Australian top-order batsman Marnus Labuschagne credited that Indian bowlers’ strategy of stifling the batsmen with the leg-side field after his side was bowled out of just 195 on the first day of the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.
“In the modern game, people are coming with new ways and thinking about the game slightly differently. They came with a leg-side field and bowled very straight, not giving us a scoring chance on the off-side,” said Labuschagne.
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The batsman also felt that some of the set batters including himself did not make use of the start saying, “We had three innocuous dismissals we probably did not need and, I think all three were guys who were set in.”
The 26-year-old, however, felt Australia is very much in the game citing how things unfolded in Adelaide where India squandered a first-innings lead and went on to lose the Test by eight wickets.
“We are in the game. We showed in the last game that it doesn’t matter how many you have, you are in the game,” he added.
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When asked if Australia’s score was sub-par, Labuschagne felt that the wicket was not as easy to bat on saying, “You have to let both teams bat on the wicket. This wicket had a little bit more seam and even swing, around the 50th over mark which you don’t see at the MCG at that time.”
'New ways'
Commenting on pacer Mohammed Siraj’s performance, who hit him on the helmet early on his innings, Labuchagne said, “He is a bit of swing bowler than a seam bowler. He got the ball to swing away from the left-hander Head and showed his skills, especially around the 60th over. We have to make sure we understand what they are trying to do and combat that.”
(Watch the second test of Border Gavaskar Trophy LIVE on SONY TEN 1, SONY TEN 3 and SONY SIX channels).
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