chahal would be to keep working harder on his game and bowl a little bit slower in the air if possible and you might see some turn on the wicket,” he added.

India take on Australia in the third and final ODI on Wednesday at 9.10am IST.