‘Instead of Four, Seven Would’ve Been Out Today’: Harbhajan Singh Points Out What Went Wrong For India Spinners on Day 1

Veteran bowler Harbhajan Singh suggested that Indian spinners’ failure to hit the right length was the reason why they failed to replicate their Australian counterpart on Day 1 of the Indore Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Australia’s spin trio – Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy and Kuhnmann – took advantage of the Holkar surface Cricket The stadium fell victim to nine Indian batsmen very well while Mohammad Siraj was run out.

For India, Ravindra Jadeja was the only wicket-taker as he took all four wickets, while other spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel were assisted by the surface but failed to get any wickets.

Read this also | India vs Australia: India Collapse while navigating the minefield of Indore

Harbhajan suggested that the Indian spinners pitched it too full at the start of the innings which restricted them to extract more spin from the surface.

He said, ‘Initially the spinners did not get their length. He bowls a lot of fullers and it becomes easier to bat because the ball doesn’t spin as much. When the ball is very close to the bat or pad, it doesn’t get a chance to bounce or spin,” Harbhajan told Star Sports.

The veteran spinner explained what went wrong for India which allowed opener Usman Khawaja to be set as he scored 60 and looked a cut above the rest in the batting department on Day 1.

“As a spinner, you should not anticipate that they will play the sweep and hence you should bowl full. Till they don’t do that (play the sweep) then you have to bowl at a good length. Whether you are playing in Australia or India, the good-length spot is always the good-length spot. Khawaja also got set for the same reason,” he added.

Read this also | Exclusive | Dry, dry, dry: How Team India chose the Indore Test pitch

Turbanator claimed that Jadeja managed to get wickets in the final session when he changed his length to get more turn. Jadeja managed to get India back in the game after tea by dismissing Marnus Labuschagne, Khawaja and Steve Smith.

“As soon as Ravindra Jadeja pulled back his length after tea, his bowling style changed completely. The reason he got three wickets later was because he pulled back his length.”

“When there is no pace at all, you need to bowl full length. There is pace in this wicket. If you bowled the right line and length on this pitch, which is a good length – where Indian spinners bowl less than four, there would have been seven dismissals today,” Harbhajan said.

get the latest cricket news Here