File image of Harbhajan Singh© BCCI
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh and veteran Australia batter Matthew Hayden pointed out that the Rohit Sharma-led side’s lack of building ‘big partnerships’ has resulted in their 10-wicket defeat in the second Test at Adelaide Oval. Indian batters faltered against Mitchell Starc and captain Pat Cummins as the duo shared 15 wickets between them to level the five-Test series 1-1. In the first Test of the series in Perth, Yashasvi Jaiswal (161) and Virat Kohli (100 not out) struck centuries in the second innings while KL Rahul played a gritty knock of 77 to guide India to a 295-run emphatic win in the absence of regular captain Rohit Sharma.
However, the momentum shifted in Australia’s favour in the second Test with Indian batters failing to tackle the attack from Starc and Cummins as they bundled out the visitors for 180 & 175 at Adelaide Oval.
“One area where India would like to improve is the partnership. We need to have big partnerships We didn’t get a good partnership in Adelaide because of which we did not have enough runs on the board. If we have 300-350 on the board then our bowlers have the capability to bowl them out,” Harbhajan said on Star Sports.
Hayden also flagged India’s batting performance in the pink-ball Test and called for a better show in Brisbane.
“Team India just did not bat well enough, there’s no doubt. Even though this was a difficult track to bat on, they should not have been bowled out in under a day and a half. So that needs to be rectified for the Brisbane Test match,” Hayden said.
Meanwhile, the former Australian batter extended praise for India’s bowling performance led by speedster Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj despite Travis Head’s scintillating 140-run knock that set the tone of the match for the hosts.
“Bowling I thought, on average was pretty good. When you thought of the freakish innings that Travis Head played, 140 off 141 deliveries that was just something else. Sometimes, batsmen have their way,” Heyden said.
The third Test between India and Australia will be played in Brisbane from December 14.
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