Former Australian cricketer Simon Katich has advised Australian team to keep their focus on rotating their strike in order to maintain a solid defence against bowling legend Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah is currently the highest wicket-taker in the ongoing five-match Test series, where he has picked 21 wickets in three Test matches.
Katich has even observed that Bumrah rarely bowls a loose delivery, and the Australians must be strategically good in their approach.
“I know all the talk is around having more positive intent, and I think that’s all well and good and it is certainly something they have to be mindful of. But against someone like Bumrah intent is not about just blazing him for fours, because he doesn’t bowl many bad balls,” Katich told SEN 1116.
“So a lot of that intent has to be about rotating strike and being able to defend really well, because you’re not gonna be able to play with any intent if you aren’t there after the tenth over. That’s the challenge for all of these guys,” Katich added.
To show his point, Katich referred to Australia’s second innings in the third Test at Brisbane, where the hosts made an attempt to go with an aggressive approach but lost wickets at the end.
“We saw it in the second innings in Brisbane. Australians came out with really positive intent, trying to score more quickly and look what happened, 7/80 in no time,” he said
“It’s not easy to do against the red ball that moves around off the seam in a wearing wicket which the Gabba was starting to become with cracks,” he added.
“The top order has to be very careful and mindful of how they go about it. You’re not going to score many runs if you’re trying to take him on off the length, because he is so good,” he concluded.
After the third Test came to an end with a draw, the series is currently levelled 1-1. Both India and Australia will now face each other at the fourth Test match, set to take place at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), December 26.
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