"An under-16 player will also not play such shots" - Gautam Gambhir lambasts Australia for their batting collapse in 2nd IND vs AUS Test
Gautam Gambhir has lambasted Australia for their immature batting performance on the third day of the second Test against India in Delhi on Sunday (February 19).
Pat Cummins and Co. were bowled out for a paltry 113 in their second innings after starting the day at 61-1. The hosts then chased down the 115-run target with six wickets to spare to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
During a discussion on Star Sports, Gambhir criticised Australian batters for their shot selection that led to their downfall, elaborating:
"Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin were the biggest threats, and Australia also knew that, but the way they batted was embarrassing. You don't expect this from the World's No. 1 team. An under-16 player will also not play such shots, the sort of shots the Australian batters played on this pitch."
The former Indian opener questioned the visitors' approach of solely relying on the sweep shot, exlapining:
"Why did you have to play the sweep? I have seen such a brain fade very few times in international cricket. You might get out while defending or because of a technical flaw, but they come after telling in the dressing room which shots you can and cannot play on this pitch."
Most of the Australian batters were dismissed while trying to play either the sweep shot or the reverse sweep. They lost their last eight wickets for just 28 runs, with four batters getting dismissed at the score of 95.
"How many times did the Indian batters play the sweep on this wicket?" - Gautam Gambhir
Gambhir pointed out that neither the Indian batters nor Peter Handscomb in Australia's first innings resorted to the sweep shot, observing:
"How many times did the Indian batters play the sweep on this wicket? How many sweeps did Peter Handscomb play in the first innings - none at all, and you came and just played the sweep."
Totally agree with @juniorwaugh349 - ‘Don’t think Australia could have batted any worse’.
They really can’t be blaming the pitch if they are batting so badly.
Can somebody please explain to me why they wanted to sweep/reverse sweep every ball?
#INDvsAUS
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja would not allow batters to get away with the sweep on such surfaces, saying:
"You were not batting against under-14 bowlers - how many sweeps will Ravichandran Ashwin or Ravindra Jadeja allow you to play (at) the pace at which they bowl? I feel it was more than a surrender; it was as though you didn't come to play at all."
This is just awful. awful batting by Australia. Credit to Jaadeja and Ashwin but at least 5 of the wickets this morning have had little to do with the pitch or unplayable deliveries. #INDvsAUS
Gambhir concluded by surmising that it felt like the Australian batters were satisfied that another innings was over and that only four more innings are left in the series. He added that the visitors were in an advantageous position at the start of the day and might have put India under pressure had they batted two sessions.