India vs Australia Live Score: India have their ‘nose ahead’
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Former coach Ravi Shastri has expressed confidence in India’s chances of winning the Boxing Day Test, stating that the visitors have capitalized on Australia’s “brittle” top order to gain the upper hand in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Shastri credited Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah for keeping the series level at 1-1, calling him “almost single-handedly” responsible for India’s position.
“I think India would take this, the way the series is poised. Any overseas team being 1-1, especially with the games being in Perth, Adelaide, and Brisbane, they would take this.
“Going 1-1 into Boxing Day is the best case scenario. I would say India have their nose ahead,” Shastri told news.com.au.
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Australia’s top-order batters, including Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, and Marnus Labuschagne, have struggled against Bumrah’s brilliance. This vulnerability has led to the inclusion of teenage sensation Sam Konstas, with rookie opener McSweeney being dropped.
“It’s been pretty brittle. When you look at this Australian line-up, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen an Australian line-up where the top order is that brittle. India have exploited that and continue to exploit it,” Shastri said.
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh has also found runs hard to come by, and in the past year, key Australian batters like Labuschagne, Marsh, Khawaja, and Steve Smith have averaged under 30 in Test cricket.
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“India is 1-1 in the series, and that man (Bumrah) has almost single-handedly got India into that position,” Shastri remarked.
Shastri also commented on Konstas’s potential, calling him a promising talent.
“As far as Konstas goes, I think he’s very refreshing. He’s got flair, he’s got flamboyance. But Test cricket is Test cricket. His technique will tighten up, and he will be the future for Australia.”
Regarding McSweeney’s axing, Shastri expressed sympathy for the young batter.
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“McSweeney was very unfortunate. He did the hard yards, but he’s a middle-order batsman. I see him traveling to Sri Lanka when the Australian team go there and rebuild his career from there.
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“But I think it’s a good move getting Konstas in because you need someone who can take the attack to the Indian team because the punches were coming from nowhere.”
India, having won their last two series in Australia, now have the chance to become only the third touring side to claim three consecutive series wins Down Under, joining the ranks of the West Indies (1984/85, 1988/89, 1992/93) and South Africa (2008/09, 2012/13, 2016/17).
“Massive. No team has done that in a long time. Australia hammers sides when they come here. For India to pull off three on the trot will be something special.
“But they’ll have to play good cricket. I see Australia coming hard in this Test match, especially with the bowlers. It’s the batting that’ll be the challenge for Australia more than anything else.”
Shastri feels India has come to Australia with a strong intent to win.
“India have come here to win, they haven’t come here to fill in the numbers. Even when I was the coach, our mantra was to play extremely hard, fair and to win.
“You have to think of a method to beat Australia and not just compete. You’ve got to plan properly, how to take your 20 wickets. India have done that and been very aggressive.
“They’ve been in the face of Australia and give as good as they get. It’s been entertaining and feisty stuff. The first day of the Boxing Day Test will determine which way the series will go,” he added.
