Former India captain Gundappa Viswnath pointed out loopholes in the Australian bowling.© AFP
India eye a fairytale in the final of the Cricket World Cup 2023 against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The hosts are unbeaten in the tournament so far with 10 wins out of as many games. However, five-time champions Australia, on an eight-game winning-streak themselves, will boast a different challenge altogether to the Rohit-Sharma led side. However, former India captain Gundappa Viswanath is confident of the team’s chances in the final. Viswanath pointed out loopholes in the Australian team, saying that India has a more balanced attack than their opponents.
“All in all, our attack is more balanced than Australians, no doubt. The two spinners (Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja) also bowled superbly. For them, it is only (Adam) Zampa. But against India, he (Zampa) might struggle to get wickets,” Viswanath told news agency PTI.
Zampa is Australia’s leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 22 scalps. Only India’s Mohammed Shami (23) has scalped more wickets than him in the tournament.
The 74-year-old also highlighted how Australian bowlers, barring Josh Hazlewoodhave struggled with their consistency.
“If (Mithcell) Starc doesn’t get his line and length from the first over, then he goes for runs. (Pat) Cummins is taking wickets here and there but he is leaking runs. The only consistent bowler is (Josh) Hazlewood and is a great bowler. Zampa is there to pick wickets. Maxwell is doing well and yesterday Travis Head also came in,” he added.
Despite the country’s cricket riches, India are without a major international title since the 2013 Champions Trophy and expectations in the cricket-crazy nation of 1.4 billion people have reached fever pitch.
(With AFP Inputs)
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