BGT: Pujara Voices Concerns About India's Bowling Attack Before Boxing Day Test
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New Delhi, Dec 23 (NationPress) As the Boxing Day Test against Australia approaches on Thursday, seasoned Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has raised concerns regarding the perceived fragility of the visiting team's bowling attack, emphasizing that the current composition may not be capable of achieving the feat of taking 20 wickets collectively.
Except for Jasprit Bumrah with 21 wickets and Mohammed Siraj who has claimed 13, the remainder of India's bowling contingent has not performed up to expectations. The trio comprising Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Akash Deep, all making their debut tour of Australia, have collectively managed to take just 10 wickets.
“The primary concern I have is that the Indian bowling attack appears somewhat lackluster. While the batting has shown some signs of improvement, particularly from the middle to lower order with contributions from Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish, and even the tail-enders like Bumrah and Akashdeep, the bowling looks weak, leading to questions about our fielding strategy,” Pujara stated.
“This raises a significant question: with Nitish and Jadeja both likely to play, what will the team combination look like? With Ashwin having retired, I doubt they will choose to play two spinners in Melbourne. How do we enhance our bowling capabilities?”
“The three seamers are quite competent, but the lack of support from the fourth and fifth seamers—Nitish Kumar as the fourth and Ravindra Jadeja as fifth—raises concerns about the overall strength of the bowling unit,” he added.
“We must address this issue, as winning a Test match requires taking 20 wickets, and right now, our ability in this area is lacking. The supporting roles of the other bowlers need significant enhancement, and I am unsure how we can achieve this, but it is a pressing concern,” Pujara remarked on Star Sports.
On the Australian side, left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc has been a standout performer with 14 wickets, and Pujara has acknowledged him as the best bowler for Australia in the ongoing series. Pujara noted that Starc's focus on refining his accuracy and minimizing loose deliveries has led to impressive results.
“He has proved to be the standout bowler for them in this series. Over the past year or so, Mitchell Starc has made notable improvements. From my experiences in previous series in 2018 or 2021, I felt confident against him, expecting to score runs. Now, it feels like he is more likely to take wickets,” Pujara stated.
“The change lies in his improved line, length, and accuracy. He is delivering far fewer loose balls and consistently hitting the good length spots while also generating swing. The evolution in his game has made him a formidable player,” he added.
Pujara concluded by emphasizing the necessity for Indian batsmen to withstand Starc's initial spell with the new ball to tire him out for run scoring opportunities. “Starc appears more menacing than Cummins and Hazlewood, so we must be cautious against his bowling, especially in the opening overs,” he noted.
“In the first five overs, he has taken the most wickets. If we can bat well during his initial spell, we can capitalize on his later overs when he tires. Historically, our top order has not faced him in the third or fourth spells,” Pujara explained.
“Only the lower middle order and tail-enders have faced him in those situations. We noticed that when Bumrah and Akash were at the crease, Mitchell Starc was less effective. Thus, our top order needs to perform well against him in the new ball phase.”
