Brisbane : Former Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy has launched a scathing attack on the team that lost to an injury-ravaged India in the just-concluded Test series, accusing it of lacking commitment while questioning skipper Tim Paine’s leadership and skills behind the stumps.
Down in the dumps after a humiliating defeat in Adelaide where they made their lowest ever Test score of 36, India fought back to win in Melbourne and draw the third match in Sydney before pulling off a series-clinching victory at the Gabba.
“They (Australians) played without real commitment. They weren’t right in the contest often enough. There weren’t hungry to convert 60 runs to 130 runs with individual totals,” Healy said on SEN 1170’s Drive.
“It was a really strange performance by the captain, vice-captain, coach and the coaching staff. Our fielding was hopeless. Two things I’d work with is fielding and attitude … And the rest will come back.”
The 56-year-old Healy, who kept wickets for Australia in 119 Tests between 1988 and 1999, was critical of Paine.
“What I saw with ‘Painey’ in Sydney and Brisbane was that he mustn’t be training hard enough. His wicketkeeping technique was off when he kept to Nathan Lyon. I think his captaincy then suffered because he wasn’t trying enough as the captain.
“That then opens it up to what is the vice-captain doing? Pat Cummins, where are your suggestions on the field? Not much innovation at all so that really does have to be discussed why all those people in that dressing room missed all that.”
He said the Australian side was not that bad but the players were “a bit soft this summer”.
“That coaching staff and senior players, they need to put a finger on why we just didn’t play as well as should have and rectify it.
“This team isn’t that bad. They just played bad enough to lose to India’s second XI.” (AGENCIES)
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