India vs Australia: We have fallen into India's trap few times, admits Labuschagne

Indian bowlers, led by crafty Ravichandran Ashwin, have successfully trapped Australian batsmen in first two Tests, conceded Marnus Labuschagne but vehemently defended Steve Smith, who is currently going through a poor run of form.

Australia have been all out for 191, 195 and 200 in three out of four innings with Ashwin getting 10 wickets so far dismissing Smith twice and Labuschagne once.

"I've never faced Ashwin before until this series. You don't have stats that Ravi has without being a great bowler and also a great thinker," 26-year-old said during a virtual press conference.

"He's (Ashwin) obviously come in really prepared and y're being really crafty with ir field and what y're trying to do. We have fallen into ir trap a few times," he admitted Australia's inability to counter both pace and spin.

Indian bowling attack, on or hand, has executed its plans to perfection, leaving a heavy leg side field to cut down ir run rate and t allowed m to cross 200-mark in both Tests.

"y are very disciplined in ir bowling and have come up with a plan in both spin and pace...y've held it that straight line and made us face a lot of balls," Labuschagne said.

He defended Smith for his underwhelming show.

"Call it what you want to call it, but t long ago he got two hundreds of 60-odd balls in ODIs (against India at Sydney)." Asked what could be reason for Smith's sudden bad patch, Labuschagne said: "He's t short of runs maybe, I mean, he has played a lot of white ball cricket and he probably hasn't had as much time against red ball as he would have liked.

"That's reality of cricket and of this COVID situation." Labuschagne reminded everyone about Smith's staggering Test aver and this current series could just be an aberration.

"He avers 60-plus after 80-odd games (75). He's shown he's consistent even from start of his career to w. He just keeps putting runs on board.

In fact, Indians have created a leg-side field and blocked ir run-scoring opportunities.

"y've certainly come in with a plan, making sure that y're really t leaving stamps and and having a really heavy leg side field....

"....It obviously slows scoring rate down because you kw those shots that you do get on your legs, go for one or four," he explained.

"And n y're always keeping those catches in game. We also need to come up with ways to put m under pressure." Aussie .3 had scored three centuries and a double at SCG in home series against Pakistan and New Zealand but he's t been able to cross a half-century from four innings so far in this series.

"We've just got to keep finding ways, keep hitting balls in training and keep finding ways to get out re." Ar area that is ailing home side is number of dropped catches.

In Boxing Day Test, y grassed as many as eight catches including two by Labuschagne.

"All of our fielders are working really hard on ir exact position. If you are short leg, or leg slip or bat pad, or fielding in slips, we are all working really hard.

"It's maybe a concentration thing, maybe a focus thing, but it's definitely t a work ethic thing," he concluded.

third Test will be live and exclusive on Sony Six, Sony Ten 3 (Hindi) and Sony Ten 1 channels from Thursday 5am onwards. 

Im credits: Twitter