Former Australian legend Glenn McGrath said that the over-dependence on Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne has added struggles in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Test series in India. He also believes Australia are yet to settle on a game plan against spin as well. While Smith and Marnus have done well in phases in the last two Tests, they are yet to make a substantial contribution. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin have been in sublime form as well.

As quoted by the Indian Express, Glenn McGrath said: “I think they’re relying too much on Smith and Marnus at the moment. Travis Head has had a really good year as well. The whole batting line-up has to stand up. I think they haven’t settled on a game plan on how to play spin in India that they are confident with and can execute. In the first Test, they were too defensive, and in the second Test, they were too aggressive. So we will see if they’ve learned from those two matches.”

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However, Australia’s batting only had one positive in the opening Test when Smith and Labuschagne added an 84-run stand in the first innings. They produced their best batting performance of the series in the first innings in Delhi, scoring 263 runs. However, the second innings of both Tests have seen the batting order collapse in the middle.

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“They haven’t been able to come and clean up the tail. The last three batters have put on 160-plus. They are the ones causing problems. Whether they got the bowling changes right? Maybe Pat Cummins could have come in earlier. Australia has a long way to turn things around. If they leave the shores with the scoreline not being 4-0, I think they would have done well,” Glenn McGrath concluded.