Leg-side trap was Shastri’s brainchild, says Arun

Not only the pacers but also the spinners attacked the stumps of Australia’s batting pillars Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, with fielders at catching positions on the leg-side. India won the series 2-1 after pulling off a stunning chase on Day Five in the fourth and final Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. 

Speaking to media in an online press conference, Arun said that the ploy to strangle the Australians was Shastri’s brainchild. “Ravi called me sometime in July and we discussed about taking the off-side out of the Australians. We had our own analysis. We felt that the Aussies scored most of their runs on the off-side,” said the 58-year-old.

Arun said that they also learnt from how the New Zealand bowlers, especially Neil Wagner, troubled Smith during the series between the Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous season. “We took a cue out of the NZ attack. When it bowled to Smith on the bodyline, he felt uncomfortable. So, Ravi called up and said: ‘I want you to make a plan where you eliminate the offside out of the Australians’.

“Ravi said that we would attack straighter lines and have an on-side field, so it would be very difficult for batsmen to consistently clear the on-side fields. That really worked for us,” said Arun.