Team India came face to face a a heavy defeat in the second test Adelaide as Australia cruised to a dominant 10-wicket victory. The hosts’ team performance has left India reeling, with both the batting and bowling units failing to perform. India now faces a serious challenge in the ongoing series after this heavy defeat. The Indian side’s poor show in Adelaide has raised serious questions about their preparations and strategies for the remaining Tests.
Morne Morkel highlights the major mistakes of the Indian bowlers
India’s bowling coach after the defeat Morne Morkel He reflected on the bowlers’ performance in the match, comparing it to their solid display in the first Test. He noted that during the first Test, the Indian bowlers executed their plans with great precision, consistently hitting the right lines and lengths. This discipline was considered the blueprint for their strategy going forward in the series. The bowlers aimed to target the stumps as much as possible, create pressure by forcing the Australian batsmen to play the deliveries and increase the chances of scoring. This approach worked well in the first Test and made it a model for their tactics in subsequent games.
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However, Morkel stressed that the bowlers deviated from this plan in the second Test. Despite the ball moving in the conditions, India’s bowlers were consistently unable to hit the right length or maintain tight lines. Morkel felt that the bowlers were often too wide, allowing the Australians to leave the ball comfortably. Missing the right length and not bringing the stumps into play consistently, India failed to put the same level of pressure on the Australian batsmen that allowed them to settle in and build significant partnerships. This lapse in execution led to India not being able to get through and control the game.
“If I turn my watch back to the first Test match, our lines and lengths were exceptional. That was kind of the plan for us going into this Test series. We wanted to bring the stumps into the game as much as possible and I thought we missed that with the ball moving a bit last night. We were a bit off on finding the right kind of length and were a touch wide at times. He let the kids loose a lot of balls. It was a learning experience.” Morkel said in a press release.
Focus on the upcoming Gabba Test
With the series now at a crucial juncture, all eyes will be on the upcoming Gabba Test where India will have to come out strong to stay alive in the series. After the humiliating loss in Adelaide, the team needs to focus on their mistakes, especially in their bowling approach. Known for its advanced wicket, the Gabba is likely to present new challenges and India’s bowlers will have to adapt their plans to counter Australia’s formidable batting line-up.
