Pujara offers advice to struggling Indian batters to counter-attack Mitchell Starc: ‘Make him bowl second and third…’

Starc has made an impact with the new ball against India in the ongoing series, and his swinging deliveries have caused problems for the top-order batters.

Veteran India batter Cheteshwar Pujara heaped praise on Australia paceman Mitchell Starc for his impressive show in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Pujara, who has engaged in several memorable battles with Starc in the past, asserted that the left-arm pacer has worked on his bowling and improved his accuracy, which was missing in the last couple of series.

Mitchell Starc celebrates the wicket of India's Shubman Gill on day three of the third Test match between Australia and India at The Gabba. (AFP)

Starc has made an impact with the new ball against India in the ongoing series, and his swinging deliveries have caused problems for the top-order batters.

Pujara said that when he faced Starc in the last two Test series Down Under, the Indian batters looked confident against him to score runs.

"He has been their best bowler thus far in this series. He has improved his bowling a lot in the last one to one-and-a-half years. He has a lot of ability. If I talk about my personal experience, when he used to come to bowl in the last two series, we felt we could get runs," he responded.

Meanwhile, that hasn't been the case this time. Starc has targeted the stumps more this series, as Pujara suggested, and his disciplined line and length helped him get a swing both ways.

"However, now it seems like when he will come to bowl, he will pick up wickets. His accuracy has improved a lot. He is bowling very few loose deliveries. He is bowling at the stumps. Every ball is hitting the good length spot. He is getting swing. He has become a different bowler," Pujara elaborated.

‘Starc looking more dangerous than Cummins and Hazlewood’

Starc has been the joint-highest wicket-taker for Australia after the first three Tests with 14 wickets in his kitty.

Pujara, who has been doing the commentating duties in this series, advised the Indian batters to be cautious against Starc in the first spell and look to target later in the game when the ball gets old.

"He is looking more dangerous than (Pat) Cummins and (Josh) Hazlewood. So we will have to manage his bowling, especially with the new ball. He has taken most of his wickets in his first five overs, his first spell. So we need to bat well in the first five overs. Make him bowl the second and third spells because he gets tired," he said.