India vs Australia 3rd Test, Ravi Shastri on Rohit Sharma: Former cricketers Brett Lee and Ravi Shastri believe Australian opener Usman Khawaja has the ability to silence his critics by playing big innings as rain disrupted the first day of the third Test between Australia and India at the Gabba.
There are calls for his ouster after scoring 8, 4, 13 and 9 not out in the first two matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, but Khawaja looked more vocal during his brief game on Saturday. The left-handed batsman hit a four on the second ball after the first rain, indicating his intention to play positively. He ended the rain-affected day after scoring 19 runs, while at the other end, Nathan McSweeney remained unbeaten after scoring four runs.
Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee said that Khawaja still shows a glimpse of his class and with the right rhythm he can change things. Speaking on Fox Sports, Lee said, “The signs are good for Usman Khawaja… but he needs some rhythm tomorrow to get back into his game. If he gets a chance, he can score big. “
The absence of Khawaja’s long-time opening partner David Warner has further increased the challenge. Warner’s aggressive playing style often complemented Khawaja’s more balanced approach, taking pressure off the latter.
Former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri acknowledged the impact of Warner’s absence. Shastri said, “It affects you a lot because when you can play your game, a lot of pressure is taken off you as a batsman. David will attack at the other end and the scoreboard will go up.”
In contrast, McSweeney, playing in his first Test series, adopted a more traditional red-ball style, allowing Khawaja to take more responsibility. Shastri suggested that the pairing of Khawaja and McSweeney might have influenced India’s decision to bowl first on the green pitch of Gabba.
Ravi Shastri said, “When runs are not being scored at both ends, there is a reason why India would have opted to field first. They could have sensed the opportunity to take the lead early and put pressure on the middle order. Shastri said, “The top order has not scored any runs, let’s take the lead in the beginning and put pressure on the middle order.”
Only 13.2 overs were played on the first day due to rain, so India will look to take advantage of a shaky Australian top order when play begins on Sunday.
