Sanjay Manjrekar backs India bowlers to deliver again in BGT 2024-25 2nd Test, says Australian batting is fragile

Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar has put his weight behind Indian bowlers to deliver again in the second Border-Gavaskar Test against Australia. Manjrekar said Australia’s out-of-form batting line-up is fragile and believes Indian bowlers can once again run through the home team.

Australia was bundled out for only 104 runs in the first innings at Perth whereas they could only manage 238 runs in the second essay. Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith haven’t been in the best of forms and thus the pressure will be on the talismanic duo.

Sanjay Manjrekar said on ESPN Cricinfo, “India bowling will keep getting back into the game considering Australia so fragile with their batting lineup. So even if pink ball gives them a completely different challenge and because they have a good track record, it’s just that the Indian bowling attack and the Australian batting lineup makes for it a very unpredictable affair because the bowling will keep getting India back in the game.”

Meanwhile, Australia has an impeccable record in the pink-ball Test as they have won 11 out of their 12 Day-Night matches. Manjrekar said this record will give hope to the home team.

“Considering India won the last Test you can’t be saying [it with] certainty that India will win this one as well because it’s a completely different ball game. The pink ball actually gives Australia some hope, gives them an opportunity to come back.”

On the other hand, India was skittled out for only 36 runs in the pink-ball Test at Adelaide on the 2020-21 tour but Manjrekar said that the visitors were going through a transition during that phase.

“The big difference between the last Test match that India played against Australia (in Adelaide) the pink ball Test match, Indian batting was going through a bit of transition. There were quite a few players, Virat Kohli played well in that game but others were having their own issues and the ball swinging around. There were batters that struggled.”

The second Test match between Australia and India, which will be a pink-ball game, will be played at Adelaide Oval from December 6 onwards.