Representative image.© AFP
Cheteshwar Pujara, who was a star of India’s last two Test series wins in Australia, has expressed concern regarding a couple of aspects of India’s current squad. While India have done reasonably well to keep the series at 1-1 after three Tests, Pujara believes that there are a couple of factors that India need to look out for heading into the fourth Test at Melbourne on Boxing Day. Chief among his concerns was the absence of a rear gunner for pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who has had to do a lot of the heavy lifting with the ball so far.
“My biggest question and slight reason for concern is that the Indian bowling is looking slightly weak,” Pujara said on Star Sports.
Pujara’s concern is valid. While Bumrah has been inarguably the standout bowler of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25, leading the wickets’ column with 21 in three games, he has received minimal support.
While Mohammed Siraj does have 14 wickets to his name, he has not been able to give India the breakthrough on multiple occasions when the pressure has been put on India by the likes of Travis Head.
Besides Siraj, no Indian bowler has more than four wickets in the series.
Akash Deep briefly impressed in the third Test with the ball in hand in the third Test. He had replaced Harshit Rana, who got four in the first Test but went wicketless in the second game.
With India chopping and changing spinners regularly, their bowling attack is still a cause for concern.
Pujara also expressed doubt at the batting.
“The batting has improved a little. The top five have not batted well but the middle order and lower-middle order have done that,” Pujara said.
While KL Rahul and Nitish Reddy have done well more often than not, the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill have been patchy at best.
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