Former Australia skipper Mark Taylor reckons the best chance for the touring Indian side to bounce back from their humiliating defeat in Adelaide is to feel confident batting first and put the runs on the board.
Before India took the field for the Boxing Day Test at MCG, Taylor said it's important for the visitors to stay confident of their batting ability even as they cope with the criticism after the debacle of '36 all out' and the massive absence of Virat Kohli, their best player.
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“India’s best chance is to put runs on the board. They’ve still got some very fine players. Obviously (Virat) Kohli leaves a big hole in terms of batting and leadership, but they’ve still got (Cheteshwar) Pujara and (Ajinkya) Rahane,” Taylor told ‘Wide World of Sports’.
India were dismissed for their lowest-ever Test score in the second innings of the first Test, having taken what should've been an impactful 53-run lead at the halfway mark. Taylor feels if the batting unit stands resurrected, they have the bowling attack to put the pressure right back on the Aussies.
"If they put runs on the board, they’ve got the bowling attack to take 10 wickets (twice). If India have runs to play with, their bowlers can do the job."
“India can’t let one bad innings define their tour. If you put the Adelaide match into perspective, they probably won the first two days. Obviously, they got belted on the third, but you’re allowed to have one bad day. The key will be to see how they bounce back."
“I think day one in Melbourne is absolutely crucial for India’s chances in the series."
Taylor also recognised Kohli's return home on paternity leave as a big blow to India. He said the Indians will not just miss their skipper for his great batsmanship but also his leadership qualities.
"I think it’s certainly going to be tougher for them to bounce back without Kohli, obviously they’ve lost an outstanding batsman. But the bigger hole to fill is his leadership, and the drive he gives the side," he said.
"That will be the area that Rahane and the team management will have to be conscious of, and I’m sure they will be."
"They’ll have been working hard, firstly to put Adelaide behind them, and secondly to make sure they hit the ground running on Boxing Day," Taylor added.
(Inputs from PTI)
