Australia vs India: Ravi Shastri plays down the significance of net sessions

India haven’t had a lot to rejoice in their erstwhile tours of Australia, especially when they’ve played Test cricket. However, they soared above expectations and won the opening Test of their ongoing series by 31 runs at Adelaide Oval. The match wasn’t a high-scoring one and it went right down to the wire when the Australian lower order threatened to chase 323 in the fourth innings.

The likes of Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins played exceptionally, but couldn’t defy the inevitable. Off-spinner Ravi Ashwin picked up Hazlewood to bring the curtains down on the match. In the meantime, Indian head coach Ravi Shastri sounded ecstatic with India’s performance. He also said that the Indian team doesn’t require net sessions and needs rest.

“We lost the first Test in England by 31, lost the first Test in South Africa by 60-70, so this is a very good feeling for the boys to come out on top. When you get off to a good start, there’s belief. They have to rest up, to hell with the nets.

“You just come there, mark your attendance and get away to the hotel. We know the Perth track is quick, it’s a drop-in surface, there will be something there for the fast bowlers,” Shastri was quoted as saying after India’s stupendous performance.

Pujara was absolutely magnificent

“The bowlers were brilliant in the first innings, defending 250, the discipline was magnificent. They’ve worked on it, it’s not come in overnight. As a bowling unit, when you show that discipline, it doesn’t matter which side you play against. You will be successful.

There were some rash shots played in the first innings, that was foolish cricket, but they learnt from it. Pujara was absolutely magnificent, we’ve asked him to be a little more upright to counter bounce in these conditions,” he added.

After the visitors won the toss and elected to bat, they scored 250 runs courtesy of Cheteshwar Pujara’s masterful knock of 123 runs. Thereafter, the bowlers helped India to a lead of 15 runs. In India’s second innings, Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane scored 71 and 70 runs respectively. Subsequently, India set a target, which they eventually defended. The second Test starts on December 14 at Perth Stadium.

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