Veteran Australia pacer Mitchell Starc has firmly denied reports of a rift between the batters and bowlers in the Australian dressing room following their heavy defeat to India in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth. Australia suffered a 295-run loss to India that sparked discussions about potential divisions within the team, particularly after comments made by pacer Josh Hazlewood raised eyebrows.
Jasprit Bumrah spearheaded a spirited Indian side to their most emphatic Test victory on Australian soil, hammering the Pat Cummins-led side by a staggering 295 runs in a historic performance that will be etched amongst the finest cricketing moments.Serving as stand-in captain, Bumrah led from the front with a remarkable match-haul of 8/72, dismantling Australia’s batting lineup in their daunting chase of 534. The hosts were bowled out for just 238 in 58.4 overs on the fourth afternoon of the opening Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. This dominant win not only underscored India’s strength but also catapulted them to the top of the World Test Championship standings, securing 61.11 percentage points.
AUS vs IND, 1st Test: Day 4 Highlights | Scorecard
Speaking to the media, Starc dismissed the narrative of discord among the players as mere speculation. “Yeah, absolutely. We’ve certainly played a lot of cricket together as a group. I mean, a lot is being made that we are a bit of an aging team, but we’ve all sort of grown up through the ranks together. We’ve shared both successes and challenges as a unit,” Starc said.
The star pacer emphasized the natural ebb and flow of roles within a Test team, noting that there are days when bowlers compensate for the batters and vice versa. “That’s Test cricket,” he remarked. “If journalists want to create their own narrative, that’s fine. We’ll regroup and come harder in Adelaide.”
The speculation began after former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist commented on potential friction within the team, highlighting Hazlewood’s remarks during a post-match press conference. Hazlewood, visibly frustrated after bowling 21 overs for just one wicket as India declared at 487/6, hinted at dissatisfaction with the team’s batting performance. “You probably have to ask one of the batters that question… I’m probably looking mostly towards the next Test,” Hazlewood said, after the late dismissals of Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne left Australia reeling.
Gilchrist, speaking on Fox Sports, said, “I wonder if there’s a divide in Andrew McDonald’s team between the batters and bowlers,” sparking widespread debate among cricketing circles. Starc urged the team to focus on bouncing back in the second Test in Adelaide, where Australia will look to rectify their mistakes and level the series. “We all had a big day yesterday, and we know what’s at stake. We’ll come together as we always have,” he said.
