Cricket / Indians are in Christmas mood, giving gifts a week early: Gavaskar on fielding

Cricket Desk: Australia’s top-order batsman Marnus Labuschagne is backed with massive luck in the ongoing Day 2 of the highly-anticipated first day-night Test match between India and Australia at the Adelaide Oval. Just like the ODI and T20 Internationals, the Indian fielders were visibly sloppy on the field as they dropped the 26-year-old Labuschagne three times in the first two sessions of the day only.

The Test had begun with visiting skipper Virat Kohli winning the toss and India posting a decent total of 244 in their first innings. Kohli was the highest run-getter for his team with 74 runs while Mitchell Starc breathed fire with the ball as he scalped four important wickets while bowling at an economy rate of 2.5.

Bowling on Day 2, the Indian pace attack is at its lethal best as they have managed to scare the opposition batsmen with their consistency and control over their length and pace. Jasprit Bumrah gave early breakthroughs to the visitors by picking the wickets of the opening duo of Matthew Wade and Joe Burns.

Sunil Gavaskar unhappy with India’s poor fielding

In the 14th over, India had the chance of shifting the momentum towards their side as Marnus had just played his third ball when the ball touched the edge of his bat and went towards the keeper Wriddhiman Saha. The wicketkeeper dived to catch the ball but the batsman got lucky as the ball dipped just ahead of Saha while he made a diving stretch to reach the ball.

Labuschagne got another lifeline when Prithvi Shaw, who was fielding at square leg, dropped an easy sitter off the delivery by Bumrah. India again had the chance of sending the 26-year-old back to the pavilion but this time Bumrah dropped the catch off the ball by Mohammed Shami.

The poor fielding by the Indian team frustrated the former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar who is essaying the role of the commentator in the ongoing Test between India and Australia. The veteran took a jibe at the visiting side saying that they are disturbing Christmas gifts a week early by dropping easy catches.

“All I can think of is the Indians are in a Christmas mood. Giving their Christmas gifts a week early,” Gavaskar was heard saying soon after Labuschagne was dropped while batting at 22 runs by Shaw off Bumrah.