Australian pacer Mitchell Starc felt that the flat wicket at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium has made the job tougher for the bowlers as nearly 700 runs were scored in two days during the third Test against India.
“It’s very flat. Obviously, a lot of runs have been scored, 700-odd runs in two days for 10 wickets. It is hard for the bowlers, but I guess it is more about being patient and getting some bowling partnerships in place. It’s probably something we did in patches today and it has cost us on the scoreboard,” Starc said after the day’s play.
Mitchell Starc. Pic/Getty Images
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Praise for the openers
But the left-arm pacer, who was dismissed for 99 earlier in the day, praised India openers Murali Vijay (83 not out) and Shikhar Dhawan (185 not out). “We just have to break the partnership, take the wickets early on and make some inroads into their batting. They batted well with wicket offering nothing. It’s nice to bat on, but Shikhar played well.
He batted well, he is dominant on the off-side. He’s one batsman whom we can’t afford to give much width to play his shots. There were times when we were not as much patient as we should have been. We will come back tomorrow, re-gather ourselves and hopefully, put some pressure on them and take some early wickets and have bowling partnerships going,” he said.
Disappointed...
Starc had qualms in admitting that he was disappointed on missing a Test hundred. “I was, obviously disappointed. I was hanging around, hoping Steve Smith will get his hundred. Unfortunately, he too didn’t get there,” Starc said.
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