Veteran India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has slammed Team India’s bowling tactics to Travis Head on Day 2 of the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Test in Brisbane on Sunday, December 15. According to Pujara, India haven’t learnt from their mistakes in Adelaide and kept feeding balls outside the off stump to the left-hander as well. Head scored his second consecutive century in the ongoing series on Sunday at The Gabba.

He slammed 152 off 160 in Brisbane in the ongoing Test. Resuming their first innings on 28-0, Australia were at 405-7 as Head and Steven Smith (101) added 241 for the fourth wicket to lift the team from 75-3.

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Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Pujara said: “Our planning hasn’t been great against Travis Head. I know he has been batting well. He’s in great form – the way he is timing the ball. But last game, we didn’t bowl enough short balls. This game we did, but if you look at his scoring areas, which is outside off stump, that’s where we are feeding too many balls. That’s where we are bowling a lot more.”

“I said this even in the last game that you need to bowl in the stumps. We need to attack his off stump, middle stump. I would even say that if you end up bowling on leg stump, that is still fine. Have four fielders on the leg side and have five fielders on the off side, but don’t allow him to score on the off side. He walks in after 30 overs when the ball is little soft. But, we need to learn to be a little more patient, bowl in that channel and make him drive a bit more,” Pujara further added.

However, Travis Head hit 18 fours in his knock of 152, while Steve Smith hit 12 fours in his 190-ball innings to frustrate India. For India, Jasprit Bumrah claimed 5-72 in 25 overs as well.