India vs Australia: Sunil Gavaskar mighty impressed with India’s young attack’s ‘praiseworthy’ performance


India vs Australia: Sunil Gavaskar mighty impressed with India’s young attack’s ‘praiseworthy’ performance

Sunil Gavaskar, T Natarajan and Shardul Thakur

Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar

Having been hit by a barrage of injuries, India fielded an inexperienced bowling attack for the fourth Test. The tourists’ bowling unit at the Gabba had a collective experience of four Tests going into the game. Washington Sundar and T Natarajan debuted while Shardul Thakur made a second debut, having bowled only 10 deliveries in his first Test. But the young brigade led by Mohammed Siraj didn’t let the side down.

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The debutants, including Thakur, scalped three wickets each as they restricted the star-studded Aussie line up for 369. And former India opener Sunil Gavaskar is mighty impressed with the effort. Gavaskar asserts that the hosts were well en route a total in excess of 400 in the first innings but the Indian young bowlers did well to cut the innings short.

Our young bowlers gave a very good performance. Yes, there was a partnership between Paine and Green. Our bowlers had got off to a slightly slow start today; Natarajan was hit for two fours in his first over,” Gavaskar said during a discussion on the Sony Sports Network.

But after that, the way they bowled, it was praiseworthy, and I enjoyed seeing that. These players, who had just the eleven or thirteen wickets before the game started, bowled very well; it seemed like Australia will score 400-450 runs at one point,” he added.

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When a new player performs well, your hopes are raised

T Natarajan and Shardul Thakur
T Natarajan and Shardul Thakur

The fact that an Indian bowling line up without the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ravichandran Ashwin shined Down Under is a matter of pride for every Indian. Gavaskar too is overjoyed with the way the youngsters rose to the occasion.

When a new player comes and performs well, then your hopes are raised that we have got good players for the future in case there is any injury. Bumrah, Ashwin and Jadeja, who are the lynchpins of our bowling attack, they were not playing, still our young bowlers gave a very good performance, and seeing that, it feels very good,” said Gavaskar.

To top off a great outing, Sundar and Shardul put up a century stand to keep the Aussies at bay on day three. The rookie duo notched up gritty half-centuries each as they batted away against a potent Aussie bowling attack.

Also Read | ‘Fragility of both teams batting has contributed greatly to the enthralling nature of the series,’ says Ian Chappell

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