IND vs AUS | India failed to replicate their superb defensive batting in second innings, feels Adam Gilchrist

12/21/2020

Former Aussie gloveman Adam Gilchrist has stated that India couldn't quite replicate their first innings batting approach in second innings. He added that Prithvi Shaw's dismissals in both the innings put the Indian team on the back foot and his technique remains a point of concern.

India were completely blown away on day 3 of the Adelaide Test as they made their lowest ever Test score of 36 runs. In India's second innings, Australia's exceptional batting was met by India's timid approach sans any luck whatsoever as Indian batsmen kept nicking with Pat Cummins taking a four-fer and Josh Hazlewood scalping five wickets. However, in the first innings of the Test, India had batted brilliantly as they used positive footwork and applied themselves well led by Pujara and Kohli.

One of the major issues with India in the Test was that their openers failed big time especially Shaw, who got out on a duck in first innings on the second ball of the game while he failed in second innings too getting out early. Agarwal lasted more than Shaw, looked solid in first innings but couldn't quite score well in the first Test.

Reflecting on Shaw's poor batting, Adam Gilchrist reckons that he put India on the backfoot in the Test and his technique is a matter of concern.

“In both innings, Prithvi Shaw’s early dismissal put the team on the back foot. Shaw was part of the team during the last India series here, and there has been plenty of hype and build-up around the youngster. This has also meant that his technique has been scrutinised and there was a clear plan to exploit the gap between his bat and pad that is a matter of concern for the youngster,” Gilchrist wrote in his column for Mid-Day, reported HT.

“Shaw has also been prone to expansive shots which might backfire in Australian conditions, because he will be liable to edging one to gully. While he is a talented youngster, his performance will put the selectors in a dilemma as they plan for the Boxing Day Test,” he added.

Gilchrist also lauded India's approach in the first innings which resulted in a total of 244. Pujara and Kohli had played a brilliant hand with the skipper scoring a well-made fifty.

“Looking back at the first innings, I would think that the seemingly slow batting from Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli was, in fact superb defensive batting. That was what India failed to replicate in the second innings,” Gilchrist wrote.

“In the first innings it had seemed that India were not looking for scoring opportunities, but Kohli’s masterclass of concentration alongside Pujara and later Ajinkya Rahane is what ensured that India reached 244.”

India will take on Australia in the second Test at MCG from December 26 after trailing 0-1 in the four-match series.