Cheteshwar Pujara anticipates that Australian seamer Mitchell Starc will be a major threat for India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 fourth Test. The experienced India batter highlighted that Starc has made notable improvements since their last encounter in the away series against Australia.
The fourth match of the five-match series will take place in Melbourne starting Thursday, December 26. With 14 wickets in the first three matches, Starc is tied with Pat Cummins as Australia’s leading wicket-taker. In an appearance on the Star Sports show ‘Game Plan,’ Pujara was asked about the challenge Starc will pose in the Boxing Day Test.
“He has been their best bowler thus far in this series. He has improved his bowling a lot in the last one to one-and-a-half years. And He has a lot of ability. If I talk about my personal experience, when he used to come to bowl in the last two series, we felt we could get runs,” he responded.
The standout performer from India’s previous two away tours of Australia mentioned that Starc’s improved accuracy has made him a more effective threat.
“However, now it seems like when he will come to bowl, he will pick up wickets. His accuracy has improved a lot. He is bowling very few loose deliveries. He is bowling at the stumps. Every ball is hitting the good length spot. He is getting swing. He has become a different bowler,” Pujara elaborated.
“Have him bowl the second and third spells as he gets tired”- Cheteshwar Pujara on how India can counter Mitchell Starc
In the same discussion, Cheteshwar Pujara advised India to see off the new ball against Mitchell Starc.
“He is looking more dangerous than (Pat) Cummins and (Josh) Hazlewood. So we will have to manage his bowling, especially with the new ball. He has taken most of his wickets in his first five overs, his first spell. So we need to bat well in the first five overs. Make him bowl the second and third spells because he gets tired,” he said.
The former cricketer-turned-commentator mentioned that the Aussie seamer was less effective when bowling to Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep with the old ball.
“The way we have batted thus far, our top order has never played him in his third or fourth spell. The lower-middle order or the tailenders have played him. We saw when Mitchell Starc was bowling when Bumrah and Akash Deep were batting, he wasn’t that effective. So play the new ball properly,” Pujara observed.
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