WTC Final: Nice to knock Gill over early…hopefully it will be tougher for India to bat tomorrow, says Scott Boland

Australia introduce Nathan Lyon into the attack in the final minutes of the second day. Off his ninth delivery of the game – from around the wicket – the off-spinner lures Ravindra Jadeja to press forward with hard hands to one that drifts in and turns away, inducing a thick outside edge that carries to first slip. India close the day at 151/5.
Kumar Sangakkara on ICC feed: “As his rhythm improves, he’ll get that ball to drift a little bit more. The line will become a little wider, more attacking. With his bounce and pace – any rough that forms – he’ll be even more dangerous.”
Justin Langer on BBC Test Match Special: “When Pat Cummins was named captain there were questions with how he would go with the strategy. But today Lyon has come on and dismissed the left-hander and afterwards Cummins has straightaway made the change to bring Boland on.”
That length doesn’t give you time to play: Matthew Hayden on the Rohit, Gill and Pujara nullifier
Inside 19 overs of bowling, Australian pacers run through the Indian top order. Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, in that order. Per Cricviz data, 6.9m is the length where wickets consently fall at The Oval. If you look at three of the four India scalps, they’re bang on the length.
Matthew Hayden on ICC feed: “Why is it that length? That length doesn’t give you any time to play (after pitching). ‘Do I play? Do I not?’ Some of the best bowlers, Curtly Ambrose, Glenn McGrath pepper you consently in that area. On that decision making length. On the fourth stump, fifth stump, or even on the stumps.”
Australia’s Patrick Cummins celebrates the wicket of India’s Rohit Sharma. (Reuters)
Kumar Sangakkara adds: “And that delay, while making the decision. It plays a factor.”
Kohli couldn’t avoid leaving the ball: Sunil Gavaskar
Coming over the wicket, Mitchell Starc gets the extra bounce off the surface – awkward almost – and it slants away from Virat Kohli, who gloves it in the attempt to fend it off. Steve Smith takes an excellent overhead catch at the second slip.
Sunil Gavaskar on ICC feed: “He was so committed on the front foot that he couldn’t avoid leaving it. That’s a tough delivery to play. It hit him on the thumb.”
Ricky Ponting adds: “He’s quite unlucky that way, it hit the thumb and slowed down a little bit. Had it hit the bat, it would’ve actually gone over the slips.”
Nice to knock Gill over early: Scott Boland
Following a gorgeous cover drive and pull shot off Pat Cummins, Shubman Gill is cleaned up Scott Boland just before tea. It’s pitched outside off stump – Gill looks to leave it – but it nips back in sharply to hit the top of off stump. Shortly after the break, Cheteshwar Pujara is done in similar fashion. Cameron Green nabs the wicket. Another nip backer and Pujara is unable to cover his off stump.
Scott Boland at the end of day: “He (Gill) is a very good player, nice to knock him over early. We are in a very good spot now, strong after 2 days, the pitch is a bit up and down and hopefully it will be harder for India to bat tomorrow. It felt like that (uneven bounce) in the middle, a couple balls taking off, a couple keeping low.”
Alex Hartley on BBC Test Match Special: “I can’t believe two batters have done the same thing. It did nip back quite a way. Pujara just watched it hit the off stump.”
Ravi Shastri on ICC feed: “We talk about leaving in England. And we always talk about knowing where your off stump is. This is not knowing where it is. Shubman Gill, a little lazy with that footwork. Pujara, he’ll be very disappointed with that. That should have been at least a foot further towards the ball and across towards the line.”
He had more chance of getting away on a turner: Ravi Shastri on Carey’s reverse sweep
It was no secret. Alex Carey had opted for a sweep/reverse sweep against India earlier this year. With Ravindra Jadeja coming on, the southpaw once again resorted to the same plan. Off his first attempt of the unconventional sweep though, Carey missed the line altogether and was trapped plumb. A fourth casualty playing the shot off his last seven dismissals.
