News: 'Steve Smith did not need to play sweep shot'- Sanjay Manjrekar

Usman Khawaja’s success with the sweep shot in the first innings, according to Sanjay Manjrekar, prompted the Australian batsmen to use a similar strategy in the second innings of the second Test against India. The shot claimed the wickets of five Australian batsmen, including Steve Smith, as the tourists were bowled out for 113 in their second innings and lost the match by six wickets. In the first innings, Khawaja was Australia’s leading scorer. The left-handed opener scored 81 runs off 125 deliveries and utilised the sweep and reverse sweep effectively before his stay in the middle was cut short by a sensational catch by KL Rahul.

“Khawaja played all the sweeps there are in the modern game and succeeded. He got 81 in the first innings after scores of 1 and 5 in Nagpur. That success of Khawaja actually was the main reason for Australia’s batting failure in the second innings. Each Australian batter after that came in with a mindset to attack and that too with the sweep shot; ‘sweep to succeed’ seemed to be their motto.” Ravindra Jadeja took advantage of the Australian batsmen’s approach as he raced through their batting lineup. As the visitors lost nine wickets in a single session, the left-arm spinner returned with career-best figures of 7-42.

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They won the Pune Test without playing a sweep

Former skipper Steve Smith was one of the victims of the sweep shot, as previously stated. He attempted an uncommon sweep off Ravichandran Ashwin but was caught lbw as Australia’s collapse continued. Sanjay Manjrekar noted that Smith’s good technique against spin bowling does not need him playing the sweep shot: “It was painful to see Smith try the sweep and get out in the second innings. This is a batter who got one of the greatest hundreds seen on Indian soil from a foreign batter in Pune in 2017, a Test that Australia won. If Smith and Labuschagne had not bought into the overall team tactics, I have no doubt they would have made this win for India far more hard-earned. I believe Peter Handscomb, Smith and Labuschagne are good enough batters to play their natural game and make valuable contributions to their side. All the three-judge the length of spinners really well and are secure in defence.”

Australia’s playing stocks for the Qantas Tour of India have suffered another blow, with opener David Warner set to return home after being ruled out of the rest of the series. Warner was forced to withdraw from the second Test in Delhi last week due to a concussion after being struck on the grille of his protective batting helmet by India fast bowler Mohammad Siraj in Australia’s first innings. That blow happened shortly after Warner was hit on the arm by another rising delivery, with x-rays later revealing the left-hander had also suffered a hairline fracture of the elbow, ruling him out of the remaining Tests.