Sunil Gavaskar ‘baffled’ by Bumrah, Siraj's approach vs Travis Head: 'It was similar in the World Cup final...'

Sunil Gavaskar asserted that Indian bowlers committed the same mistakes which they did in the 2023 WTC and ODI World Cup finals against Travis Head.

Batting great Sunil Gavaskar was baffled by the Indian bowlers' approach for Travis Head on Day 2 of the second Test match against Australia. Head once again frustrated the Indian team and slammed a counter-attacking century to put Australia in the driver's seat in the pink-ball clash at his home ground Adelaide Oval. Head stood tall and punished the visiting bowlers all around the park to score his 8th Test century.

Sunil Gavaskar unimpressed with Jasprit Bumrah and other pacers approach vs Travis Head in 2nd Test.(AFP and PTI)

The left-handed batter slammed 140 runs off 141 balls laced with 17 fours and four sixes. Mohammed Siraj dropped him on 70s off Ravichandran Ashwin's delivery; it was a tricky chance, but Head took advantage of it and added almost double to his score.

Gavaskar said the Indian bowlers failed to put any pressure on Head as they didn't test him with short balls. He asserted that they committed the same mistakes which they did in the 2023 WTC and 2023 ODI World Cup finals, where he also scored centuries to take the game away from India's race.

"It's just baffling. We heard about it in WTC final, we started to get into uncomfortable situations. It was similar in the World Cup final. We hardly tested him. Pitch it up, he might throw bat, he might get the middle of the bat, or there is a possibility that he might edge it, but India never tried to put him under pressure," Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

‘Everything was around middle…’: Gavaskar slams IND pacers

The legendary cricketer pointed out that the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj didn't cause much trouble for Head and bowled in the areas where he was comfortable.

"You have to ask them. Harshit Rana got it a bit wrong, Siraj got lovely bouncer, Bumrah does too between shoulders and helmet. Nothing of that sort was tried, everything was around middle. Australian and South Africans are very good with playing such deliveries," he added.

Meanwhile, Siraj put an end to Head's magnificent knock for 140, but Australia managed to take a crucial 157-run first-innings lead. For India, the peerless Bumrah (4/61) and Siraj (4/98) were the most successful bowlers, as Australia were all out for 337 in reply to India's 180.