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New Delhi: Former India captain Rahul Dravid has termed Australia’s decision to drop Nathan Lyon from the ongoing second Test as a “tactical blunder” and said the visiting captain Michael Clarke must take some responsibility for the off-spinner’s axing.
The Australian team management have come in for sharp criticism for not playing Lyon, who was dropped in favour of Xavier Doherty and Glenn Maxwell, a decision which Dravid feels could cost the visitors the ongoing second Test, in Hyderabad.
“The biggest tactical blunder that Michael Clarke has to take some responsibility for is the decision not to play Nathan Lyon,” Dravid was quoted as saying by a website.
“They are being too clever with their team selections. Lyon didn’t run through the Indian side in Chennai, but he bowled particularly well there… Especially in the second innings, he looked like he was getting some confidence.
“It’s never easy to come to India and bowl to some of the Indian batsmen on these kind of wickets they are so used to. By dropping Lyon, it shocked whatever confidence he gained in that Test,” he said.
Dravid believes the ongoing Test is headed for an early finish if the Indian spinners perform to their expectations. He said Doherty and Maxwell are no match for the likes of Ravichndran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja.
“Their (Australia’s) ability to compete in this Test match was severely compromised by the fact that they didn’t have any quality spinner to be able to put any pressure on India throughout the day,” he said.
“We will see a completely different track when the Indian spinners bowl. It will be tough for Australia ... In Chennaithey were in the contest at least, but in the first two days in Hyderabad, they have been completely outplayed. (PTI)
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