Former BCCI selector Devang Gandhi feels the India bowling attack is not prepared for the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) challenge against Australia. The five-match test series begins on November 22 and will run until January 7. It will be a crucial series for both teams, as they vie for the top two spots in the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
Ahead of the Australia tour, India succumbed to a disappointing 3-0 test series defeat to New Zealand at home soil. Although, spinners did their job fine, the pace bowling unit severely underperformed.
The key pacers – Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj returned with only three and two wickets, respectively in two games. Importantly, Siraj held a dismal average of 58, while Bumrah averaged 42.33. Meanwhile, Akash Deep bagged two wickets in as many appearances at an average of 36.50.
The touring party to Australia also includes pacers like Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana. However, the duo have been part of only 21 and 10 first-class games, respectively. Nevertheless, Krishna impressed by taking 10 wickets against Australia A in two games, while Rana is in good form by picking 15 wickets in his last three domestic appearances.
Moreover, Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini and Khaleel Ahmed are picked up as the traveling reserves for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. Their participation is subjected to any of the squad members being unfit or remaining unavailable for selection.
According to Gandhi, there is a lack of experience on the fast bowling front, which will put pressure on the batters to compile a strong score on the board.
“Navdeep Saini, Siraj and Shardul Thakur were finished products by the time they made their debuts for India. The robust India ‘A’ programme under Rahul Dravid helped them to be prepared for conditions around the world. This time there’s kind of a lack of experience on that front. When the pacers were on song in the last two tours, it reduced pressure on the batters to get big scores. Scores of 300-plus were enough to put the opposition under pressure,” Gandhi told TOI.
Paras Mhambrey feels Mohammed Siraj will soon find his rhythm
Former India bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey shared his opinion on Mohammed Siraj’s lackluster form, where he has been unable to trouble the batters and secure breakthroughs.
Siraj has looked off-color in 2024, managing only 13 wickets in eight home tests. This is in sharp contrast to Jasprit Bumrah, who has 33 scalps in seven appearances. The absence of Mohammed Shami have surely has put pressure on Siraj, who is now counted among the frontline pacers.
However, Mhambrey, who has guided Siraj during his tenure from 2021 to 2024, lauded the right-arm pacer’s wicket-taking abilities and hopes he will soon get back his rhythm.
“You have to back him. He has the art of taking wickets and the experience of bowling around the world. His rhythm seems to be bothering him right now. But he is experienced enough to know that he needs to do a lot of bowling to get it back,” he told TOI.
