It’s Really Starting To Hurt Them: Ian Chappell’s Jibe At Indian Bowlers Following Usman Khawaja’s Ton

Ahmedabad: Australia’s star opener Usman Khawaja stole the show on day 1 of the fourth and final test match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium with his splendid and unbeaten century. Rohit Sharma-led Team India could only manage to get 4 wickets on day 1 and had no answer to Khawaja’s astonishing knock.

Former Australian cricketer was highly impressed by the ton from Khawaja and said the opener’s calmness throughout the four-match series has been nothing but exemplary. However, Chappell was equally unimpressed with the Indian bowling line-up and their tactics.

It was the hosts’ bowling attack that played the most dominant role in the series yet. However, they failed to perform on day 1 of the fourth test in a similar manner.

“One thing I can’t understand is India’s desire to come around the wicket the whole time to a left-hander. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. You speak to all the good left-handers that I’ve spoken to, and they say that right-arm over the wicket is the toughest guy to face. It’s okay every now and again for a bit of a change around the wicket,” Chappell told ESPNcricinfo.

“Maybe around the wicket works more in England. But in India, ridiculous, particularly to a player like Usman Khawaja, whose great strength is his onside, and we saw that today. Why would you angle the ball into his pads when that’s exactly what he wants? Khawaja looked at ease the whole time. India haven’t come up with a solution to Khawaja’s batting, and it’s really starting to hurt them,” Chappell added.

Australia at the end of stumps day 1 managed to put 255 runs on the scoreboard at the loss of four wickets. The Aussie opener Usman Khawaja is batting on 104 runs while getting company from Cameron Green who is on 49 not out.