"Australia need to believe that it’s not all lost yet" - Ravi Shastri ahead of second Test against India in Delhi
Former Team India coach Ravi Shastri reckons Australia will have to play out of their skins to beat India in the second Test in Delhi. However, the former all-rounder believes it's not an impossible task, citing India's comeback win in Australia.
Australia are under massive pressure and must avoid a defeat in Delhi to go 0-2 in the series. The tourists' batting unit collapsed in both innings for totals of 177 and 91 as Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin claimed fifers.
In his column for The Age, Shastri advised Australia to believe that all has not been lost and to stay away from all the external noise.
"Australia will have to bring their A+ game if they have to beat India, or even if they are to threaten India. It’s not impossible, as we showed in Australia two years ago. Australia need to believe that it’s not all lost yet. And to stay away from all the external crap, and stay focused on the Kotla.
The 60-year-old warned that India will keep coming hard at Australia, continuing:
"The cracks are beginning to appear, not on the pitch, but off the field for the Aussies. If they don’t address them immediately, they’ll become wide open. India will look to keep the foot on the gas and be absolutely relentless. A win in Delhi will be even bigger than the one in Nagpur."
Australia have plenty of selection conundrums ahead of the second Test; however, could receive a boost as Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc are in the frame. The duo missed the opening Test due to their finger injuries.
"If you lose, go down throwing punches" - Ravi Shastri
Shastri added that Pat Cummins and co. must be on the money in Delhi right from the outset, else they face a 3-0 or 4-0 defeat in the series.
"If you lose, go down throwing punches. Not in the timid, almost un-Australian, fashion that they surrendered against the Indian spinners at the VCA Stadium. But the punch has to be thrown immediately, and they need to hit India hard from the very start in Delhi. If Australia don’t get at India right away, the possibility of a 3-0 or even a 4-0 series defeat looms large."
The tourists will have to defy history in Delhi as India has not lost a Test at the venue since 1987.