Many flaws in India’s performance were identified from the first test in Adelaide, with hitting and fielding being the biggest. There were times in the early innings when India made a couple of catches, and while they didn’t turn out to be too expensive, the fact that India’s catch has not been the cleanest of late remains a cause for concern.
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Second, India was very disappointed in their hitting, losing their way in the first inning after Virat Kohli’s firing followed by the catastrophe that unfolded in the second inning, in which they were eliminated by 36, the lowest total. of India in the tests. Former Australia goalkeeper Adam Gilchrist feels that India needs to address their hitting issues, starting with starter Prithvi Shaw.
“In both innings, the early departure of Prithvi Shaw put the team on defense. Shaw was part of the team during the last India series here, and there has been a lot of excitement and buildup around the young man. This also meant that his technique was analyzed and there was a clear plan to exploit the gap between his bat and his pad which is a cause for concern for the young man, ”Gilchrist wrote in his column for noon.
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Shaw scored a 2-ball duck and 4 at Adelaide and fell to nearly identical layoffs in both innings. Going forward, Gilchrist believes it will be a difficult situation for the selectors to retain him for the second round at Melbourne Cricket Ground from 26 December.
“Shaw has also been prone to expansive gunfire which could backfire in Australian conditions, because he is likely to approach a ravine. While he is a talented young man, his performance will put the selectors in a quandary as they plan for the Boxing Day event, “he added.
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Gilchrist also found Cheteshwar Pujara’s approach defensive in the early innings, saying that the partnership between him and Kohli is what bogged down the innings. Pujara scored 43 of 160 balls with two fours and a strike rate of 26.88; however, Gilchrist felt that India could have done it with the same approach in the second inning, but unfortunately couldn’t.
“Looking back at the first inning, I think Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli’s seemingly slow hitting was, in fact, excellent defensive hitting. That was what India was unable to replicate in the second inning, ”wrote Gilchrist.
“In the early innings, it seemed like India wasn’t looking for scoring opportunities, but Kohli’s concentration masterclass alongside Pujara and then Ajinkya Rahane is what ensured India reached 244.”
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