New Delhi, Dec 9 2024-
Australia’s wicketkeeping great Adam Gilchrist has pointed out that Mohammed Siraj and Harshit Rana weren’t upto the desired level in Adelaide to support fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
Bumrah, who picked eight wickets in India’s 295-run win in Perth, picked 4/61 in the first innings in Adelaide. Though Siraj took 4-98, his economy rate was four, while Rana, who shined on debut by taking four wickets in Perth, conceded 86 runs without taking a single wicket.
“Coming into the series, the uncertainty for India was what the support act for Bumrah is like. Siraj and Rana did a really good job in Perth, but they just weren’t up to that same level in Adelaide. That still is the glaringly obvious part of that discussion. Bumrah is at a certain level, and the rest of them aren’t quite there,” said Gilchrist on Fox Cricket’s The Follow-On podcast on Monday.
He also believes pacer Josh Hazlewood should return to the Australian playing eleven in Brisbane if he is fully fit after recovering from a side strain which kept him out of Australia’s ten-wicket win in Adelaide.
“That’s the nature of the beast. I would expect if Hazlewood is fit, they’ll go back to Hazelwood, particularly at the Gabba. I think that the conditions that will suit him. I mean, either way you go, you know exactly what you get, and that’s consistency and an opposing batting order that’ll be under threat.”
If Hazlewood comes in, then Scott Boland, who took five wickets in Adelaide, makes way for him. Gilchrist felt it’s a luxury for Australia to have a strong reserve bowler in Boland at their disposal to step up in Tests whenever called upon.
“The time is unfortunate for Scotty, but I just love the way he steps up. It is like plugging in a ball machine that’s got a setting on and it just cranks up again to the identical setting. I love the way the crowd embrace him and broadcasters. He’s just a fascinating story, such a humble guy, who by just going about his day at work, he can electrify a nation and 50,000 people in the grandstands.”
With the first two Tests in Perth and Adelaide not being played out for entire five days, Gilchrist signed off by saying the intensity in both teams’ bowling attacks will be sustained throughout the five-match series currently tied at 1-1.
“As far as the workload, clearly that works in Australia’s favour, but also, the game moves so quickly (that) India didn’t exactly have to bowl a mountain of overs either. Looking at the two games, Australia has bowled more overs, but it’s been a nice spread out now, with that extended break between (the) first and second (Tests) and now an extra few days gives them near enough to a week to be ready to go.”
“So that’s just going to mean the intensity of battle is going to be high quality and continue deeper into the series. By the time we get to Sydney, the bowlers could still well be feeling reasonably not fresh, but certainly not running to the ground. So that all goes well for the series.” (Agency)
