India lost the 2nd ODI in Visakhapatnam against Australia by 10 wickets. The hosts batted first and were folded for 117 courtesy of a sensational spell from Mitchell Starc. The Aussie speedster finished with a fifer, rattling India completely. Later in reply, Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head hammered a 100 run partnership and reached the target within the 11th over of the game.
After the game, Indian veteran wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik hailed Strac for his heroics. The 37-year-old sympathises with the Indian batters as he understands what it is to face the Aussie speedster, who according to him is the best white ball bowler right now.
“He is arguably the best white-ball bowler in the world right now. To come and receive such balls first up, it’s hard. You put anybody there, more often than not, they will get out first ball. We need to cut some slack for batters who get out to quality left-armers,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
The Tamil Nadu based cricketer also laments Indian team for their lack of a quality left-arm seamer. The Men in Blue have lacked in this area for a long time and that has affected them. He feels it is difficult to replicate Shaheen Afridi, Trent Boult, Mitchell Starc, etc.
“The skill that goes behind a Shaheen Afridi, Trent Boult and Mitchell Starc is different boss. If the bowler had the skill, he would be playing for India! Why would he be bowling in the nets? It is not an easy skill. Add to that, you’re playing international cricket, and it’s a different ball game,” Karthik added.
It was Starc’s ninth fifer in ODIs and he is third highest in this regard, only behind Muttiah Muralitharan and Waqar Younis.
Starc also picked up three wickets in Wankhede in the First ODI and now five in Vizag, makes him the highest wicket-taker in the series for now.
Following Starc’s demolition, Mitchell Marsh had a batting exhibition as he hammered six four and six sixes to race to 66 from only 33 balls, making quick work of the Indian total. Marsh was sensational in his 65-ball 81 knock and was the only Aussie batter to cross 50 in the first ODI. Travis Head, who got out early in Wankhede also smashed a fifty in Visakhapatnam as they chased in down in 11 overs without losing a wicket.
