Opinion: Ultra-Defensive Approach Cost Australia, Jadeja Excelled Among Spinners
India were excellent on the field. Three spinners came in very handy for Rohit Sharma and his side. Rohit handled them very well. Ravindra Jadeja was the wrecker-in-chief, and Kuldeep Yadav was also decisive, especially with his line, length, and variation. Ravichandran Ashwin, playing after a long time in the World Cup, it was very important for him to deliver the goods. I think he bowled brilliantly. For Rohit Sharma, things have worked out well, having three spinners in the mix.
All three of the Indian spinners impressed me. But on a track like this, Ravindra Jadeja really excelled because he has the ability to be so accurate. He stuck to the right line and length and that caused so much problem for the Australians. When he came on to bowl, he created pressure. He did not give anyone any room whatsoever. It was a very precise bowling display from Jadeja.
Also, about Jasprit Bumrah. He started off in a very tentative manner when India toured Ireland for the T20I matches there. Since then, it seems that he is going in with confidence. He is starting to trust his body. That is the most important part after coming back from an injury and a surgery. And for Jasprit Bumrah, it is still important that his workload is still managed well. I am very hopeful that as the tournament progresses we will see more of Jasprit Bumrah's supremacy as a bowler.
Finally, I think, Australian batters faltered in their approach in a big way. They were ultra-defensive in their approach. I think they were carrying a very heavy load on their mind in terms of how the wicket would behave. If they had entered with a far more aggressive approach, Australia could have posted a 26-270 run total.
(Saba Karim is a former Indian cricket team wicketkeeper and also an ex-BCCI selector.)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author.
India Cricket Team
Australia Cricket Team
Ravindra Jadeja