Reuters/Melbourne


Australia must stifle their attacking instincts in the subcontinent and “bore” batsmen into giving up their wickets, captain Steven Smith has said.
Smith will lead a rebuilding Australia team into a two-Test series against Bangladesh next month after a disappointing 3-2 Ashes loss in England.
Australia swept Bangladesh 2-0 in their last tour in 2006 but have always struggled on the subcontinent’s flat wickets, which nullify pace bowling.
Though Smith led Australia against India in three Tests at home, he will captain the side on tour for the first time.
“I think that’s something I’m going to have to adapt to with my captaincy,” Smith told local media in Sydney. “In Australia you can be a little bit more attacking.
“In places on the subcontinent you’ve got to find ways to get batsmen out, you might have to bore them out.
“For me it’s about being adaptable wherever we play.
“So you might have to be more defensive with that and when the ball starts to spin and reverse swing, that’s when you can attack.”
Australia have elected to rest fast men Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood from the tour, leaving workhorse Peter Siddle and left-armer Mitchell Starc to lead the attack.
One-Test tyro Pat Cummins will bid with uncapped Tasmania bowler Andrew Fekete to be the third seamer, though Smith has left the door ajar to play two spinners in the Tests in Chittagong and Dhaka.
Unused for most of the Ashes, Siddle underlined his quality with six wickets in Australia’s consolation win in the fifth test at The Oval and will be important for Smith’s hopes of a maiden series win away.
“A big part of my game, especially in Australian conditions, has been reverse swing,” Siddle told reporters.
“That does benefit me a lot over there, and what I normally do is what I’ll do over there. Be patient, build pressure and bowl in the right areas.
“And I think my experience, not in Bangladesh, but in those conditions, will help.”
Meanwhile, Smith, sees little problem with the logo of a local brew being prominently featured on his Test shirt.
The ‘Victoria Bitter’ logo has been emblazoned on Australian kits for a number of years, but the lucrative sponsorship deal came under fire this week from New South Wales state premier Mike Baird, who has slammed the use of alcohol advertising in cricket and other local sports.
Baird told a charity dinner that it was an “incredible position” that Smith and team mates would play with the logos prominently displayed.
Smith, who plays for New South Wales in the domestic Sheffield Shield, was unfazed, however.
“I don’t think we have any problem with it,” Smith told local media of the branding. “We actively try to get out messages.
“We’ve got the ‘Know when to declare’ campaign, so we’re actively trying to restrict the level of consumption of alcohol to a responsible level. That’s pretty important for us.
“We’re promoting the brand,” he added. “Not the consumption of alcohol.”
Beer-soaked celebrations have been a part of the dressing room culture for most Australian teams of recent vintage.
Former test batsman David Boon is credited with drinking 52 cans on a flight to England for the 1989 Ashes tour, though the Tasmanian has since cast doubt on that legend.
Beer logos have not gone down well with all local players, however, with Pakistan-born legspinner Fawad Ahmed granted permission to play without one on his shirt during one-day matches in 2013 in deference to his Muslim faith.