Salman Butt, former captain of the Pakistan cricket team, believes that Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc poses the biggest threat to Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final.
In the longer format of the game, Mitchell Starc has not managed to dismiss either Rohit Sharma or Shubman Gill. Rohit Sharma has scored 95 runs against Starc, while Gill has accumulated 130 runs against the left-arm pacer in Test cricket. With 306 wickets in 77 Test matches, Starc has been a consistent performer for Australia.
Salman Butt highlighted that Rohit Sharma has shown vulnerability against left-arm fast bowlers in the past. He believes that if Mitchell Starc gets his bowling right, he can make things difficult for both Sharma and Gill, utilizing his impressive inswing and good pace.
“While Rohit Sharma has struggled against left-armers, if he and Gill get set, they can put the Australian bowlers under pressure,” Butt mentioned in a video shared on his YouTube channel.
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Butt also expressed his opinion that India possesses a stronger batting lineup compared to Australia. He emphasized that The Oval, the venue for the final, offers pace and bounce, which allows batsmen to play their shots more freely. According to Butt, the conditions at The Oval are different from those at Lord’s or Leeds, where the ball tends to swing significantly in the early hours of play.
Describing Rohit Sharma as a significant player, Butt mentioned that his struggles in the IPL do not impact his form in the longer format of the game. He acknowledged that Sharma occasionally faces difficulties due to a cluttered mindset, especially after playing in the T20 format. However, Butt emphasized that such situations can occur to any player, even the best batsmen, and do not diminish Sharma’s overall stature.
As the much-anticipated ICC World Test Championship final approaches, the battle between Mitchell Starc and the Indian openers promises to be an intriguing contest, with both sides seeking to gain an advantage in this crucial encounter.