Speaking about India’s poor show with the bat against Australia in the second ODI, former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram has thrown his support behind the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.
With Mitchell Starc getting assistance from the pitch, India’s top-order once again failed to deliver. India were all out for just 117 as Starc picked up 5 wickets. Rohit scored only 13, Kohli scored 31 while Rahul scored 9. Other batsmen like Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav could not even open their accounts during the disastrous display.
India’s performance with the bat in the first ODI was not impressive either. Chasing 189, the Men in Blue were reeling at 16 for 3 and then 83 for 5 with the likes of Kohli, Gill, Suryakumar failing to deliver. India, however, had gone on to win the game thanks to fine knocks from Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja.
Wasim Akram defends India batsmen:
Following the disastrous show in the second ODI against Australia, India’s batsmen have been criticism from all quarters. The top-order’s constant struggle against quality pacers especially the left-handed ones once again came to the fore.
Wasim Akram, however, has defended India’s batsmen, saying that other batsmen struggle too against incoming deliveries. He also pointed out that the pitch was not easy to bat on as it was helping the pace bowlers move the ball both ways.
“Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul; all these guys are great players. Rahul won the last match for India. It’s not just them who get trapped to the left-armer’s angle, others fall too, especially when the ball comes in. And the pitch on which the match was played, I felt as if I was watching the game in Australia,” said Wasim Akram.
“It was a small match, Australia played well. The series is shaping up nicely at 1-1. But I supposed that the ball was seaming on that wicket. Although Australia scored those runs quickly, I saw a couple of overs from Siraj, the ball was seaming both ways,” Akram added.
Speaking further, the legendary left-arm pacer congratulated Starc for his 5-wicket haul and also hailed him as one of the best in the world.
“There are days that belong to the bowlers as well; congratulations to Mitchell Starc for bowling so well, snuffing out three wickets at the top and then take two more wickets. There is no doubt that he is a great bowler, one of the best in the world. So it was his day,” said Akram.
The third ODI is scheduled to be played in Chennai on March 22. India will be keen to bounce back from the humiliating defeat and clinch the series.