The inexperienced Indian bowling attack impressed one and all with their character, intent, and discipline. Though there were patches of play across Day 1 and Day 2 where the match seemed to drift away from the Indians, the bowlers found their way back and followed one wicket with another more often than not. Restricting Australia to under 370, the bowlers can therefore take heart and confidence of even taking all 20 wickets throughout the course of the Test match. However, for that to hold any significance, the batsmen will have to put up a strong fight.
The Gabba wicket seems to have every element that one needs to cook a perfect batting paradise. The bounce, the carry, and the pace off the wicket make it most conducive to bat on. Also, going into Session 2, the pitch will settle down even more allowing the likes of Shubman GIll and Rohit Sharma at the top to get money for their shots. The pair will also hold key to India’s chances in the Test match. The absence of a stable No. 5-6-7 could later cause a concern, thus putting extra pressure on the openers.
Any lead on this surface could be enough for India to at least ensure a draw and keep the Border Gavaskar Trophy to themselves. But having said that, for it to happen India will have to bat for at least a day and a half or perhaps even more. The Australian bowlers, well accustomed to the Brisbane wicket, are sure to test the technique as well as the patience of the batsmen. The Aussie pacers average a miraculous 27 against all the overseas fast bowlers averaging 47 at the Gabba. The Indians have had a topsy-turvy ride with the bat and it would therefore be interesting to see their approach towards chasing Australia’s 369.
A great outing for the debutants:
Earlier in the day, the three Indian debutants, Natarajan, Sundar, and Thakur (virtually a debut, since he bowled only 10 balls in his first game in 2018) were all successful in making their presence felt. The trio took three wickets each but most importantly complemented each other well. Even after a couple of catches being dropped in the field, they bowled to a set plan and showed the discipline and consistency to have a constant poke at the batsmen. Called upon immensely for their inexperience, all of India’s backup bowlers showed a glimpse of their potential for the future. The ball from Sundar to Green especially took everyone by surprise in what was to be observed as a natural variation with the ball just holding on.
Both debutants took three-wickets each… 👏👏 couldn’t have asked for more from such an inexperienced bowling attack. Story would’ve looked a lot different still….if only India hadn’t dropped the catches. #AusvInd
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 16, 2021
Despite losing Navdeep Saini early into his spell, Indian bowlers have recovered well enough to give their batsmen a chance. The next couple of hours of play, before the predicted thunderstorm, would be very crucial in the context of the game and India will look to come on top. Whether they do or not? Only time has answers.
