4th Test: Shastri Questions Team India's Confidence in Spinners
Click to start listening
Melbourne, Dec 27 (NationPress) Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has raised questions about the Rohit Sharma-led team's choice to field two spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, if they were not fully relied upon for bowling duties in the ongoing Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
In a match where India managed to dismiss Australia for 474 runs, with Steve Smith scoring a remarkable 140, left-arm spin all-rounder Jadeja claimed figures of 3-78 in 23 overs. Meanwhile, off-spin all-rounder Sundar, who replaced Shubman Gill in the playing eleven, bowled only 15 overs and took 1-49. Both bowlers had to wait until after 40 overs before they could bowl on the first day.
“I thought the bowling was quite ordinary. India seemed to run out of ideas. The spin was not utilized as effectively as it could have been, and it took too long before Jadeja was introduced into the attack.
“It was a significant delay before Washington Sundar bowled his first over. So when you field two spinners, you need to ask, why did you choose to play two spinners? What was the purpose if you don’t trust them?” Shastri stated on Star Sports.
He also criticized India’s bowling performance as ordinary and noted that they appeared to lack strategies to counter the impressive Australian batting display. “I believe India ran out of ideas. There’s no doubt about that. Australia had a game plan.
“They aimed to avoid losing too many wickets in the first 45 minutes and aimed to add another 50 runs. They were at 311 for 6. Their initial goal was 350, but the speed at which they scored made their task much easier,” he added.
Legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar expressed that India's second new ball was 'wasted'. “The bowling was quite ordinary. When delivering a bouncer, it should be directed around the helmet's badge, not around the waist.
“I’m very disappointed. This new ball was wasted. Akash Deep was inconsistent, wasting the new ball by bowling far outside the off stump. The fielding by the Indians was also quite sloppy,” Gavaskar remarked.
Former Australian cricketer Tom Moody was also critical of India, particularly regarding their selection for this crucial match. “I was surprised by India’s lack of tactical awareness on the field, which apparently began with the chosen playing XI,” he commented on X.
