Indian pacers were significant on the Day 1 of the fourth test match at Ahmedabad. Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami tested the Australian batter with the swing and seam in the final clash of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023, the Steve Smith-led side posted 255 runs for the loss of four wickets on the end of the first day.
Former Indian skipper, Sunil Gavaskar, thinks resting veteran pacer for the third test at Indore was not a great decision of the Rohit Sharma-led side.
Gavaskar said the gap between the second and third test matches was sufficient for rest-
“Resting Mohammed Shami was not a smart move. You had 8 days break between the 2nd and the 3rd Test. He bowled military medium in his first two deliveries,”
“The batter is nervous, he is not yet off the mark. If he sees the ball go harmlessly to the keeper, he gets an opportunity to see what the pitch is doing. He can then mentally start to relax just that little bit,” said the former Indian skipper.
As good as it gets! ??@MdShami11 uproots the off-stump to dismiss Handscomb for 17! ??
Australia 170/4.
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/8DPghkx0DE#INDvAUS | @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/2hXFYhvslW
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 9, 2023
“Great bowlers were at you straightaway, from the first ball. I think, you know that Shami is the kind of bowler who likes to be in rhythm, may be you shouldn’t rest him. I think it’s important to get your bowling muscles going, in the gym, you don’t get your bowling muscles going,” he further added.
The 32-year-old pacer bowled an absolute gem of the delivery to dismiss No.1 test batter Marnus Labuschagne, Shami bowled the full delivery outside off in the first innings of a fourth test match, the ball changed line after pitching and took the Labuschagne off-stump for a cartwheel.
India needs to win the test match in Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad for full assurance of a World Test Championship (WTC) final ticket. Usman Khwaja scored a brilliant 100 on the first day of play and became the second Australian player after Steve Smith to score a Test century in India since 2017.
Earlier, Australian skipper Steve Smith won the toss and opted to bat first for the final test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023 in Ahmedabad, Men in Blue are leading the series by 2-1. the visitors fielded an unchanged squad at the Ahmedabad test, while team India made one change, Mohammed Shami came in for Mohammad Siraj in the playing XI.
Also read: IND vs AUS: He Really Hasn’t Deserved Any More Bowling – Ian Chappell’s Savage Remark On Axar Patel