Team India beat Australia like how you beat up a person in a sack: Shoaib Akhtar

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar seems highly impressed with the Indian cricket team after they defeated the number one ranked Test team, Australia in their own backyard. This win was crucial for the visiting nation as it came after they were bundled out for a paltry total of 36 runs in the second innings of the Adelaide Test. Also, India were without the services of their three main players including skipper Virat Kohli and pacers Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami.

Detailing his opinion on India’s win against Baggy Green by 8 wickets at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Shoaib Akhtar said that the visitors exhibited their class and character in the second Test. He also praised the way stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane led the team in tough scenarios. Rahane was adjudged as the Man of the Match for his stunning century in the first innings.

“Team India beat Australia like how you beat up a person in a sack. Characters are not made in crisis, they are exhibited. Team India has exhibited their talent when they were in deep crisis. This is Team India’s character.

“The best part was that they showed heart and courage today. They didn’t have 3 of their star players but it didn’t matter to them. Ajinkya Rahane quietly led the team but his success is making all the noise for him today. They say work hard in silence and let your success make the noise,” Shoaib Akhtar said on his YouTube channel.

Team India have guts, heart and courage, says Shoaib Akhtar

Ahead of the second Test, India had made as many as four changes in their line-up. Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj made their debut as they replaced Prithvi Shaw and Mohammed Shami while Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant came in the place of Virat Kohli and Wriddhiman Saha respectively.

Siraj and Gill were impressive in their first game as the former scalped 5 wickets across two innings while the latter registered the scores of 45 and 35*. Showering praises on both the debutants, Shoaib Akhtar stated that they are certainly two big stars in making.

“India brought in Siraj, he took 5 wickets. He is still young, couldn’t be by his father’s side when he passed away… He paid tribute to his father with his performance. Then came Gill, he’s certainly a big star in the making. So Team India showed their character, that they have guts, heart and courage.

“What impressed me the most was they should have fallen flat on their face in this match after the kind of defeat they suffered in the 1st Test. But they didn’t fall down, they rose up to the challenge. When teams show their character like this, it doesn’t matter which religion or country the players belong to, I feel very happy,” the Rawalpindi Express concluded.