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Shastri opined that Shastri the placements of fielders made for Head only reflected India’s unwillingness to take the risk of getting hit for a boundary in search of a potential wicket.
![India captain Rohit Sharma [AP Photo]](https://images.news18.com/ibnlive/uploads/2021/07/1627283897_news18_logo-1200x800.jpg?impolicy=website&width=360&height=270 "India captain Rohit Sharma [AP Photo]"){kind=logo}
India captain Rohit Sharma [AP Photo]
Travis Head on Sunday foiled India’s strategy to contain Australia in the ongoing second Test at The Gabba, Brisbane. The left-hander top-scored for the hosts with 152 off 160, including 18 boundaries as the Aussie stacked 445 runs in their second innings after being asked to bat first. India had no answers to Head’s assault. Skipper Rohit Sharma looked clueless, making ineffective field placements for the Australia batter.
There was an instance when Head played a powerful cut shot which went past Virat Kohli. The latter was standing square of the batter just 20 metres away but barely had time to react. It was one of the field set-ups made by Rohit when Head toyed with the Indian bowlers which seemed quite perplexing for cricket experts.
Calling the game, Shastri opined that Shastri the placements of fielders made for Head only reflected India’s unwillingness to take the risk of getting hit for a boundary in search of a potential wicket.
“When you see the field set, that can cost you big time,” Shastri said on air.
“I mentioned some time ago that the idea might be to contain and see if a wicket comes, but you are not going to contain Australia setting this field. With these two players playing the way they are, and Head in particular, looking to get a boundary every over. There is absolutely no doubt about that. He will get it. Then the problems start if five fielders are out at the boundary and he is still getting the boundary, he is getting seven or eight runs an over easily. The runs are there to be taken.”
Former England captain Michael Vaughan echoed the same emotions, questioning Rohit Sharma’s tactics against Australia.
“They don’t settle on a tactic for long enough,” Vaughan told Fox Cricket. “Are they trying to snick him off? Why don’t they try to bounce him out? Why don’t they go full and wide, pack the off side?”
Co-commentator Kerry O’Keefe called it a bad day at the office for Rohit Sharma as India’s captain.
“I don’t think Rohit Sharma has had his best day as skipper,” he said. “He will say the pitch was so good that we were just trying to control it with outfielders, but you had to pressure Australia and get them out.”
- Location :
Brisbane, Australia
