Gautam Gambhir: Second test match will be different Indian bowlers and batsman will give a fight.
Key sentence:
Former Indian batsman Gautam Gambhir thinks the batting of Australia’s Steve Smith as well as Marnus Labuschagne is ‘fragile’.
They are very weak at the top of the order and the kind of batting line-up that Australia has.
You’ve got someone like Jasprit Bumrah who, in his five-spell, will possibly win a game as well.
Former Indian batsman Gautam Gambhir thinks the batting of Australia’s Steve Smith as well as Marnus Labuschagne is ‘fragile’. The comments from Gambhir, made mostly on the eve of its Boxing Day Test, turned out to be true as though.
Gambhir on Sports Today Youtube:
They are very weak at the top of the order and the kind of batting line-up that Australia has. They, aside from Labuschagne & Smith, are very delicate.
There is a very vulnerable Travis Head. Cameron Green is likely to be starting his second Test match,’ Gambhir told YouTube on Sports Today.
Gautam Gambhir about Tim Paine:
Tim Paine, sure, he has performed well in the previous match, but he has his own shortcomings as well, and then you’ll be into the bowlers. But there’s a lot of fragility in comparison to the two hitters, No.3 as well as No.4. So, in fact, India can try to exploit that.
India exploited that to the fullest as the challenge of Jasprit Bumrah was balanced by the guile of Ravichandran Ashwin as just an inspired India led by Ajinkya Rahane shot through Australia for a sub-par 195 to conquer the second test’s opening day.
India in day one of the second test:
India then lost Mitchell Starc to an out-of-form Mayank Agarwal (0), but starrer Shubman Gill (28 batting) endured a hostile phase to hit some delicious limits in the day-end total of 36 for 1 in 11 overs. The experienced Cheteshwar Pujara gave him company (7 batting).
Further, Gambhir stated in an Interview:
Gambhir warned India’s batsmen against hitting huge numbers, and actually, given India’s bowling assault, the first objective should be to get to anywhere around 275 and then move forward.
When you’ve got world players like Jasprit Bumrah when you’ve got Ravichandran Ashwin, you’ve got Umesh Yadav playing over 35-40 Test matches. So you expect the Indian bowling line-up to be fine, actually,’ said Gambhir.
Putting runs on the board is for the batters and don’t worry about putting 400 also on board, look to get 275 then give your bowlers something. Since you’ve got these bowlers in the world-class and 275 is good enough. You’ve got someone like Jasprit Bumrah who, in his five-spell, will possibly win a game as well. Other bowlers have to compliment him; they don’t need to run leaks.
