Rohit Sharma-led Team India produced a commanding show in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener, dictating proceedings from the word go. The team outplayed Australia in both departments and won the first Test by an innings and 132 runs. Australia were packed for 177 in the first innings after opting to bat first and could only manage 91 in the second. Meanwhile, India piled a mammoth 400 on the board, with captain Rohit Sharma slamming a ton and Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel chipping in with 50-plus scores.
The below par performance by Pat Cummins and Co. didn't go well with former Aussie players, an Australia legend Allan Border in particular was furious with some of the antics.
During an interaction with Fox Cricket, Border lashed out at Australian batters, pointing out incident when Steve Smith gave a thumbs up to the bowler after being beaten by him.
“Play with a harder edge. I mean, we’re giving blokes the thumbs up when they’re beating us outside the off stump,” noted Border.
“What the hell is going on? That is just ridiculous. Don’t go stupid, but Australia play hard nose cricket. We’re even giving someone thumbs up … bloody hell,” he added.
With Australia trailing 1-0 in the four-match series, Border suggested that Cummins' Australia need to come up with new tactics to go even as the action shifts to New Delhi, where the second Test starts from February 17.
{{/usCountry}}With Australia trailing 1-0 in the four-match series, Border suggested that Cummins' Australia need to come up with new tactics to go even as the action shifts to New Delhi, where the second Test starts from February 17.
{{/usCountry}}“There’s so many scars there now, it’s going to be a tough few days. You can talk the talk, but ultimately the boys with the bat in hand and ball in hand have got to do the job,” Border said.
“It’s going to be hard to find a way, but they’ve just got to do it. A big, soul-searching dressing room drink-a-thon tonight, just to try to thrash something out. That’s as bad as we can play, there’s only one way to go from here,” he added.
Meanwhile, this was Australia’s second lowest total against India after 93 in Mumbai (2004), during which Harbhajan Singh had picked five wickets. Australia then had failed to chase 107-run target but won the four-match series 2-1.