Test newcomer Mitchell Swepson knows it is inevitable he will be compared to Shane Warne after >being selected in the Australia squad to tour India, but insists his bowling style is his own.
The 23-year-old has been picked in the travelling party for the four-match series against the subcontinent powerhouse, starting with an opening clash in Pune next month.
It is perhaps unavoidable that parallels will be drawn between the Queenslander and fellow right-arm leg-break bowler Warne, a great of the modern game who continues to cast a long shadow over subsequent slow bowlers to pull on a 'baggy green'.
Should he play, facing the ICC's top-ranked Test team away from home will not be the only challenge facing Swepson, who is set to become the latest player to be measured with an impossibly demanding yardstick.
"I never really modelled my bowling on anyone," he told the media on Sunday.
"I have looked at footage from Shane Warne bowling but more as a fan. I love watching that sort of thing, I love watching videos of Brett Lee bowling 160kph.
"I see myself as a standard leggie who likes to rip the ball. I've always been taught since I was a youngster bowling legspin to give the ball a good rip.
"You'll go for a few runs, you'll bowl some pump, but if you give yourself a chance to spin the ball hard and get the ball to talk through the air that's how you'll get your wickets.
"That's how I go about it. I know I'll go for runs and bowl some poor balls, but if I get the wickets that's what I'm looking for."
Having already represented Queensland and Brisbane Heat in the Sheffield Shield and Big Bash League respectively, Swepson claims to be relatively undaunted by the prospect of tackling some of the world's best players of spin on their own turf.
"When I first got picked for the Shield team I didn't think I was ready, I sort of got thrown in the deep end there," he said.
"Same thing when I made my BBL debut, I didn't think I was ready.
"But it's part of the game, if you get the opportunity it's about taking it. I wasn't expecting to be in a Test squad touring India, but it's gone well for me being thrown in the deep end so far in my short career, so I'm really looking forward to any opportunity I can get over there and hopefully grab it with two hands.
"Any cricketer should want to challenge themselves against the best; looking ahead to India in India against players like Virat Kohli, the best players of spin in the world, what better challenge could you want? It'll be awesome to go over there and test yourself against the toughest opponents."
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