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'Looking Weak': Cheteshwar Pujara Reveals India's Weakness Before Boxing Day Test

Rajgeeta Yadav

Team India [Source: @CHIYANAKASH_07/X.com]Team India [Source: @CHIYANAKASH_07/X.com]

The Indian team in Australia lacks a bowling attack that is good enough to take 20 wickets in a Test, Cheteshwar Pujara said on Monday and called it the side's biggest concerns heading into the last two matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The five-match series is currently levelled at 1-1 with everything to play for in the Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.

The visitors have been relying heavily on pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah to get them wickets and while he has been a great success with both the red and pink ball, the peerless fast bowler has not received enough support from the other end, something that has plagued India besides their top-order batting woes.

"My biggest question and the reason for a little bit of concern is that the Indian bowling is looking a little weak," Pujara told Star Sports.

"Batting is a little better, like the top five didn't do well, but the middle order and lower middle order, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish (Reddy), and even tailenders, Bumrah and Akash Deep contributed with the bat.

"Now, there is a weakness in the bowling, so what will you feed the team? That is the biggest question, because you can't drop Nitish, you can't drop Jadeja, so what will be the team combination?"

Pujara felt that Nitish Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja are not able to do the job of being the side's fourth and fifth bowler.

"Ashwin has taken retirement, so two spinners, I don't think they will play in Melbourne. So, how will you strengthen the bowling? Because the three seamers are very good, but their supporting role, fourth and fifth seamer, Nitish Kumar is the fourth seamer and Ravindra Jadeja is the fifth bowler. If you add both of them together, the bowling is not that good.

"We will have to think about that, because if you want to win a Test match, then you have to take 20 wickets, and the ability to take 20 wickets is not that good, the supporting role of the other bowlers is not good, so we will have to improve that as soon as possible, and how that will be, I don't know, but that is a big question," he added.

How Can India Still Qualify for the WTC Final?

In order to remain in the WTC final contention, Team India really to step up and need to win last two Tests against Australia. If they win both of their remaining matches, their points percentage (PCT) will rise to 60.52%. However, this will require India to win both Tests in Melbourne and Sydney, which would be a massive achievement against the defending champions on their home turf.

On the other hand, if India wins one and draws one, they can still qualify, but it depends on Sri Lanka drawing at least one Test against Australia. Meanwhile, a loss in either of  remaining matches against Australia would put their qualification hopes at risk, and they'd need Sri Lanka to defeat Australia 2-0.

[PTI Inputs]