Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid
Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid. Image Credits: Twitter

IND VS AUS: Indian team is eyeing a 3-0 lead against Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023. Men in Blue needs to win at least three matches in four-match series to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final. Ravichandran Ashwin has been a strong force to reckon with for India when it comes to home conditions. He picked up three wickets in Australia’s first innings of the third test match.

On day 2 in the morning session, the Rohit Sharma-led side started bowling initial overs with Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja. Sunil Gavaskar was not very pleased with the team India’s tactics of keeping Ashwin aside from the bowling crease.

R Ashwin
R Ashwin. Image Credits: Twitter

Former Indian skipper evidently questions Rohit and Rahul Dravid’s tactics at the start of day 2 of the Indore match-

“I don’t understand this too much focus on the match-up thing. Because there were two right-handers in the crease, Ashwin wasn’t brought on till the last over before the drinks break.”

“Because of those match-ups, the two left-armers bowled, then what happened? Who gets the breakthrough? Ravichandran Ashwin,” said Gavaskar.

“He gets the wicket of Handscomb. He is a top player, he is going to get wickets, doesn’t matter if it’s a right-hander or a left-hander. He is a great bowler. Ashwin has 450-plus wickets and he should have been given the ball a lot earlier,” he further added.

It took Rohit Sharma about 55 minutes and 15 overs to throw the ball to Ashwin in the morning session of Day 2 at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. Rather, team India started the proceedings with Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja and then went to Axar Patel before finally deciding to use the veteran off-spinner.

Later Ashwin gave a breakthrough to team India on the second day of the third test match, he dismissed the right-hand batter Peter Handscomb on 19 runs. Shreyas Iyer took a sharp catch of Handscomb’s inside edge at the short leg.

“You don’t send a No.7 ahead of a No.3 just because he is maybe not good against spin or good against pace. You send the No.3 because he is good, he is a top batter. So what is this thing about bowlers? And Why does this happen regularly to Ashwin? That extra 20 runs could have been saved,” said the former Indian skipper.

At stumps on Day 2, Australia need 76 runs to win the third test match at Indore, while India was bowled out for 163 runs in the second innings. On Day 1, India managed to score 109 runs, while the Australian was bowled out at 197 before lunch on the second day.

The visitors need to avoid a clean sweep in the BGT to qualify for the WTC final in England, while on the third day India’s spin twins, Ashwin and Jadeja along with Axar will be crucial for Men in Blue in Indore.

Also read: Watch: Furious Rohit Sharma Bursts Into Laughter After Cheteshwar Pujara Stuns Him With A Six