Australia’s Alex Carey attempts to sweep India’s Ravindra Jadeja on the second day of the ICC World Test Championship Final between India and Australia at The Oval cricket ground in London, Thursday, June 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Matthew Hayden on ICC feed: “Granted, these are different conditions. In India, it was turning fiercely. They were really biting into the surfaces. But here, it’s straight on. Stump to stump. Jadeja is never going to do anything much different other than just bowl in the line of the stumps. And when it’s not the turning, you’re playing a cross batted shot to a ball that’s coming straight on.”
Ravi Shastri adds: “He had more chance of getting away with it on a turner, against someone who’s turning as opposed to someone who’s attacking the stumps.”
Very much a warm-up ball: Ricky Ponting on Steve Smith’s dismissal
Shardul Thakur comes into the attack for the first time on second day. Pitches a regulation delivery well outside the off stump – on the imaginary eighth – that keeps going away with the angle. Chopped on. Almost a half-hearted poke from Steve Smith that takes an inside-edge before clattering into the off stump.
Ricky Ponting on ICC feed: “Very much a warm up ball. Beautiful seam presentation. I think if anything, it might have been the lack of pace that lured Smith into hanging the bat out for that ball. Just held the bat there, expecting a little bit more swing before the inside edge and back onto the off stump.”
Dinesh Karthik adds: “Shardul Thakur when he plays for Bombay in domestic cricket has been the spearhead for them. Whereas when he plays for India, he’s been the holding bowler. Somebody who’s a workhorse, who bowls for long overs. The best part about him is how he’s able to get set batters out over a period of time.”
Australia’s Steven Smith is clean bowled India’s Shardul Thakurn on the second day of the ICC World Test Championship Final between India and Australia at The Oval cricket ground in London, Thursday, June 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Green lost control: Kumar Sangakkara
A couple overs later, Mohammed Shami pitches the ball up – just like he did the other day to Marnus Labuschagne – but this one takes a healthy outside edge off an eager-to-drive Cameron Green and Shubman Gill takes a superb reverse cup catch at second slip. The aggression was evident from Green with a boundary off his first ball but he’s got his left foot stuck to the crease while playing that shot. Australia five down.
Kumar Sangakkara on ICC feed: “Cameron Green lost the control, just went too hard on the ball. We’ve rarely seen that with Steve Smith, it’s the case of watching the ball just that little bit closer.”
Horse had bolted then: Nasser Hussain on India’s plan vs Head
It was a constant cry on Day one, why didn’t India pitch the ball short early to Travis Head. Only 20 percent off his first 30 deliveries were back of a length. However, on Day Two, India persed with the plan. Even if it meant the odd boundary, which did come as Head moved to 163. There were signs of unease though. Matthew Hayden noted on ICC feed off a pull shot, “He (Head) is a little flat footed, and not quite committed to the back foot. It’s a half pull off the front foot. It’s not a natural shot whatsoever. (He) loves to go over the off side, has more challenge on the on side.”
Almost taking a cue, Siraj bangs it short on the leg stump, Head shuffles on the off – looking to pull – but is cramped for room and gloves it behind to KS Bharat.
India’s Mohammed Siraj, second right, celebrates after taking the wicket of Australia’s Travis Head caught behind on the second day of the ICC World Test Championship Final between India and Australia at The Oval cricket ground in London, Thursday, June 8, 2023. AP/PTI(AP06_08_2023_000134B)
Nasser Hussain on Star Sports: “India got their plans right. But it was too late. When Head first came in, they pitched the ball up to him. Why did they wait so long to change the plan? Eventually when he was 163, they went short and it worked. Horse had bolted then.”
What is going on: Sunil Gavaskar at the beginning of Day 2
Mohammed Siraj has the ball for the first over of the day. Steve Smith – at 95 – gets on strike off. Back-to-back juicy half volleys served. The Aussie vice-captain flicks them on the on side for consecutive boundaries to bring up his 31st Test Hundred. His seventh hundred in England. Only Sir Donald Bradman has more (among visiting batters).
Sunil Gavaskar on ICC feed: “What is going on? What is going on? Two half volleys? Don’t take anything from this man. He was patient yesterday. He’s looking to open up.”

Matthew Hayden adds: “Last night he’d have been dreaming of batting, as Steve Smith does. He’d have been dreaming of his hundred and getting exactly this ball.”