New Delhi, Dec 24
India will be hurting after their Adelaide humiliation but the visitors need to remember that they dominated the first two sessions in the opening game as they head to the Boxing Day Test, says former opener Gautam Gambhir.India had taken a vital 53-run first-innings lead after the second day’s play before being bundled out for their lowest-ever score of 36 on Day 3 to eventually lose the series opener by eight wickets.
“They need to remember that they actually dominated the first two days, they were ahead in the game throughout the first two days,” Gambhir said on Star Sports show ‘Cricket Connected’.”They will be hurt about the one session – but again they need to remember that there are three Test matches and at the same time they won’t have their best player Virat Kohli with them – their captain,” Gambhir added.India will be without their talismanic skipper, who has gone on paternity leave, and premier pacer Mohammed Shami, who was ruled out of the series due to a fractured arm, in the second Test which is due to start on Saturday.
“So, there is a lot of onus on Ajinkya Rahane, plus Mohammad Shami will not be there. There will be a lot of onus on what combination they go with,” said Gambhir.Earlier, Gambhir had said that India would do well to enter the second Test with five bowlers and make Rahane bat at the No. 4. He had also batted for KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill’s inclusion in the playing XI.
