The current ODI series between the Australians and India has seen batsmen flourish and the bowlers take a backseat.
The current ODI series between the Australians and India has seen batsmen flourish and the bowlers take a backseat. But, if one went to compare the Aussie bowlers with the Indian counterpart, the former are way ahead. The Oz bowling line that lists the names of Mitchell Johnson, Clint McKay and James Faulkner has troubled the Indian batsmen with one weapon: the short ball. From the onset of the 1st ODI, the Aussies have troubled the Indian batsmen with the short delivery and the result was there to see. Besides Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, the rest had fallen to the shorter ball, it’s a weakness of the Indian batsmen that dates long back.
Aussie all-rounder Glenn Maxwell added to that saying, “I think the short ball has probably been our best strategy so far. I don’t think we’re going to change our strategy too much. We thought we bowled pretty well (in the last match). Unfortunately, Dhoni went off at the end and played brilliantly. I thought we bowled really well last game. It felt like we sorted out a few of their batsmen. Hopefully they’ve got a few worries in their camp. We’re feeling pretty good at the moment.”
Aussie bowling spearhead, Mitchell Johnson, used the short ball successfully against the Indian middle-order and sent the hosts on the back foot in the third ODI in Mohali with figures of 10-1-46-4. The visitors, who led the series 2-1, won the Mohali rubber by four wickets riding on James Faulkner’s match-winning innings.
Both the teams now turn their attention to India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s home town, JSCA International Stadium Complex. With the crowd cheering for their boy, the Aussies would be ready what they are good at, pitching it short!
