"It was beyond my understanding" - Harbhajan Singh criticizes India's bowling on Day 1 of BGT 2024-25 2nd Test
Harbhajan Singh has criticized India's bowling on Day 1 of the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He pointed out that the Indian seamers didn't make the Australian batters play enough deliveries despite getting appreciable seam movement under the lights.
India were bowled out for 180 in their first innings after opting to bat first in Adelaide on Friday, December 6. Australia ended the day at 86/1 in their first innings, trailing the visitors by 94 runs but with nine wickets in hand.
During a discussion on Star Sports, Harbhajan was asked why India were ineffective with the ball even though they bowled in favorable conditions under the lights.
"India didn't make them play the ball, the mistake Australia made at the start. They too didn't make the batters play the ball. India lost wickets in a cluster because they had to consistently play balls. They got out to extra bounce. I feel India could have bowled much better than this," he replied.
"Too many balls were bowled at the sixth or seventh stump. They didn't make them play the driving-length balls at all. Three slips have been placed but you gain from that only when you bowl full and at the stumps. It was beyond my understanding that you didn't make them play balls when there was so much seam movement under the lights," Harbhajan added.
Jasprit Bumrah (1/13 in 11 overs) was the only Indian bowler to pick up a wicket. Mohammed Siraj and Harshit Rana, the other two specialist seamers, went wicketless and conceded 47 runs in the combined 18 overs they bowled.
"You will have to go towards R Ashwin from one end after 8 or 10 overs" - Harbhajan Singh on India's bowling plans for Day 2
![Ravichandran Ashwin bowled a solitary over on Day 1 of the Adelaide Test. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/12/759b4-17335001176070-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same discussion, Harbhajan Singh was asked whether Ravichandran Ashwin could play a crucial role for India on Day 2.
"They will have to look towards him for sure. They shouldn't take too long to make changes. I feel short spells of four overs should be given. We will come to know tomorrow how effective fast bowling will be during the day, but somewhere or the other, you will have to go towards R Ashwin from one end after eight or 10 overs," he responded.
The former India spinner added that he would have wanted Ashwin to be given the ball ahead of Nitish Kumar Reddy on Day 1.
"When an hour was left, they brought Nitish Kumar Reddy. R Ashwin should have been brought in then because they were already playing fast bowling very well. After that, you showed them Nitish, whose pace is much less than the other seamers. You might have got better results if you had gone to your main bowlers," Harbhajan observed.
Reddy was introduced before Ashwin and conceded 12 runs in three overs. Ashwin didn't concede a run in the only over he bowled and was potentially not given the ball earlier as he was off the field for some time.