Ind vs Aus: A lot will rest with Bumrah, Ashwin, feels McGrath

Former Australia pacer Glenn McGrath feels that speedster Jasprit Burmah and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will have 'a lot' to do in the third Test in the absence of experienced bowlers Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav.

Both Shami and Yadav were ruled out of the series owing to injuries. T Natarajan and Shardul Thakur were added as their replacements for the rest of the series. But for the Pink Test India picked Navdeep Saini as Yadav's replacement. Saini is playing his debut Test for the country.

According to McGrath, the real challenge of the inexperienced bowling line-up will be when the Australian batsmen will take charge on them and that will be a 'big test'.

"Indian bowling attack lacks experience in the absence of Ishant Sharma, that was the big blow, Mohammed Shami and then Umesh Yadav. Three experienced players may offer a lot to the team. A couple of young guys coming in, Siraj playing his second Test, Saini playing his first Test. A lot will rest with Jasprit Bumrah maybe Ashwin and Jadeja as well. They are all very experienced. The team is playing well, these young guys can really excel well," McGrath said while answering an ANI query during a virtual press-conference ahead of Pink Test.

"Once the pressure comes on that's where experience comes into play. Whether it will impact the young bowlers more whether the Australian batting line-up has the ability to put the pressure back on the bowlers. That's gonna be a big test, if Australian batsmen do put the pressure on how do Saini stand up, how do Siraj stand up that will be a big question. But I'm looking forward to two exciting young bowlers," he added.

McGrath feels India's playing XI will be buoyed by the presence of Rohit Sharma, who will play his first Test match in more than a year.

"Rohit Sharma is a class player. To have someone of that skill and experience coming into the team should be a big lift for India. He will be keen to make an instant impact. I always thought that a player of his experience should do better in Test cricket than what his stats probably suggest," he said.

Recognised as one of the biggest charitable sporting events in the world over the last 13 years, the Pink Test partnership between the McGrath Foundation, Cricket Australia and the SCG Trust symbolises the best in the sport coming together to make a difference to those living with breast cancer.

The ongoing third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Test Series between India and Australia will be telecasted Live and Exclusive on Sony Six, Sony Ten 3 (Hindi), and Sony Ten 1 channels from 5.00 am onwards.

India had levelled the four-match series against Australia after securing an eight-wicket win in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

(ANI)

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