Fresh off a record-breaking 201* against Afghanistan, star Australia batsman Glenn Maxwell reckons Australia may have found a method to tackle the Indian bowling attack should they face each other again in this World Cup 2023 – that’d be possible only if both teams reach the final.
India’s 5-man bowling attack – comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav – has been hailed as not only India’s greatest-ever ODI bowling attack, but possibly the strongest bowling attack in ODI World Cup history.
India’s bowlers have taken the most number of wickets in the tournament – 75 wickets in 8 games at an average of 19.02, which is the best among all 10 teams. India have three five-wicket hauls – two from Mohammed Shami and one from Ravindra Jadeja – while no other team has even two. Further, the collective economy rate of 4.4 of Indian bowlers is the best in the tournament.
Glenn Maxwell says batters need to “play a few shots” against India
India have recorded three massive wins in their last three matches, bowling out England for 129, Sri Lanka for 55, and South Africa for 83.
Glenn Maxwell opined that these teams failed to attack India in the powerplay overs; had they done so, it would have taken off shine – and hence the movement – off the ball. ‘Play a few shots’ is something that Glenn Maxwell feels batters need to do to tackle the Indian bowlers.
“I think one of the key things we have found against India is that if you can get the ball scuffed early enough, play a few shots even if it is swinging, just take them on try and get some sort of edge into the cricket ball,” Glenn Maxwell said on the Club Prairie Fire podcast.
“I think we have found that team’s who have gone defensively against them in the powerplay, then you are just a sitting duck. You are basically going to bring them back in the game.”
Meanwhile, Maxwell has smashed 397 runs at a strike rate of 152. His 22 sixes are the joint-most in the tournament, the same as Rohit Sharma.
