India is leading the four-test series by 2-1 against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023, Aussies are through to the World Test Championship (WTC) final after avoiding the clean sweep in the series. Meanwhile, Team India needs to win the last game of BGT to be assured of the ticket to WTC 2023 final.
Former Indian head coach, Ravi Shastri thinks team India should have avoided taking a new ball on Day 1 of a fourth test match, as Indian pacer, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami are not younger in terms of age.
The Ex-Indian coach said while doing commentary on Day 2 at Ahmedabad Test-
“I think India lost the plot last night. Taking the new ball was not the right thing to do considering Umesh is 35, Shami is not getting any younger,”
“They had bowled a lot. They were getting tired. A shorter burst with two overs is fine. But taking the new ball as early as that let Australia get away,” said Shastri.
Cameron Green and Usman Khawaja were just building a partnership after India got two quick wickets in the post-Tea session on Day 1 of the fourth Test. With Australia at 201/4 after 81 overs, Men in Blue thought to attack with their two premium fast bowlers, Shami and Umesh, but the idea just backfired.
Mohammed Shami cleaned up No.1 Test batter Marnus Labuschagne! pic.twitter.com/dcFDbYfRkX
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) March 9, 2023
While Green and Khawaja used the second new ball to their advantage. Australia scored 54 runs in nine overs against the second new ball and at the stumps of Day 1, they were 255 for 4.
“I think India lost the plot last night. Taking the new ball was not the right thing to do considering Umesh is 35, Shami is not getting any younger. They had bowled a lot. They were getting tired. A shorter burst with two overs is fine. But taking the new ball as early as that let Australia get away,” he further added.
Meanwhile, Australia was bowled out for 480 runs in their first innings, Ravichandran Ashwin took six wickets, and Usman Khawaja and Cameroon Green scored a century. The Indian team will be hoping to post a big total in their first innings to take the lead at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.