Veteran wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik believes that Australia fast bowler Scott Boland will be the toughest bowler to face for the Indian batters in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2021-2023 final at The Oval. Part of a star-studded commentary panel for this marquee event, Karthik is in the best position as far as judging the conditions are concerned.
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With Australia scoring 469 in 121.3 overs after being asked to bat first by India captain Rohit Sharma, a large majority of Indian tactics were defied by the opposition during the course of their four-and-half-session long innings consisting of a couple of thumping centuries by batter Travis Head (163) and vice-captain Steven Smith (121).
Hence, Indian batters have no option than to post an innings totals in vicinity of Australia in a bid to not let them register a potentially match-winning first-innings lead. As a result, Indian batters will have to stand tall on their potential to successfully counter the challenge possessed by Australian bowlers.
Dinesh Karthik Warns Indian Batters In WTC Final 2023
Speaking of Australian bowlers, Karthik took to social media platform Twitter to warn the Indian batters with respect to Boland. The 38-year old naming him ahead of captain Pat Cummins and way more experienced Mitchell Starc could come across as surprising to some but Boland’s record in what is a nascent Test career thus far must have led Karthik to tweet the same.
“The more I watch this test match , i feel SCOTT BOLAND will be the toughest bowler to face for the Indian batters.”
The more I watch this test match , i feel SCOTT BOLAND will be the toughest bowler to face for the Indian batters #WTCFinal #WTCFinal2023 #CricketTwitter
— DK (@DineshKarthik) June 8, 2023
Boland, who scored 1* (7) as a No. 11 batter in the first innings, was introduced by Cummins as a first-change bowler as early as the fifth over. Replacing Starc in the attack, Boland began his first Test in England with a maiden over.
Bowling for the 14th time in this format, Boland has already picked 28 wickets at an incredible average and strike rate of 13.42 and 37 respectively. In his only Test against India in the past, Boland hadn’t managed to pick any wickets across the 17 overs that he bowled in one innings.
UPDATE: Having bowled two maiden overs right at the start, Boland has already picked his first Test wicket against India. Bowling tight and consistent lines, the right-arm bowler deceived India opener Shubman Gill (13) into shouldering arms on a delivery which hit the top of the off-stump.
