The veteran Indian top-order batter, Cheteshwar Pujara, has not been satisfied with the bowling department of the touring side for the last two games of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 in Melbourne and Sydney. He raises the question of the expected bowling combination of the side for the Boxing Day Test.
The premier Indian off-spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, the second leading wicket-taker of the side in the longest format with 537 wickets in 104 games at an average of 24, took a sudden retirement from the longest format at the end of the third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Cheteshwar Pujara felt that in the absence of Ashwin, the bowling department of the side would look a bit weak, while he also addressed that with the positive batting from the lower middle order, that unit would be a little stronger.
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“My biggest question, and the reason for a little bit of concern, is that the Indian bowling is looking a little weak. Batting is a little better like the top five didn’t do well, but the middle order and lower middle order, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitesh, and even tail-enders, Bumrah and Akash deep contributed with the bat.” Cheteshwar Pujara expressed during an interaction with Star Sports ahead of the Melbourne Test match.
Cheteshwar Pujara highlights India’s bowling weakness for MCG Test
Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker of the series so far with 21 wickets in six innings at an average of below 11, a strike rate of 25.14, and an economy rate of 2.60 with the help of a couple of two five-wicket hauls at the best bowling figure of 6/76 in an innings.
Mohammad Siraj is fourth on the list with 13 scalps in six innings at an average of under 24, a strike rate of 38.38, and an economy rate of 3.73 with one four-wicket haul. Apart from that, the touring side struggled badly once the opening spell finished.
“Now, there is a weakness in the bowling, so what will you feed the team? That is the biggest question because you can’t drop Nitish, you can’t drop Jadeja, so what will be the team combination? Ashwin has taken retirement, so two spinners, I don’t think they will play in Melbourne. So, how will you strengthen bowling? The three seamers are very good, but their supporting role. Nitesh Kumar is the fourth seamer, and Ravindra Jadeja is the fifth bowler.” Cheteshwar Pujara added during the interaction.
The Australian batting unit has struggled so much against Jasprit Bumrah, while the young opener, Nathan McSweeney, has been dismissed four times against the Ahmedabad-born before being axed from the squad for the last two fixtures.
Ravindra Jadeja failed to control the run rate in the lone innings he bowled at the Gabba and couldn’t enjoy a single wicket in the encounter. Nitish Reddy has also struggled with the ball, having not looked in a decent flow.
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Cheteshwar Pujara felt that adding those two bowlers, the department has got a bit weaker whole the supporting role of the other bowlers hasn’t been good.
“If you add both of them together, the bowling is not that good. We will have to think about that, because if you want to win a test match, then you have to take 20 wickets, and the ability to take 20 wickets is not that good, the supporting role of the other bowlers is not good, so we will have to improve that as soon as possible, and how that will be, I don’t know, but that is a big question.” Cheteshwar Pujara concluded.
The series is leveled at 1-1 going into the fourth Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
