Former Australia opener Simon Katich has slammed the team’s captain Pat Cummins after Australia maintained a slow over rate during the first day of the second Test against India in Adelaide.
Katich put all the blame for Australia’s slow over rate on Cummins since he is the captain of the team. Australia bowled just 44.1 overs in the first two sessions of the day as they bowled India out for 180.
During this innings, spinner Nathan Lyon bowled just a solitary over as there was plenty of help for the fast bowlers. While the fast bowlers combined well to bowl India out, the lack of overs by a spinner cost Australia’s over rate.
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Simon Katich slams Pat Cummins
During his commentary on SEN, Simon Katich termed Australia’s poor over rate as a “disgrace” and called it ridiculous. Katich further put the blame for slow over rates on the team’s captain and even called for the skipper’s suspension as part of a hard rule.
“This will be the 22nd over bowled in nearly two hours of cricket. I know there have been wickets, but that’s a disgrace. That’s ridiculous. Captains are responsible; we know they are, because they’re the ones that are copping fines,” Katich said in a discussion with 9News and SEN.
Although Australia bowled India out for just 180, they took two sessions to bowl just 44.1 overs. With the World Test Championship final on the lines, the slow over rates can prove to be a big negative for Australia as they can face the deduction of points.
Simon Katich wants harsher punishments for slow over rates
However, Simon Katich also admitted that the fines are not working as the teams are still having the problem of slow over rates. He called for harsher punishments like the suspension of a captain in order to resolve this issue.
“But we know the fines aren’t working because it hasn’t changed anything. Potentially it’s going to be suspensions for Test matches. And if it’s the very next Test, you’re losing your skipper, and that’s maybe how tough it has to be to get this up to scratch because it’s not good enough,” Katich added.
While Pat Cummins was criticized for slow over-rate, he made a fantastic comeback with figures of 2-41 in the first innings. In the second innings too, Pat Cummins has already picked up the big wickets of KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma.
Australia dominate India in Adelaide
Meanwhile, it has been a great comeback from Australia after they suffered a shocking defeat in Perth. Pat Cummins and his men have shown why they are such a hard team to beat in a day-night Test.
Australia bundled out India for a below-par score of 180 in the first innings. Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc picked up a superb six-wicket haul while Pat Cummins and Scott Boland picked up two wickets each.
In reply, Australia scored 337 in their first innings on the back of a brilliant counter-attacking hundred from Travis Head, who scored 140 off 141 balls. Jasprit Bumrah was expectedly the pick of India’s bowlers as he finished with 4-61. Mohammed Siraj also picked up four wickets.