“I want to see Australia come out and be their aggressive selves in Delhi,” says Ravi Shastri

3 years AGO
Virat
Virat Verma Cricket expert
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Ravi Shastri says if Australia doesn't get at India right away, the possibility of a 3-0 or even a 4-0 series defeat looms large

Ahead of the second test match, former India coach Ravi Shastri gave some advice to the Australians, in a column for Sydney Morning Herald titled ‘Timid Australians must get aggressive because India will show no mercy.

Australia suffered a bad defeat against India by an inning and 132 runs in the opening game of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Nagpur. Australia was all out for just 91 in their second inning in the session between Lunch and Tea. 

Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith showed some battle in a generally dreary batting show. Australia is set to make changes from the Nagpur drubbing, with spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, returning fast bowler Mitchell Starc and all-rounder Cameron Green fighting for a spot in the team.

Ahead of the match, former India coach Ravi Shastri gave some advice to the Australians. In a column for Sydney Morning Herald titled ‘Timid Australians must get aggressive because India will show no mercy’, Shastri wrote:

“Save the English manners for the Ashes. What you need are good old Australian manners here in India to bounce back from the defeat in Nagpur.

“I want to see them come out and be their aggressive selves in Delhi. To back their ability and play with intent. I was surprised by the lack of it, especially in that second inning, where they were rolled for 91. If you lose, go down throwing punches. Not in the timid, almost un-Australian, fashion that they surrendered against the Indian spinners at the VCA Stadium. But the punch has to be thrown immediately, and they need to hit India hard from the very start in Delhi. If Australia doesn’t get at India right away, the possibility of a 3-0 or even a 4-0 series defeat looms large.”

He expressed that it looked like the Australians were engaging in an excessive amount of bonhomie with their Indian partners.

“I would also ask the Aussies to leave their Indian Premier League buddies behind and keep them for later. It felt like there was a bit too much bonhomie on the field in Nagpur for my liking. I want to see that characteristic hard-hitting Aussie intent come to the fore in Delhi,”

Shastri wrote.

“I can say this with confidence: the Indians will be relentless, as they are always in India. This is as good a bowling attack as they’ve ever had, both in terms of the fast bowlers and the spinners. India has never had a spin trio where all three are all-rounders.”