'Leave your IPL buddies behind. Look yourself in the mirror': Ravi Shastri to Australia ahead of 2nd Test vs India

Former India coach Ravi Shastri has delivered a hard-hitting message to Australia following their capitulation against India in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Nagpur. Australia, the World No. 1-ranked Test team, lost by an innings and 132 runs – getting all out for 91 in the second innings – in one of their worst defeats of all time – and ahead of the second Test of the series starting in Delhi on Friday, Shastri expects the Aussies to shed their timid behaviour and come out all guns blazing, otherwise worries that the series outcome could by in the favour of the Indians by a landslide.

"I want to start off with a strong piece of advice for the Australian team. Save the English manners for the Ashes. What you need are good old Australian manners here in India to bounce back from the defeat in Nagpur," Shastri wrote in his column in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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"I want to see them come out and be their aggressive selves in Delhi. To back their ability and play with intent. I was surprised by the lack of it, especially in that second innings, where they were rolled for 91. If you lose, go down throwing punches. Not in the timid, almost un-Australian, fashion that they surrendered against the Indian spinners at the VCA Stadium. But the punch has to be thrown immediately, and they need to hit India hard from the very start in Delhi. If Australia don't get at India right away, the possibility of a 3-0 or even a 4-0 series defeat looms large."

The lack of ruthlessness in the approach of the Australians has come as a shock to many. There was no sledging, no verbal-volleys dished out, something one does not associate with the Aussies. Once upon a time, the Australian cricket team was infamously known to be a notorious unit, getting under the skin of the opposition through various shenanigans; however, ever since the Indian Premier League has narrowed the bridge between Indians and overseas players, there has been a noticeable shift in the approach of the Australians. Shastri reckons the IPL bonds have mellowed Australia and cautioned them against turning up shaky and low on confidence in Delhi.

"I would also ask the Aussies to leave their Indian Premier League buddies behind and keep them for later. It felt like there was a bit too much bonhomie on the field in Nagpur for my liking. I want to see that characteristic hard-hitting Aussie intent come to the fore in Delhi. I can say this with confidence: the Indians will be relentless, as they are always in India. This is as good a bowling attack as they've ever had, both in terms of the fast bowlers and the spinners. India have never had a spin trio where all three are all-rounders. It's not all lost for the Aussies though, and they need to tell themselves that. Look yourself in the mirror and realise that you're not as bad as what transpired on Saturday. It was one day, one session where you messed up," he said.

The Australians find themselves in a similar position India were in during the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy when they were rolled over for 36 in the first Test in Adelaide. However, there was a huge contrast in the performance of the two teams as Shastri points out, and as Australia take into the game certain plusses from the Nagpur Test, the former India coach is not ruling out the possibility of an Aussie comeback.

"It is rather like when the Indian team was bowled out for 36 at the Adelaide Oval in 2020. It was understandably one of the more challenging days for me as coach. The only difference, though, was that the Indian team had dominated the first two days of play in Adelaide before that incredible collapse. In Nagpur, Australia had few positives, except the sensational debut for young Todd Murphy," he said.

"Australia will have to bring their A+ game if they have to beat India, or even if they are to threaten India. It's not impossible, as we showed in Australia two years ago. To go from 36 all out in Adelaide to Boxing Day at the MCG, there's nothing more intimidating than that. But we prevailed, and beat them soundly at the G. So, it’s not impossible," highlighted Shastri.