Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne credited the Indian bowling attack for the way they kept Australia constantly under pressure as the hosts managed only 195 runs in the first innings of the ongoing Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday (December 26).
On the opening day of the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test, Indian bowlers dominated the Australian batting line-up as Jasprit Bumrah picked 4 wickets while R Ashwin picked three wickets to bundle the hosts out for 195 runs and Labuschagne feels they “could have done better” at the MCG.
However, he believes that Australia is still in the game and they just need to ensure finding a solution to counter Indian bowlers’ new strategy and bat better in the second innings.
Labuschagne said at a virtual press conference facilitated by official broadcasters Sony after the day's play: “Certainly, we could have done better. We probably had three dismissals we did not probably need to. They (Indians) were bowling straight and (we are) not getting many runs on the off-side. Bowlers come up with new ideas to stop scoring, built pressure as they did today.”
He further explained, “I think we are in the game... It is pretty hard for me to make an assessment on the wicket currently; I think you are going to have let both teams bat on the wicket. Both teams have got very good batting line-ups... I think we got to make sure we adapt and make sure that whatever they get, we get a big score in the second innings.”
The Aussie continued, “Something that we are realizing quickly is that people are coming with new ways, thinking about the game slightly differently. Today, they came in with a heavy leg-side field and bowled very straight. You just need to understand what they are doing and I think that is key.”
Labuschagne was the top-scorer for the hosts with 48 from 132 balls before being dismissed by the Test debutant Mohammed Siraj and he was impressed with the bowler's performance.
He signed off by saying, “He is a little bit more of a swing bowler than a seam bowler... He showed his skills. We just got to make sure to understand what they are trying to do and combat that.”
(With ANI/PTI Inputs)
