You didn’t have a chance of making any impact because your batters didn’t step up – Zaheer Khan

The Indian cricket team is equal at 1-1 with Australia after the first two ODIs of the 3-match series while former pacer Zaheer Khan admitted that the top-order has not provided the team the platform to establish with the bat in both matches.

The Indian cricket team is equal at 1-1 with Australia after the first two ODIs of the 3-match series. The tourists responded with a decisive victory in the second game after the hosts won the opening match. 

KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja led India in their chase of 189 runs in the first game but the team was all out for 117 while batting first in the second match. As Indian batters struggle, former pacer Zaheer Khan admitted that the top order has not provided the team the platform to establish with the bat in both matches.

In the second ODI, even the Indian bowlers had trouble, as Australia successfully chased down the target of 118 runs without losing a single wicket. But, Zaheer believes that the batters are more at blame than the bowlers.

In a chat on Cricbuzz, Zaheer was asked if including Umran Malik in the team can strengthen the Indian bowling. He outrightly refused such a change to be made.

“You look at the first match score; you got the team all-out for 188. Today you didn’t have a chance of making any impact because your batters didn’t step up and got you to that platform.

“I think it’s all about providing that kind of platform. I won’t go too much into that part about what bowlers have done wrong. They’ve played their part in the first match,”

he said.

The Indian top order was then brought to attention by Zaheer, who claimed that the team’s struggles were caused by the players’ inability to fire in the first 10 overs.

“The last two games that have happened you clearly know where the issue is. The issue is the first 10 overs, with the bat in hand what are you doing with it? You are not setting the platform for your middle order.

Mitchell Starc is the top wicket-taker in the series, having already claimed 8 scalps. Zaheer feels facing the Aussie speedster had a really difficult challenge for the Indian batters.

“How Mitchell Starc has done that with a new ball, which is providing a platform to the next bowlers to come and continue with that pressure. So similarly when you’re losing wickets, the pressure is already formed on the next batter to come and deal with the best bowler.

“How can you negate that, how can you avoid that kind of a situation is going to be the challenge. That’s why all answers in the series are lying with the batters. And they need to regroup, they need to come with solutions, they need to plan and if they can provide with the platform then your bowlers will step up,”

said Zaheer.