India Need To Fight Hard And Buckle Down - Sourav Ganguly Talks About The Challenges In Australia

Former India skipper and current President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Sourav Ganguly reasons out why India lost three out of four-Test series on their previous SENA tours.

Although the Indian team won the Test series in Australia in 2018-19, they lost to South Africa (2-1), England (4-1), and New Zealand (2-0) on their last tour. The bowlers led by pacer Jasprit Bumrah kept India in the game, the batting was a major letdown on several occasions.

Everyone has to get together to beat Australia: Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly opined that the Indian team led by Virat Kohli has to play good cricket outside the country. India won the series down under. However, the BCCI boss believes that they should have done better in the rest of the three away tours.

The former India captain understands that the Indian team is a terrific side and hopes that they have learnt from their mistakes in the past. Ganguly said that everyone has to bat well and score runs, and not just 2 or 3 batters.

Speaking to India Today, Sourav Ganguly said, “He (Virat) must sit back and understand that he has to play better away from home. Yes, Australia was a good series that they won (in 2018-19) but they should have done better in South Africa, England (both 2018) and New Zealand (2020).” 

“They are a capable side and they must have learnt from that. Everyone has to bat well. We lost in England because no one got Test match hundreds apart from Virat Kohli, Pujara and Pant,” he said.

The 48-year-old said that we won in Australia last time because Pujara scored tons of runs, and Kohli and Pant also got centuries. Putting runs on board gives confidence to the bowlers to take 20 wickets – that Dada feels is the template to win Tests.

The Australian team is looking much stronger than they were the last time. The return of the banned duo of David Warner and Steve Smith, along with the emergence of Marnus Labuschagne has bolstered the Australian side. They drew the away series in England last year retaining the Ashes, and the Tim Paine-led side has comprehensively beaten New Zealand and Pakistan at home before the pandemic break.

Hence, Ganguly asks the team to stick together if they have to win another series down under. The former opener knows the kind of quality bowling attack the opposition posses and tells the players to fight tough and buckle down.

“We won in Australia because Pujara got you 500 runs, Virat got a hundred, Pant got a hundred. That’s how you are going to win the series. Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon are good bowlers. They need to fight hard and buckle down. This is a good side and everyone has to get together to beat Australia in Australia,” Ganguly added.

After the conclusion of the IPL, Virat Kohli will lead the Indian team for a full-fledged tour to Australia – comprising of 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is, and 4-match Test series.

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