Oz legends Chappell, Jones express concerns about team's batting struggles against spin

Australian spin legends Ian Chappell and Dean Jones have expressed serious concerns about Australia's batting struggles against spin bowling ahead of their second Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.

Australia crumbled to a 221-run defeat in the first Test, with tweakers Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah doing the bulk of the damage, taking 14 wickets between them for the match.

Chappell said that Australia's woes against spin were not something that could be eradicated in the short turnaround before the second Test gets underway on Thursday and there was nothing coach Darren Lehmann could do about it, News.com.au reported.

Chappell said that Lehmann can't help, adding that one has got to learn to play spin bowling from a very young age. He said that one has got to learn the correct footwork from a very young age and added that he probably started learning it from about seven years of age.

The former Australian spinner said that it's been an ongoing problem for quite a while and the problem is the more times it happens the worse it gets into ones head for those blokes who are struggling.

The former Australian Test captain said that he was not too concerned about Michael Clarke, David Warner and Steve Smith, as they were all strong players of spin, but added that for some of the others, it's starting to get to the point of being implanted and the more times they fail, the more times they keep hearing about it.

Former Australian batsman Jones argued that there was a way for Lehmann to help, by telling his players to bat without pads in the nets. He said that if he was in Lehmann's place, he would be asking the boys to practise with no pads to spinners in the nets, and would allow thigh pads.

Jones said that they have a tendency to lunge with their foot first and then their hands. He added that Pakistan got their head and their hands at the ball, while Australia has a tendency to go head, foot, hands.

Jones said that the Australian cricketers have got to get their hands in front of the pad, adding that the Indians, who are the best players, go head, hands, with the ball. He said that they keep their feet out of it and back themselves on hitting the ball and not using the pads.