"They'll come back with a vengeance" - Brad Hogg expects Indian spinners to bounce back in 4th IND vs AUS Test
Former Australian spinner Brad Hogg believes that the Indian spin bowlers weren't up to the mark in the third Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Hogg pointed out that the Indian spinners bowled very short during Australia's first innings. However, highlighting Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin's impressive record in Ahmedabad, he stated that the home team bowlers will turn things around in the crucial final Test.
Hogg explained:
"Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin had a field day against England in Ahmedabad a couple of years ago. They'll be really licking their lips going into this game, and also Ravindra Jadeja. I don't think the spinners bowled that well in the last Test match.
"They were too short, especially early on when Australia batted in the first innings. They'll come back with a vengeance in this game, and I expect a better performance from the Indian spinners."
The 52-year-old predicted that Axar will be India's star performer with the ball in the Ahmedabad Test, adding:
"I think Axar Patel is finally going to be the shining light in this Test match. He will get a bag of wickets for India. He'll outshine Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin."
Notably, Axar has had little to do as a bowler so far in the series, with Jadeja and Ashwin taking center stage. Axar, however, has a stellar record at the Narendra Modi Stadium, picking up 20 wickets in just two Test matches.
"He is just under pressure at the moment because Ravindra Jadeja has come back to the team" - Brad Hogg on Axar Patel's bowling in the ongoing Test series
Axar Patel has bagged just a solitary scalp in 39 overs so far in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Speaking about the left-arm spinner's bowling exploits, Brad Hogg opined that the player could be under pressure following Ravindra Jadeja's return.
He suggested that Axar should not worry about his place in India's Test side, and should focus on getting onto the field with a more relaxed mindset. Hogg elaborated:
"I think he is just under pressure at the moment because Ravindra Jadeja has come back to the team and Rohit Sharma has gone to Jadeja in front of Axar. With his performances over the last year and with his dominance, you'd be expecting him to have a bit more of a go.
"I just think that with Jadeja coming in, he is trying too hard. He just needs to relax and think about what he needs to do for his team right now. He might be worried about his spot in the team, but he is got to forget about that."
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The upcoming Ahmedabad Test will be of utmost importance to Rohit Sharma and Co. as they look to secure a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. The match gets underway on Thursday, March 8.
Also Read: "Indian batters should have played a few Ranji Trophy matches ahead of the Test series against Australia" - Gautam Gambhir