Internet Desk: Former Indian skipper and CAB President Sourav Ganguly on Sunday said that he has never seen any Australian spinner before the deadly duo of Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe to put this much pressure on a star-studded Indian batting line-up in sub-continent.
“Their two spinners are creating pressure from both ends.
It’s a strategy which was used by Team India previously. But I’ve never seen Aussie spinners putting so much pressure,” Ganguly said at the launch of former Bengal speedster Shib Sankar Paul’s academy in Bagha Jatin.
Aussie amateur left arm spinner Steve O’Keefe took 12 wickets by giving only 70 runs in the first Test in Pune was the best figures by a visiting spinner on Indian soil as India faced humiliating loss by 333 runs.
In the Bengaluru Test, it was Aussie off-spinner Nathan Lyon who took the charge against World No.1 side as he took 8 wickets by giving just 50 runs to demolish Indian batting for mere 189 runs in the first innings. The home side are in danger of losing their first Test series since their 1-2 defeat to England in December 2012.
Sourav had predicted a 4-0 whitewash in favour of India against the Aussies ahead of the four match Test rubber. But the visitors have won the first Test convincingly and are in a very good position in the ongoing second Test in Bengaluru.
Former Indian Test batsman Mohammed Kaif, who was also present in that occasion, added that it was a great feeling to meet his captain after such a long period.
“It was great to catch up with Dada. We have had some wonderful memories together,” Kaif said.
It was alongwith Punjab power hitter Yuvraj Singh that Kaif shared a 121-run stand for the sixth wicket to help India win the Natwest Series in 2002 which prompted Ganguly to take off his shirt and celebrate on the balcony of the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.