Head Coach McDonald Acknowledges Boland's Exceptional Performance
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Sydney, January 4 (NationPress) - Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald has expressed no astonishment at Scott Boland’s outstanding eight-wicket haul during the ongoing fifth Test against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday. In his third Test of this five-match series, Boland delivered impressive figures of 4-42 after concluding with 4-31 in India’s initial innings. His exceptional performance allowed Australia to restrict India to 141/6 at the close of Day 2.
“We’re not taken aback by Scotty’s performances. He consistently delivers when he takes the field. His knack for being relentless on a length and his ability to move the ball both directions has made it particularly challenging, especially on this SCG pitch,” McDonald remarked. “Scotty is always a genuine contender, and every time he represents Australia, he performs. We are fortunate to have four talented quicks in Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Stark, and Boland.”
The head coach commended Boland’s skill at executing strategies effectively in the middle, especially against Virat Kohli, whom he dismissed for the fourth time in this series. “Having a plan is one thing, but executing it, particularly against Virat, to apply immense pressure, is another,” he stated.
“He has attempted various tactics, including stepping out of his crease, but Boland's relentless nature in that matchup has made it extremely tough for him. It’s never easy to dismiss him,” McDonald added.
With the pitch significantly influencing the series finale, McDonald acknowledges the looming challenge, even with a low-scoring chase anticipated for Sunday. “In low-scoring matches like this, the pressure intensifies. There’s still a long way to go, and plenty of cricket left to play. The loss of quick wickets is simply a reflection of the current state of Test cricket,” he explained.
“Both teams benefit from exceptional bowling talent that we are fortunate to witness. Thus, we are not surprised by the tendency of new batters to be vulnerable, as seen throughout this series,” he continued.
“However, if a partnership can be established, it demonstrates that runs can indeed be scored on these types of surfaces,” he concluded.
Currently, India holds a 145-run lead with Ravindra Jadeja (eight not out) and Washington Sundar (six not out) anticipated to strengthen their partnership further on Day 3. India will continue their innings from 141/6.
