Bumrah, the leader of the pack, has not just bowled badly, but has also been unable to provide a breakthrough upfront. He can take a while to discover his form and needs games under his belt to find his rhythm, but his inability to take wickets has resulted in India conceding the ODI series.

The spinners have also been ineffective. In two matches, Ravindra Jadeja and Yuzvendra Chahal have conceded 283 runs from 39 overs, taking just one wicket. Steve Smith’s footwork and ability to step out of the crease has had an huge impact on their lengths. However, Australia spinner Adam Zampa has taken six wickets in two outings.

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As good as India’s batting is, there was little chance they were going to chase 375 (in the first ODI) and 390 respectively. Virat Kohli showed his class with a fine 87-ball 89, but the ball still didn’t ping off his willow like we had come to expect. The loss of Rohit Sharma has been immense, but twice in three days, India has looked like a team that has still been stuck in lockdown.

To be fair, India have never looked in a position to win either of the matches. The attention to detail has also been lacking. KL Rahul’s innings of 76 from 66 balls might look pretty on the scoreboard, but deep down, the 38 dot balls he faced highlight the minor deficiencies that have led to India falling short of chasing mammoth totals. One game remains and to avoid a series whitewash, India’s bowlers must devise a plan and execute more efficiently.

India in last five ODIs...
Feb 5, 2020 lost to NZ by 4 wkts @ Seddon Park
Feb 8, 2020 lost to NZ by 22 runs @ Eden Park
Feb 11, 2020 lost to NZ by 5 wkts @ Bay Oval
Nov 27, 2020 lost to Aus by 66 runs @ SCG
Nov 29, 2020 lost to Aus by 51 runs @ SCG

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