India’s performance on the first day of the Sydney Test against Australia sparked an intense debate with the former all-rounder Irfan Pathan considering two key decisions: the selection of Rohit Sharma to sit and be the stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah‘s call to bat first.
Rohit Sharma’s bold move deserves praise
Pathan praised Rohit SharmaThe decision to sit out a crucial Test because of his poor form with the bat. Calling it a “selfless decision”, Pathan pointed out the rarity of such moves.
“It’s a selfless decision and what captain Rohit did today, you won’t see many captains do that. This can only happen if you are confident. Rohit is a very confident player,” said Pathan during a discussion on Star Sports.
Rohit’s absence made way for Shubman Gillwhile Prasidh Krishna replaced the injured Akash Deep.
Bumrah’s decision to bat first under fire
However, the decision that drew more criticism was Jasprit Bumrah’s decision to bat first on a green pitch in cloudy weather. Indiatrailing 1-2 in the series, he fought back Australia‘s pacers, being bowled out for just 185 in 72.2 overs.
Pathan expressed reservations about the call, saying he had hoped India would lose the toss.
“I would have been happy if India had lost the toss in the Sydney Test. I knew India would strike first, given the history of the iconic site. However, there was a lot of grass left on the field, and since the weather was not good, we should have thought about the call to throw the ball first.”
Despite the criticism, Pathan urged the batsmen to stand by the captain’s decision. “The batsmen will have to support the decision and put runs on the board. It is a bold call, but it should be followed,” he added.
Batting struggles exposed
The Indian batting unit faltered in the tough conditions. Rishabh Pant top scorer with 40 runs off 98 balls but the team failed to build a partnership. Pathan did not hold back in criticizing the batsman’s dismissal.
Also read this: Navjot Singh Sidhu criticizes Rohit Sharma’s exclusion from SCG Test: Calls it a ‘mistake’
“Barring the dismissals of Jaiswal and Jadeja (who moved from the first line) – the others had nothing to do with the spices on the field,” he wrote on X.
Indian bowlers managed to make an early breakthrough, dismissing Usman Khawaja before stumps on Day 1. Bumrah’s late knock boosted the morale of the visitors, who will now rely on their bowlers to keep them in the contest.
Stay updated with all the cricket action, follow Cricadius on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegramand Instagram
Source link
