According to Abhinav Mukund, Adam Zampa and Mitchell Starc will be India’s primary challenges from the Australian bowling lineup in the upcoming three-match ODI series, starting with the game in Mohali on September 22.
India has rested four key players for the first two ODIs, while Australia has a full-strength squad. During a conversation on Sports 18, Mukund was questioned if Starc and Zampa are the most significant concerns among Australia’s bowlers for India, and he replied:
“Most definitely, I think Zampa and Starc are going to be the biggest threats for India as far as I am concerned. Zampa has not necessarily bowled well in India when he has played in the IPL but when he turns up for Australia, he is a different beast altogether.”
The ex-Indian opener believes that Zampa is more impactful when playing for Australia because of their strong seam-bowling attack. He clarified:
“I think that’s because of the way he is used and also the protection he has in terms of all those seamers around him. If we have got Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, I think Adam Zampa’s role becomes even more crucial.”
Zampa has taken 139 wickets in 83 ODIs with an economy rate of 5.51. Against the Indian team, he has claimed 31 dismissals in 19 ODIs with an economy rate of 5.56.
“It’s important that someone takes him on” – Mukund advises India to be aggressive against Zampa
Mukund recommends that Indian batters adopt an aggressive approach against Zampa, considering his past success against Kohli and Sharma, who will be absent from the first two ODIs. He said:
“He has always bowled well against India. He has bowled well against Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma but it’s important that someone takes him on. The questions have been posed more often than not and the answers have been quite sedate.”
Highlighting Zampa’s limited variety in his bowling repertoire, the former cricketer emphasized the need for India to be cautious about both Zampa and Mitchell Starc as key threats in the Australian bowling attack.
“I feel India should take on Zampa a bit more, understand that he is not a big turner of the ball. He has brought in a variation of a googly in the last two or three years but it’s more a top-spinner like how Yuzvendra Chahal bowls it. But I feel Zampa and Starc are the two biggest threats as far as India is concerned.”
Starc boasts a record of 219 wickets with a respectable economy rate of 5.11 in 110 ODIs. In matches against India, he has secured 25 wickets with an economy rate of 6.07 in 16 ODIs.
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