'There is red-hot anger, embarrassment in our fans': Greg Chappell urges Australia to not treat India tour as 'sideshow'
Former Australia captain Greg Chappell has said that fans in the country are angry, bewildered and embarrassed by the manner in which the team has lost their first two Test matches in India.
Australia have lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the fourth time in a row having gone 2-0 down in their four-match Test series in India. Australia lost both matches within three days each with their batters' weaknesses against spin bowling being ruthlessly exposed by India. While the second day of the second Test proved to be an even contest, the Australian batters meekly surrendered in the third and former captain Greg Chappell says that fans back home are not too happy with their showing.
Chappell says that Australia have to try and pick their best team, with their selection choices in both matches being questioned. “What can Australia do from here? Firstly, pick their best team and then play with the passion, tenacity and grit which is our hallmark. Australian fans know that it is tough in India. They can accept getting beaten by a better side, but they won’t cop seeing an Australian team playing recklessly and bowled out in a session or two and turning its toes up inside three days. There is red-hot anger, bewilderment and embarrassment in our fans,” he said in his column for the Sydney Morning Herald.
Chappell said that Australian cricket in general has to start considering India tours at par or even higher than the Ashes. “The Australian public are rightly incensed that our team has shown so little fight in the series so far. Sights of batsman being dismissed playing the reverse sweep first ball, and playing as though this series is not critical to the future, rankle. Australian cricket must realise that playing against India is not a sideshow, but the big show on par with or bigger than The Ashes,” he said.
Australia lost the first Test by an innings and 132 runs, being dismissed for 177 and 91 in their two innings while India scored 400. They put up a better show in the first two days of the second Test, scoring 263 in the first innings and then almost taking a major lead but were then dismissed for 113 runs on Day 3 of the match. India thus won by six wickets and took an unassailable 2-0 lead. Australia have not been able to beat India at home or away in a Test series since 2015.
