Chandigarh: Australia will require a proper plan to negate the threat posed by India's left-arm pace bowler Zaheer Khan and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh in the forthcoming two-Test series, vice-captain Michael Clarke said on Thursday.
"Zaheer Khan is a wonderful bowler with the new ball and he can reverse it with the old ball," Clarke was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency.
"Harbhajan Singh too has had a lot of success in Test cricket, against Australia in particular. Both are probably two of India's best bowlers who have had the experience of playing a lot against Australia.
"We have to come up with a plan to combat these two."
His views found support in teammate Shane Watson, who reckoned Zaheer's grasp over swing makes the Indian a difficult bowler.
"It is always the hardest thing facing the new ball that swings. It had a huge impact on (an earlier) series (with India)," said Watson.
The Australian all-rounder also seemed to have high regards for Harbhajan, whom he described as a "brilliant exponent of spin bowling".
Australia play the first Test at Mohali on October 1 and Clarke said beating India at home would not be an easy task.
"We know it's going to be a tough challenge. India is a strong team, but if we can play our best cricket, we can beat them in the series.
Good hands
"It is always hard to play against India, especially on their home soil. It's hard to come here and enjoy success, but we need to play as best as we possibly can."
Commenting on the betting scandal that has engulfed the game Clarke said: "It's obviously tough for the game at the moment, but I think the game is in very good hands around the world, the game of cricket has been around for such a long time, it's experienced things like this in the past and I know we'll get through it
"The game is still in a wonderful place, we still have a lot of people coming and supporting and watching the game of cricket and I think you'll see throughout this series that the players are as keen as ever and I guess that's part of your job as a professional cricketer to get out there and play some good entertaining cricket.
"It's just important that, at the moment they're still allegations."
