IND vs AUS: Inspired by India’s lower order, Daniel Vettori urges bowlers to contribute with bat in final Test

With the fourth and final Test between India and Australia set to begin in a couple of days time, Aussie assistant coach Daniel Vettori feels the way the Indian lower order has contributed with the bat in this series so far, the Aussie bowlers must take a note of it and be as effective with the willow in hand in the Ahmedabad Test. 

Other than traumatising the Australian batters with the ball in hand, the left-handed bowling pair of Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja further hurt the visitors with fifties in the first two Tests. While Axar Patel scored 84 in the first Test in Nagpur, Jadeja hit a fighting 77 in addition to picking up 12 wickets in the same match. Their 88-run stand for the eighth wicket bailed India out of trouble after they got reduced to 240 for seven in first innings.

Even in the second Test in Delhi, Axar smashed yet another fifty, scoring 74 in India’s first innings alongside Ravi Ashwin, who also scored a decent 37. These contributions led to India not only winning the first two Tests within three days, but also saw them retaining the coveted Border-Gavaskar trophy for the straight third time.

On the flip side of it, Australia’s lower order struggled big time to put up runs on the board. Other than Cummins’ 33 in the first innings of the second Test, none of the tail-enders could make a difference with bat across three Tests. Pointing this out while conversing with the reporters ahead of the start of the final Test, Vettori said it’s time the Aussie bowlers collect some courage and deliver with the bat. 

“I think Pat (Cummins) did that (batting) exceptionally well in the first innings in Delhi, and I think the lower four have got an understanding of how to do it and how they want to do it. It’s just having the courage to actually take it out there,” Vettori told news.com.au.

“I think we all understand that defence is not necessarily a way through that situation because of how much the ball is turning and how good the bowlers are, and finding your scoring areas,” he added.

Citing example of Umesh Yadav’s short 13-ball 17-run knock in which he smoked two sixes and a four during the first innings in Indore, Vettori feels there’s nothing that’s stopping the Australian bowlers from walking out and doing so.

“Even you see an innings like Umesh Yadav, I know it’s on the back of probably having that lisence (to go for the big hits), but that can be such a difference maker in the scheme of things. We’ve got to push our lower four to have the confidence to actually take the game on,” Vettori added.