India vs Australia: 'Selections smacked of panic', Ian Chappell slams Aussies after heavy defeat in Delhi Test

Former Australia cricketer Ian Chappell slammed the Aussies’ ‘panicked selections during the second Test against India, which the hosts won by six wickets to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 2-0 series lead.

Travis Head was included in the playing XI for the second Test, and spinner Matthew Kuhnemann was also handed his  Test debut, but Australia’s fortunes did not change despite tweaks in the eleven.

David Warner managed only 15 runs in his first innings, and could not bat in the second innings (Matt Renshaw replaced him) after sustaining a concussion. He was later confirmed to have ruled out of the Test series.

The Australian batting crumbled in the second innings, being dismissed for just 113, and Cheteshwar Pujara (31*) helped India chase down a target of 115 with six wickets to spare.

“I don’t think there was any justification for some of the things they’ve done – their selections smacked of panic,” Chappell was quoted as saying by World Wide of Sports.

“If you want to look at panic, the dropping of Head [and] playing Renshaw saying he’s a good player of spin bowling, and you bat him in the middle order.”

“You come into the second Test with one quick only, you fly Kuhnemann over from Australia and you play him ahead of Agar, who bowls the same sort of stuff, and was in the original squad.

“Now, are you going to tell me they’re not panic selections? This is the problem … they overthink things.”

“I don’t think they know what their best bowling lineup is. I also don’t think they know what their best batting lineup is in India, but … the best batsmen are in India now,” the 79-year-old added.

Despite being part of the Australia squad for the first two Tests, Ashton Agar was overlooked in the playing XI, and questioned Kuhnemann’s selection instead.

“Agar must be bowling very badly if they pick him in the original squad, and they put this guy in ahead of him. What the hell’s Agar doing?” questioned the former skipper.

“There wasn’t a lot to be impressed by Kuhnemann.” He added.

The third Test will be played in Indore, starting from 1 March.

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