Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has sounded warning bells for the Indian team before they tour Australia (BGT 2024), showing concerns for Jasprit Bumrah after India lost the first Test to New Zealand in Bengaluru.
India was handed a shocking defeat in the first Test in Bengaluru by New Zealand, who won a Test in India for the first time in 36 years. It all began with a miscalculation from India captain Rohit Sharma, who won the toss and chose to bat first despite rain and overcast conditions.
India was blown away for 46 in their first innings after captain Rohit Sharma erred after winning the toss and chose to bat first on day 2 after day one was washed out due to rain. Matt Henry with 5 and Will O’Rourke with 4 wickets ran through Indian batting. KL Rahul scored a duck in the first innings.
In response, Devon Conway with 91, Rachin Ravindra with 134, and Tim Southee with 65 helped New Zealand post 402. In the second innings, India posted 462 runs thanks to 150 from Sarfaraz Khan and 99 by Rishabh Pant. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma also scored the fifties. KL Rahul scored 12 runs in the second do.
Set 107 runs to win, New Zealand achieved the target with 8 wickets in hand, registering their first Test win in India after 1988.
Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali lauded India's spirited fight in the second innings but said that defeat will serve as an eye-opener for head coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of the grueling Australia tour later this year.
"Will India bounce back in the remaining two matches against New Zealand? I will say, Yes! We (Pakistan) won a Test after 3 years and 8 months. India, on the other hand, has lost only three Tests in the last one and a half years but has won all series. Pakistan has been losing Test series at home and look at our condition, we have to endure Pakistan's defeat at home.
Now that India has lost a Test, all the guns will be pointed at KL Rahul. Let's see how Gautam Gambhir tackles this. (Rahul) Dravid tackled it very well. Ahead of the Australia tour, this defeat has come as an eye opener for Gambhir," Basit said on his YouTube channel.
The former Pakistan batter said that Jasprit Bumrah bowled superbly in the Test in Bengaluru but in Australia, he will need a solid bowling partner.
"The eight-over spell that Bumrah bowled, reminded me of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. But India has to take into consideration that Bumrah will need two quicks alongside him in Australia. Bumrah does not have a good pace bowling partner at the moment. Shami getting fit before the Australia tour will be crucial for India. The batting looks fine. Rohit (Sharma) scored a fifty, and Virat (Kohli) scored a 70. These are good signs. Sarfaraz (Khan) hit 150 and played extremely well. Rishabh Pant is already a good Test player," Basit added.
India's next two Tests against New Zealand are scheduled for 24-28 October and 1-5 November in Pune and Mumbai before they leave for Australia.
The marquee Border-Gavaskar Trophy begins on November 22 with the first Test in Perth.
