"We're not sure what our team is" - Mark Taylor lays bare Australia's concerns after 2nd consecutive loss in 2023 World Cup
Former Australian captain Mark Taylor believes Pat Cummins and Co. are in a real hole after suffering their second consecutive loss in the 2023 World Cup. The former opener has pointed out Australia's uncertainty around batting or bowling first and their best team.
Australia tumbled to their heaviest defeat in World Cup as South Africa sunk them by 134 runs in Lucknow on Thursday, October 12. Batting first, the Proteas posted a competitive 311 on the board after a century from Quinton de Kock and fifty from Aiden Markram. While Australia's fielding was poor, their batting turned even worse, managing only 177.
Speaking during Nine's Coverage, Taylor pointed out that none of the Aussie batters have made more than 40-odd runs, while the team total is yet to cross 200.
"They didn't have to win tonight but the problem is they've been bowled out now in two games for 199 and 177, they haven't even made 200 yet this series. No one's made more than a 40-odd for Australia. We're not sure whether we want to bat first or bowl first in this series, and we're not sure what our team is. So there's a lot of questions to be answered there."
The five-time champions struggled big time against India's three-pronged spin attack. The same translated against Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi as they took 2 wickets each.
"Australia are no closer to solving those problems" - Mark Taylor
Mark Taylor observed that Australia already had these concerns before the tournament and warned on solving it quickly to avoid a group-stage exit. He added:
"That's the concern, it's a concern probably leading into this World Cup and now after two games Australia are no closer to solving those problems and now they have three or four days to solve them, work out what their best team is, to find some energy, hang on to their catches and someone's got to make a big score, so they've got some work to do in the next three or four days."
Pat Cummins and Co. will next face Sri Lanka on Monday (October 16) in Lucknow.