Sanjay Manjreker Offers Valuable Advice To "Underconfident" India Ahead Of Australia Tests

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar analysed Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul's poor showing during the second match between India A and Australia A and also offered an important advice to batters making their first tour to the country. Ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting with Perth Test on November 22, KL and Easwaran got some much-needed game time in Australian conditions during the two unofficial Tests against Australia A. While Easwaran failed to touch 20-run mark in all four innings played, the experienced KL also failed to deliver, scoring 4 and 10 in the second match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

This puts doubt to their participation in the first Test at Perth. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma is likely to miss the match due to personal reasons and the race for opening spot is between these two players.

Speaking in a video by ESPNCricinfo, Manjrekar said that the dismissal of India A batters is very similar to what any Indian batter would experience during their first time playing in Australia. He also added that the Indian team is heading into the tour as "underconfident" after a home series loss to New Zealand, with key players like Rohit and Virat Kohli not in form

Manjrekar also offered a word of advice, urging Indian batters to get rid of "Indian instincts" while playing and adapting to Australian conditions.

"I guess in many ways India have gone there (Australia) slightly underconfident because of what happened just prior to that tour (0-3 loss to New Zealand at home) and their main players Rohit and Virat clearly out of form," said Manjrekar.

"The dismissal that you saw of most Indian batters was typical of an Indian batter going to Australia and a pitch that has some juice in it where