On Friday, India skilled Australian fireworks as the Aussie batsmen, specially Aaron Finch, Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell, recorded a total of 374 runs in 50 overs in the initial ODI at SCG.
Australia defeated India by 66 runs as the guests could not chase the large total, which was also the highest that Aussies have place up against India.
Cricketer turned commentator Gautam Gambhir believes that the lack of a sixth bowling and rapidly-bowling all-round selections are the lead to of present troubles in the Virat Kohli-led side.
In the match, Yuzvendra Chahal and Navdeep Saini conceded far more than 80 runs in their quota of ten overs, and not obtaining a sixth bowling alternative hurt India as Virat Kohli had to return to his most important 5-bowlers even when they had been leaking runs.
“It has been happening since the last World Cup, if Hardik Pandya is not fit to bowl, then where is your sixth bowling option? Even if Rohit Sharma comes back into the lineup, the problem you are facing now, you will face the same going ahead. There is no one in top six who can give you a couple of overs,” Gambhir told ESPNCricinfo.
“If you see the Australian side, they have got Moises Henriques who can give you a couple of overs, they have Sean Abbott who is a bowling all-rounder. If you talk about India, if Hardik Pandya is unfit then where is your sixth bowling option? I can only think of Vijay Shankar as the other all-rounder, does he have the same impact batting at number five-six, and can he give you eight-nine overs? I have my doubts,” he added.
All-rounder Pandya scored 90 runs in the initial ODI and just after the conclusion of the match, he admitted that he will only bowl after he returns to complete fitness. India had attempted Vijay Shankar as an alternative in the 2019 World Cup, and just after that, the side has been reluctant to attempt him out regularly in white-ball format.
“It is a process. I am looking at a long-term goal where I want to be 100 per cent of my bowling capacity for the most important games. The World Cups are coming. More crucial series are coming. Whenever it is required,” Pandya had mentioned in a virtual press-conference just after the match.
“I am thinking like a long-term plan, not short term where I exhaust myself and maybe have something else [injury] which is not there. So it is going to be a process, which I am following. I can’t tell you exactly when I am going to bowl but the process is on. In the nets, I am bowling. It is just that I am not game-ready but I am bowling. It is all about confidence and the skill has to be at an international level,” he added.
India and Australia will now lock horns in the second ODI on Sunday.
(with ANI inputs)