"What Happened Last Time...": Australia Coach Comments on India's Mohammed Shami Absence Before Border-Gavaskar Trophy
India's recent loss, McDonald cautioned his team against underestimating the Indian squad. He acknowledged that India's reserve players have proven to be effective, as demonstrated in their past encounters. "But needless to say we saw what happened last time; they had reserves that came in and did the job as well, so they cannot be underestimated at all," he remarked.
As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy approaches next month, Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald shared his insights regarding India's recent Test series loss to New Zealand. India suffered a surprising 2-0 defeat in the ongoing three-match series, marking their first home Test series loss in nearly 12 years. This setback has significant implications for their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Rohit Sharma's team is set to play six more Tests in this cycle, including a crucial five-match series in Australia.
Reflecting on India's previous performances, McDonald noted that India has been successful in their last two Test tours of Australia, notably winning 2-1 with a second-string squad during their last visit. He expressed concern over the absence of pacer Mohammed Shami, who is sidelined as he recovers from ankle surgery. McDonald highlighted Shami's impact, stating, "Mohammed Shami is a big loss. The way our batters speak about his relentless nature, his line and lengths, the way he goes about his business, a real good complementing skill set to (Jasprit) Bumrah." He emphasized that India will miss the formidable combination of Shami and Bumrah.
Despite India's recent loss, McDonald cautioned his team against underestimating the Indian squad. He acknowledged that India's reserve players have proven to be effective, as demonstrated in their past encounters. "But needless to say we saw what happened last time; they had reserves that came in and did the job as well, so they cannot be underestimated at all," he remarked.
Shami has been out of action since last year's ODI World Cup final due to injury and subsequent surgery. He mentioned his desire to play some domestic matches before returning to the national squad. In light of Shami's absence, selectors have included IPL star Nitish Kumar Reddy and pacer Harshit Rana in India's red-ball squad for the upcoming series.
India's squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy includes key players such as Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), and veterans like Virat Kohli and R. Ashwin. The team is looking to make a strong comeback despite recent challenges. The reserves include Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, and Khaleel Ahmed, providing additional depth to the squad.
