‘We hold a few more cards than they do’: Mitchell Starc on chances of his team enforcing follow-on against India at Gabba | Cricket News
With his team posting a first innings’ total of 445 and India struggling at 51 for 4 in their first innings at the end of the third day’s play in the third Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Gabba, there is a possibility of Australia enforcing a follow-on with only two days remaining in the match.
India were last asked to follow-on in a Test match at The Oval in 2011 and post that there have been three instances when opponent teams could have enforced a follow-on but chose not to do so. Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Starc shared that his team holds a few more cards than India do in the match when asked about the possibility of a follow-on.
“Yeah, I mean at 4 for 50, we hold a few more cards than they do. So yeah, certainly that. You know, the two days of no bowling to start the Test match plays a part in that with back-to-back Tests. There is plenty in the wicket, tomorrow’s going to dictate what happens If we can get the ball hit the right areas, and take a few early ones, that obviously brings in the extra card of the follow-on,” Starc told ABC Sport post the day’s play.
Having resumed at 405 for 7, Australia posted a first innings’ total of 445 with wicket-keeper Alex Carey (70) and Starc (18) being the main scorers on Monday morning. With the day seeing eight rain-breaks and only 33.1 overs possible during the day’s play, both the teams spent some frustrating time in the dressing room.
It also means that the Australian bowling unit consing of Starc, skipper Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitch Marsh and spinner Nathan Lyon would hope to restrict India to a low total in their first innings before having a thought about enforcing a follow-on for a result in the rain-curtailed match. Starc was asked how disappointed the bowlers are for constant breaks. “Yeah, pretty much. There is no point in us staying in there and playing cards, when we can come out and bowl a few overs. I mean everyone’s obviously the spectators are going to be disappointed on and off. We certainly are when we have to get to start the engine after one or two overs But it is what it is. You can’t control that and hopefully we get a full day tomorrow,” Starc replied.
The left-handed pacer has so far picked up 13 wickets in the series and Monday saw him picking up two wickets including the wickets of Indian openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill. Starc shared how he got the wicket of Gill courtesy of a full ball outside off with Gill driving hard and Marsh taking the catch at gully. “I naturally bowl a ball fuller length than Josh (Hazlewood) and Pat (Pat Cummins). But I think there’s a conscious effort here, certainly here, Perth. Fast bouncy wickets in Australia in particular, where you want it just pitch it up a bit more, bring in the drives, bring in the edge and you know, I think on a different wicket, that ball to Gill is a half volley but here in Brisbane, the fuller length you can skid a little bit of sideways and bring in the edge,” Starc explained.
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