Gilchrist Criticizes Australia for 'Negative, Illegal' Tactics Against India in First Test

Legendary wicket-keeper batter Adam Gilchrist on Sunday berated the Australian cricket team for resorting to tactics against India that were termed "negative" and "illegal" on the third day of the first test.

Australia was then fighting against a strong Indian side, who declared their second innings at 487 for 6, again with centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli. It left a gargantuan target of 534 runs for the Australians to chase if they wanted to take the Test.

Nitish Kumar Reddy and Kohli, attacking the Australian bowling attack with aggression as India pushed forward in their second innings. Nitish Kumar Reddy, especially destructive, smashing 38 runs off just 27 balls.

Little in the way of challenge came from the frontline Australians, and it was no surprise that captain Pat Cummins went to the well of Marnus Labuschagne to try and break up the Indian partnership. For an awful half-hour or so at the end, the Australians looked impotent.

Gilchrist was joined by former England captain Michael Vaughan in their criticism of Labuschagne's negative tactics, particularly bowling round the wicket.

"Have you ever seen such a dejected team of Australian cricketers resorting to such tactics? What's deemed negative, illegal tactics really by the rulebook?" Gilchrist questioned.

Vaughan also expressed disbelief at such an approach. "It's not something I have seen before from Australia," he said on Fox Cricket.

"I'm looking at this Australian side, they're a great side, and for whatever reason they bowl out India for 150, then only bat well enough to only get 104, and then with the ball in hand they had periods where they bowled well but that last half an hour is something I've not seen in Australia," Vaughan added.

"Every boundary rider was on the fence, Labuschagne's bowling around the wicket, he's bowling negatively."

Fans were also quite vociferous about their discontent with Australia's tactics, one 'X' user wrote: "Deadset junk from Australia. The bowling and the tactics."

Another added, "Allowing Marnus to continue running in and bowling bouncers is a greater shame on cricket than sandpapergate."