India’s former wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta furiously remarked how the poor body language on the part of the Indian cricketers on the field during the destructive Australian innings in the first Test at The Gabba also affected the team’s mindset while batting. The Men in Blue were made to toil hard in the field for 117.1 overs as the hosts posted 445 runs on the board where both Travis Head and Steve Smith got hundred.
Indian Batting Falters as Top-Order Struggles Persist Against Australia
The Indian batting department had to be at it to be able to put up a fight against such an authoritative score set by the Men in Yellow. But the same old process repeated again of top-order fails against the new ball and rain break don’t help the cause either.
India were nine down in the 14th over and then from 9/145 the Australian pacemen really cut through the Indian line up. Except KL Rahul, everyone came to the crease with silly shots and got out while playing shots, which brought the issue of poor judgment into the picture.
India’s On-Field Attitude Questioned by Deep Dasgupta Amid Pant’s Silent Stint
Dasgupta had raised question marks over India’s attitude while they were in the field.
“Let’s jog your mind to the first half an hour of the day. How falt were India on the field. I was a bit concerned back then and now it is kind of manifesting itself now. That attitude and that mindset has seeped into India’s batting innings. It’s not an individual one but a team sport. It seems like everyone is on their own right now,” Dasgupta said on air (via India Today)
Indian wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant is known to talk constantly while fielding, which has come on record several times with stump microphone on. Still, the visitors simply seemed to crumble after a demoralising second day during which only Bumrah’s five wickets offered any optimism.
India’s Middle Order Struggles Under Pressure as Rain Halts Play
“You can’t ask them to come and bat in that first 10 overs almost every innings in these testing conditions” Former India wicketKeeper Deep Dasgupta Australia have always tried their best to look at the middle order as long as possible and it has been yielding good results. Players such as Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne has tried to save the new ball charge and get Steve Smith and Travis Head in when the going gets tough.
But in Indian context, middle order batsmen have come in at a time when the ball is still doing something and the bowlers are fully charged.
“At times, I also feel bad for the middle-order batters. Whether it is Virat, Rishabh Pant or Rohit Sharma. You can’t ask them to come and bat in that first 10 overs almost every innings in these testing conditions. There’s a reason why they’re middle-order batters. There are openers, there is a top 3. Their job in these conditions is to control your natural instincts. You will get chances to play those shots,” Dasgupta added
Rain has had a big word on the events and as of this writing the play has been stopped. Rohit Sharma has joined KL Rahul out in the middle as INDIA move to 51/4 in 17 overs.