“The Issue Is…”: Zaheer Khan’s Blunt Message To Indian Batters After 2nd ODI Debacle

The Indian cricket team stands level 1-1 with Australia after the first two ODIs of the 3-match series. After the hosts emerged victorious in the first ODI, the tourists bounced back with an emphatic victory in the second game. In the first match, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja led India’s chase of 189 runs but in the second match, the team was all out for 117 while batting first. As Indian batters struggle, former pacer Zaheer Khan admitted that the top-order has not given team the platform to build with the bat in both matches.

Even Indian bowlers struggled in the second ODI, with Australia chasing down the target of 118 runs without losing a single wicket. But, Zaheer sees the batters being at a larger fault than bowlers.

In a chat on Cricbuzz, Zaheer was asked if including Umran Malik in the team can strengthen the Indian bowling. He outrightly refused for such a change to be made.

“You look at the first match score, you got the team all-out for 188. Today you didn’t have a chance of making any impact because your batters didn’t really step up and got you to that platform.

“I think it’s all about providing that kind of platform. I won’t go too much in that part what bowlers have done wrong. They’ve played their part in the first match,” he said.

Zaheer than put the Indian top-order into the spotlight and said that the players have failed to fire in the first 10 overs which is why the team has struggled.

“The last two games that has happened you clearly know where the issue is. The issue is first 10 overs, with the bat in hand what are you doing with it? You are not really setting the platform for your middle-order.

Mitchell Starc is the top wicket-taker in the series, having already claimed 8 scalps. Zaheer feels facing the Aussie speedster has been a huge task for the Indian batters.

“How Mitchell Starc has done that with new ball, which is providing platform to the next bowlers to come and continue with that pressure. So similarly when you’re losing wickets, the pressure is already formed on the next batter to come and deal with the best bowler.

“How can you negate that, how can you avoid that kind of a situation is going to be the challenge. That’s why all answers in the series is lying with the batters. And they need to regroup, they need to come with solutions, they need to plan and if they are able to provide with the platform then your bowlers will step up,” said Zaheer.