Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri believes that Indian batters paid the price for ‘complacency and overconfidence’ and were over-eager to dominate the Australian bowlers, on a wicket which offered sharp turn and uneven bounce from the first session of the third Test. Notably, India slipped the opportunity to secure their World Test Championship berth by winning the third Test, instead, 4th Test will be a must-win game for the host.
India suffered a nine-wicket loss to Australia in the third Test, which finished in little over two days. “This is what a little complacency, a little bit of overconfidence can do where you take things for granted, you drop guard and this game will bring you down,” Shastri said at Star Sports.
“I think it was a combination of all these things when you actually cast your mind back to the first innings, see someone of the shots played, see some of the over-eagerness to try and dominate in these conditions. You reflect back, take a step back or two to analyse,” Shastri added.
The Indian cricketer heaped praise on Australian batter Travis Head, who batted brilliantly by staying unbeaten at 49. “It's incredible what happens when you show that attitude and intent. That adjustment in the mindset and within two overs (there are) 20 runs (and) bang. This was really, really good batting,” the 51-year-old said.
Former Australian captain Mark Taylor too seemed impressed with the batting of Travis Head. “What a good player Travis Head is. He is becoming one of the real forces in world cricket. A remarkable turnaround in momentum. Great fight and they have shown what they can do. Australia was knocked out in Delhi like Lazarus, and now they have emerged,” Mark Taylor said.
Taylor also noted that Australia was battered with two defeats and was without their regular skipper Pat Cummins, who had left for home to be with his ailing mother. "On a very average pitch, and that's putting it nicely - the Aussies did really well. To lose the toss as well - they won the toss in the first two and had the advantage, and then sort of lost it as the games went on," Taylor concluded.
