India vs Australia: Former Australian Wicketkeeper Slams Aussie Tactics as India Exposes Flaws in Perth Test

Adam Gilchrist has sharply criticized the Pat Cummins-led Aussie cricket team for what he called “negative and illegal” tactics during the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 at the Optus Stadium in Perth. The former wicketkeeper-batter accused the Australians of abandoning their traditional fighting spirit as India dominated proceedings late on Day 3.

The controversy unfolded when Cummins handed the ball to part-timer Marnus Labuschagne after his frontline bowlers failed to make an impact. Labuschagne was instructed to bowl outside the leg stump, with fielders placed heavily on the leg-side boundary to shutdown India’s scoring opportunities. This unorthodox approach targeted Virat Kohli and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who were steering India towards an insurmountable lead.

Gilchrist didn’t mince words, calling out Australia’s deviation from their trademark grit and suggesting the tactics reflected poorly on the team’s character. Many fans echoed his sentiments, comparing the questionable strategy to past controversies, including the infamous 2018 “Sandpaper scandal.” He said,

Have you ever seen such a despondent team of Australian cricketers resorting to those tactics? What are deemed negative, illegal tactics really by the rulebook?

India, undeterred by the tactics, continued to dominate. Virat Kohli and Nitish Kumar Reddy dominated India’s 2nd innings after Jaiswal’s departure. They found gaps and played daring aerial shots to dismantle the leg-side trap. Kumar Reddy’s quickfire 38 off 27 balls added insult to injury as India declared at 487/6, setting Australia an imposing target of 534 runs.

Gilchrist’s critique underscores growing concerns over Australia’s approach, as their “negative” strategy failed to contain India’s clinical batting lineup, leaving them in a precarious position.