Cricket: Haddin takes a swipe at struggling Indians

Focus on your keeping, responds fast-bowler Zaheer.

SYDNEY:

Australia vice-captain Brad Haddin has taken aim at struggling India, saying the tourists ‘break quicker than anyone in the world’ and turn on each other when things are not going their way.

Wicket-keeper Haddin turned up the heat on the opposition, trailing 2-0 ahead of Friday’s third Test in Perth, by revealing that Australia had discussed the tourists’ mental frailties. India were crushed by an innings and 68 runs in last week’s second Test in Sydney after losing the series opener in Melbourne by 122 runs.

“We spoke about a bit of that when we were batting,” Haddin was quoted as saying in the Sydney Morning Herald. “The longer we could keep them out on the field, the bigger chance we had of breaking them. We know this side can be as fragile as any team in the world if things aren’t going their way and they can turn on each other and the media turns on them pretty quick.”

Meanwhile, the verbal spat between the two sides gained momentum as Zaheer Khan, who has made it to the Perth Test, said Haddin should focus on his keeping after he dropped three catches in the first two matches.

“Haddin should focus on his wicket-keeping,” Khan was quoted as saying on ESPNcricinfo. “That looks really fragile to me. He needs to start moving. I think by the sound of it, Haddin has been appointed for that [mind games] in the Australian team.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2012.