Former Indian cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri has expressed disappointment at the Australian batters’ performance in the second innings of the second Test against India in Delhi. Australia lost nine wickets in just one session on the third morning of the Test, relinquishing their strong position in the game.
According to Shastri, the Australian batters’ downfall was due to their lack of trust in their defence against Indian spinners. The former Indian all-rounder observed that too many batters attempted to do things out of the ordinary instead of trusting their ability and sticking to the basics.
“I think application (has let them down) more than anything else; the lack of belief in their own defence. The lack of application and the lack of discipline was unreal, and Australia paid for it big time. If you don’t trust your defence, you have no chance because that’s when you entertain thoughts of breaking free, much quicker than you normally should,” Shastri told the ICC Review Podcast.
Shastri believes that a clean sweep for India in the four-match Test series would send a strong signal to their opponents, who are likely to contest the WTC final later this year. However, he expects the Australians to be a different unit when their fast bowlers return to full fitness.
“A 4-0 win here psychologically does send a strong signal to the opposition. There will be an impact, but conditions are different as Australia will have their fast bowlers back as a lot of them are injured. But that psychological dent will make India believe that, even in those conditions, they’re good enough to upstage Australia,” he added.
The four-match Test series between India and Australia is currently led by India, who are 2-0 up. The next Test match will commence on March 1, 2023, at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
