“Great thinking by them” – Former England captain Alastair Cook credits India for leaving out star player in BGT 2024-25 Perth Test
Former England skipper Alastair Cook has credited India for leaving out legendary off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the first Test of the five-match series in Perth. Cook clarified that Ashwin might have delivered regardless of the conditions but backed the team management for going for four fast bowlers in pace-friendly conditions. The 39-year-old further lauded the tourists for emerging victorious despite scoring just 150 runs in the first innings.
Cook said on TNT Sports (via The Times of India):
“Just think of how brave they were? They didn't bother playing Ashwin who has got 500 Test wickets. They've kind of played a couple of like, not makes you spinners, but you know, I thought Ashwin would have been outstanding, but you know, great thinking by them.”
“I thought India was so brave. I thought that first, you know, they win the toss and bat on that wicket, you look there, even though there's only 150 they got, the thought process to say, 'we're going to take Australia on there. We know it's going to be hard, but we think it's going to be hard for both sides only, and then it'll be a one-innings game,” he added.
The Men in Blue picked Nitish Kumar Reddy as the fourth seamer for the first Test who dismissed a set Mitchell Marsh in the second innings. Washington Sundar was the only spinner in the India playing XI, returning with two wickets. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were not considered.
“Most captains would have bowled first” – Alastair Cook lauds Team India bowler Jasprit Bumrah’s captaincy
Alastair Cook stressed that Jasprit Bumrah made the right call by opting to bat first. He also lauded him for his fighting display with the ball. He said via the aforementioned source:
“I think most captains would have bowled first, certainly would have done and probably got the end of a bad result, like normally in Australia. But India took it on brilliantly. It was just an all-round fantastic performance.”
“You think... bowled out for 150, you think we're struggling here, but to bounce back when you've got Boomer (Jasprit Bumrah) up with the new ball on those kinds of wickets, he's always going to be outstanding and backed up by the team,” he added.
Bumrah picked up eight wickets in the match, including a fifer (5/30) in the first essay where Australia were bundled out for 104, conceding a 46-run first-innings lead.