Rohit and Kohli’s return to form a matter of 25-30 deliveries: Nayar
India’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, however, thinks that the duo’s return to their best is a matter of regaining confidence and composure in the initial phase of their innings.
India’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, however, thinks that the duo’s return to their best is a matter of regaining confidence and composure in the initial phase of their innings.
It seemed that the Christmas break infused new life into the Australian top order that fired in unison on return to action in the fourth round of the Border-Gavaskar tussle on Boxing Day, helping the hosts pile up 311 for 6 even as late strikes helped India share the honours after the opening day’s play at the jam-packed Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday.
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting believes 19-year-old rookie opener Sam Konstas has what it takes to make a mark in the remaining Border-Gavaskar trophy Tests against India.
If Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane were Australian strongholds, Melbourne brings happy memories for India as the tourists return to the iconic ground having won the last two Tests at the MCG in 2018-19 and 2020-21, and the New Year’s Test in Sydney will bring spin into play.
Rohit Sharma’s decision to bat in the middle order in the Adelaide and Brisbane Tests, has failed to yield the desired results for the Indian team in the Border-Gavaskar series so far.
Bumrah, however, stressed that Kohli knows his cricket better than anyone else and that his experience of batting in these challenging conditions was essential from the team’s perspective.
Unlike the previous tours of Australia in 2018-19 and 2020-21, India’s arrival for the 2024-25 five-Test Border-Gavaskar trophy on Australian shores was marred by a 3-0 upset to New Zealand in home conditions.
It’s a common term in cricket — fast bowlers hunt in pairs. And when the leader of the pack, in this case Jasprit Bumrah runs through the top order to set the tone, it often eases off the pressure from the younger lot.
Putting behind the batting blues of the opening day, India came back strongly to gain firm control over the Perth Test against Australia with openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and K L Rahul taking the first-innings lead of 46 - earned through a Jasprit Bumrah fifer - and stretched it past 200 by the end of the second day’s play at the Optus Stadium on Saturday.
On the eve of the opening Test of the latest tussle for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth, Jasprit Bumrah had stressed starting a new tradition of fast bowlers being handed Test captaincy.
