Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has criticised the Indian team management amid the ongoing third Test against Australia. Basit suggested that head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma are not on the same page. Rohit’s leadership has come under severe criticism after India’s heavy defeat in the Adelaide pink-ball Test last week, as well as the disappointing show so far in the third Test in Brisbane. While analysing India’s performance in Adelaide and Brisbane Tests, Basit claimed that there is a difference of opinion between the captain and the coach.
“Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir are not on the same page, be it the one-day tournament in Sri Lanka; Bangladesh, which was a weak series; or the New Zealand series after that. In the second and third (Tests), they (Rohit and Gambhir) are not on the same page, like Rahul Dravid was. He and Rohit were not on the same page,” Basit said on his YouTube channel.
Basit also criticised veteran spinner Ravindra Jadeja’s inclusion in the team for the ongoing Test, questioning the logic behind the same.
“I can explain it very easily. In all three Tests matches, a different spinner played. In two Test matches, they batted after winning the toss, but here they chose to bowl. There are three left-handers in the Australian batting….So why not (Washington) Sundar and why not (Ravichandran) Ashwin? Anybody who understands cricket will definitely talk about it,” he added.
Basit also highlighted India’s over-reliance on Bumrah and the lack of left-arm pace bowlers options as the concerning factors behind the team’s struggles to counter Travis Head’s onslaught.
“Was the decision to bowl first right? I think it was not. The Indian team is only dependent on Bumrah. The rest of the bowlers are not performing like they should. If I say it’s Bumrah vs Australia, that will be right. Similarly, it’s Travis Head vs India…Neither Rohit, nor (bowling coach) Morne Morkel and (chief coach) Gautam Gambhir are able to solve this problem.
“India don’t have a left-arm fast bowler in their squad. That’s a weak link. We have seen Mir Hamza or Shaheen Shah Afridi accounting for Head because that’s a different angle. That’s why, if you see, Bumrah bowls round the wicket to Head,” Basit further pointed out.
In reply to Australia’s first innings total of 445, India were tottering at 51/4 at stumps on a rain curtailed Day 3.
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