‘We have got to beat India on skill’

“Indian teams always go quite hard, if you give them a sniff they’ll run with it. Our job is to make sure they can’t get in the game so they can’t get aggressive with us, and then take the momentum away from us. But it’s not our issue. We’ve got to play good cricket, and beat them on skill,” Wade said. He said he was shocked by a distinct change in India’s approach between the first and second cricket Test in the ongoing series. 

“The change from the first Test to the second Test was probably the initial shock. They certainly came out a little harder on day three (at Bengaluru), but we expect them to come hard,” Wade said of the Test that was marked by controversy over skipper Steve Smith’s dismissal.

 “When you’ve got a caged lion you expect them to come out pretty hard, to get away. Indian teams are always quite aggressive. Dhoni was a different captain to Kohli, but that’s just personality.” About his own approach to the game, Wade said, “I feel like I play my best cricket when I get in the contest. When you’re back’s against the wall you’ve got to find a way to get up and about, so I still feel like that’s a big part of my game. 

“Getting older I probably tamed it down a little bit and I probably know when to use it a little bit more now, and when I need it myself. 

“I probably don’t use it a hundred per cent of the time any more, but I’ve still got it there if I need it. If there’s a time I think it can be an advantage for us, sure — I’ll go for it,” Wade added.