We have to get Dhoni early, says Zampa

Australia leggie puts price on the wicket of his IPL team-mate ahead of the second ODI at the Eden Gardens on Thursday.

It remains to be seen if Adam Zampa, who bowled at the indoor nets on Tuesday, can spin it around for the Aussies in the garden of Eden.

Australia spinner Adam Zampa, ahead of the second ODI against India at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday, reckoned that the wicket of M.S. Dhoni – his Indian Premier League (IPL) team-mate (Rising Pune Supergiants) – is going to be crucial for the visiting side, if it has to turn the tide in the five-match ODI series.

Dhoni was instrumental in guiding India to 281-7, from an 11/3 situation, scoring 79 off 88 deliveries at Chepauk on Sunday.

“M.S. has been doing this for a long time, he has played a lot of innings under pressure throughout his career. The way he has paced and timed his innings highlights his strength. To have him as a guide for young players like Hardik Pandya is helpful for India. It was important to break that partnership. We probably didn't bowl too well in the middle, but M.S. is an important wicket and we have to get him early,” said the leggie, who removed Pandya (83) when he looked set for a ton.

Earlier, the 23-year-old all-rounder hammered Zampa for 24 runs, which included three sixes, in an over. “I bowled three balls which was full, so he got the distance. Those were poor deliveries. Hardik is a really good player,” he added.

Zampa also praised the Indian spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, who kept troubling the Aussies. “We have good variety in our attack, so do they. They bowled very well to us. Facing two spinners, being four down, was difficult. It could have been different had it been a 50 over scenario, it becomes tough when it gets down to 20 overs,” said Zampa, who turned out to be expensive (1/66) in the last rubber.

Talking about the length to bowl at Indian batsmen, he reasoned that a lot depends on the size of the ground. “You tend to mess up your length if you don't judge the size of the ground well. You need to get the player off-strike to reduce the pressure if needed and try to execute your plans. Hardik was attacking the other day, had I got him two three overs earlier, it could have been a different situation, and we could be chasing 250 or 260 and not 280. Being hit for three sixes is not a good feeling. But you need to learn from your mistakes. It has happened to people like Shane Warne too,” Zampa asserted.

However, it remains to be seen if Zampa, who bowled at the indoor nets on Tuesday, can spin it around for the Aussies in the garden of Eden, which remained under cover due to heavy rain.

India, on the other hand, called off its practice session.