IND v AUS 2020: 'It was a gamble' - Allan Border on Australia's top order selection
Australian legend Allan Border feels the Aussies took a gamble by going in with Matthew Wade and Joe Burns at the top of the order in the first Test against India.
The duo failed to provide a decent start as both managed scores of 8 in the first innings. Australia are missing David Warner and Will Pucovski because of injuries.
Matthew Wade had never opened in his Test career before, while Joe Burns is going through a woeful run of form. Speaking on Fox Sports, Border was asked whether the Australian selectors took a gamble to which he said- "Yeah, exactly that."
''It was a gamble because you’re shuffling one guy (Wade) from his customary Test match position. Yes, he opens in short-form cricket, but that’s a vastly different beast to what they’re facing at the moment ... Test match cricket on this sort of surface here, you need to have your wits about you and have a background about how to open the batting. I tended to agree with the gamble in that I didn’t see an obvious replacement with Pucovski out; I was hoping he’d be fit to play,'' Border further added.
Allan Border feels Joe Burns is 'mentally shot'
Allan Border also said that he was worried about Joe Burns given the right-hander's poor run of form.
The opener averaged in single digits in the current first-class season. In two warm-up ties against India, Burns managed scores of 4,0,0 & 1.
''With Burnsy, I mean we were always just worried about that because he hasn’t shown any form whatsoever, His footwork, mentally he’s a bit shot and he’s just having no luck.'' Border said.
Australia were bowled out for 191 in the first innings and have conceded a 53-run lead to India. It remains to be seen whether Wade and Burns can redeem themselves in the second innings of the Adelaide Test.