The Indian cricket team stands level 1-1 with Australia after the initial two ODIs of the 3-match series. After the hosts won the first one-day international, the tourists won the second game with a resounding victory. India’s chase for 189 runs in the first match was led by KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja, but in the second match, the team was all out for 117 while batting first. Former pacer Zaheer Khan acknowledged that the top order has hindered the Indian batsmen’s ability to build with the bat in both matches.

In the second ODI, Australia chased down the target of 118 runs without losing a single wicket, and even Indian bowlers struggled. However, Zaheer believes that batters are more to blame than bowlers

India top order to Axar Patel. #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/ViHUTFb9xL

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Zaheer was asked on Cricbuzz whether including Umran Malik in the team would help the Indian bowling team. He completely rejected such a change to be made.

“You look at the first match score, you got the team all-out for 188. Today you didn’t have a chance of making any impact because your batters didn’t really step up and got you to that platform. I think it’s all about providing that kind of platform. I won’t go too much into what bowlers have done wrong. They’ve played their part in the first match,”

he said. 

After that, Zaheer brought the Indian top order into the spotlight and stated that the team has struggled because the players have failed to fire in the first ten overs.

“The last two games that has happened you clearly know where the issue is. The issue is first 10 overs, with the bat in hand what are you doing with it? You are not really setting the platform for your middle-order. “

With eight scalps to his name, Mitchell Starc leads the series in wicket taking. According to Zaheer, the Indian batters have had a difficult time facing the Australian speedster.

“How Mitchell Starc has done that with new ball, which is providing platform to the next bowlers to come and continue with that pressure. So similarly when you’re losing wickets, the pressure is already formed on the next batter to come and deal with the best bowler. How can you negate that, how can you avoid that kind of a situation is going to be the challenge. That’s why all answers in the series are lying with the batters. And they need to regroup, they need to come with solutions, they need to plan and if they are able to provide with the platform then your bowlers will step up,”

said Zaheer