Former head coach Ravi Shastri has slammed the Indian players and said they should set their priorities right between Indian cricket and franchise cricket. The Indian players failed to put their A-game on the table in the first two days of World Test Championship Final and struggled in both batting and bowling. At a surface where Australia posted a formidable 469 in first innings, the star-studded Indian batters struggled and were bundled out for 296. Apart from Ajinkya Rahane (89), Shardul Thakur (51) and Ravindra Jadeja (48), the other Indian stars failed to get going.
While the Indian bowlers also had a disappointing Day 1 where they picked just three wickets. On the other hand, Australian batters and bowlers looked well prepared for the all-important clash at the Oval, London.
IND vs AUS, World Test Championship Live: DAY 5
Shastri lambasted the Indian players for their poor show and said the BCCI need to set a clause in Indian players’ IPL contract.
“You must set your priorities, right? What is the priority? India or franchise cricket? You have to decide that. If you say franchise cricket, then forget this (WTC final). If this is important, then as the custodian of the sport, the BCCI are the bosses. There should be a clause in the IPL contract that if they need a player out of the IPL in the interest of India, they have the right to do it,” Shastri told Star Sports.
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Shastri said that the clause is very important for the Indian players which will also be fair to the franchise as they invest on the players accordingly.
“First, put the clause and then ask the franchises to decide how much they want to invest. That is very important. You are the custodian of the sport. You control cricket in the country,” he added.
Meanwhile, Australia reached 123 for four at stumps in their second innings to extend the overall lead to 296 runs against India on the third day. At stumps, Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green were batting on 41 and 7 respectively.
Resuming on overnight 151 for five, India lost KS Bharat early but Ajinkya Rahane (89) and Shardul Thakur (51) added 109 runs for the seventh wicket to help their team avoid follow-on at The Oval. However, India lost the remaining wickets quickly after the lunch break to end at 296 in 69.4 overs.