Australia’s wicketkeeping great Adam Gilchrist has pointed out that Mohammed Siraj and Harshit Rana weren’t up to the desired level in Adelaide to support fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah
In Adelaide, Bumrah took 4/61 in the opening innings after taking 8 wickets in India’s 295-run victory in Perth. Rana, who had a stellar start by taking four wickets in Perth, let up 86 runs without getting a wicket, while Siraj took 4-98 but had an economy rate of four.
Before the series began, India was unsure of what the Bumrah support act would entail. Siraj and Rana performed admirably in Perth, but in Adelaide, they just fell short.
That remains the most blatantly clear aspect of that conversation. “The rest of them aren’t quite there, and Bumrah is at a certain level,” Gilchrist stated on Monday’s episode of Fox Cricket’s The Follow-On podcast.
Additionally, he thinks that bowler Josh Hazlewood should rejoin the Australian playing eleven in Brisbane once he fully recovers from the side injury that caused him to miss Australia’s ten-wicket victory in Adelaide.
I anticipate that they will return to Hazelwood, especially at the Gabba, if they are healthy. I believe the circumstances will work for him.
Scott Boland, who claimed five wickets in Adelaide, will take Hazlewood’s place if he enters. Gilchrist believed that Australia had the luxury of having Boland, a capable reserve bowler, available to fill in during Test matches whenever needed.
“I simply adore the way Scotty steps up, even if the timing is awful for him. It’s similar to putting in a ball machine with a setting on and having it just crank up to the same setting again. He is an intriguing figure who, simply by going about his workday, has the ability to electrify a country and 50,000 spectators.
Gilchrist concluded by stating that both teams will maintain the intensity of their bowling assaults throughout the five-match series, now locked at 1-1, even if the first two Test matches in Perth and Adelaide do not play out for the full five days.
In terms of burden, Australia obviously benefits from it, but India also didn’t have to bowl a ton of overs since the game moved so fast. With the long interval between the first and second Test matches, they now have over a week to prepare.
