'Sponge' Renshaw soaks up Monty spin tips
Jan 19, 2017 - 4:17 AM Matt Renshaw has been like a sponge around Australia's new spin consultant Monty Panesar, as the Test rookie comes to terms with the conditions awaiting him on next month's tour of India.That's the view of tweaker Steve O'Keefe, who is training with Renshaw and Panesar on a tailor-made wicket in hot, humid weather at Cricket Australia's Centre of Excellence in Brisbane.
"It does feel a bit like the last time I was in India," O'Keefe said on Thursday of the dusty surface that had been prepared for them.
"It was Chennai - it was quite humid like this. This is playing plenty of tricks, this wicket.
"Matt and myself are getting plenty out of it."
Englishman Panesar was part of the last touring team to win in India in 2012, taking 17 wickets at 26.82 during that series.
The 34-year-old was hired this week to impart some of his knowledge to Australia's slow bowlers and batsmen on what to expect on the subcontinent.
Renshaw, 20, has never been to India but, according to O'Keefe, he's getting his head around a set of circumstances that have undone many an experienced batsman before him.
"He's a sponge," O'Keefe said.
"He's pretty quiet off the field, a bit quirky at times but, in the cricketing sense, he's developing skills as a 20-year-old that 30-year-olds would love to have.
"As we've seen on the international stage, he tends to adapt pretty quickly."
Renshaw admitted he was still on something of a high after his sudden elevation to the Test team, highlighted by his stunning 184 against Pakistan in just his fourth match.
He said he felt training with Panesar and O'Keefe was giving him the "head start" he needed on some of his other teammates, playing in the Big Bash League or one-day internationals.
"It's quite challenging, (the wicket) probably would be a bit harder than what we're going to get in India," Renshaw said.
"But that's the point of practice. You practise harder than it is and you go over there and it's probably a bit easier.
"I think we'll be pretty confident. We're all excited and looking forward to the challenge that is India and, hopefully, we can knock them off on their home ground."
Source: AAP
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