Playing India before Ashes ideal: Katich

Melbourne (PTI) - Australia captain Ricky Ponting might consider it less than ideal but senior batsman Simon Katich feels playing a Test series in India could actually be good preparation for the Ashes.

“There’s no ideal situation and you have to get used to it as a player, so we’ve got to adapt as quickly as possible,” he said.

“We’re playing Test cricket, so if that’s not going to be a good enough preparation for us to play a tough series against England, then I don’t know what is,” Katich told ’Australian Associated Press’

The five-Test Ashes series begins on November 25 in Brisbane and Australia will play two Tests against India in October.

Ponting is not too happy with the timing of the India series as he feels playing on the spin-friendly Indian wickets would hamper the team’s Ashes preparations.

The 34-year-old Katich, however, expressed concerns about Australia’s frequent batting collapses and said the problem could cost the team dearly during the Ashes.

“Being brutally honest, it’s still been a problem because it’s happened a couple of times since the Ashes last year,” Katich said.

“Until we can actually rectify that in a match, that’s going to be still hanging over our heads, and unfortunately you can’t replicate it in the nets. As much as you try, it’s got to happen in test matches when the pressure is on,” he added.