Australia should deploy specialist fielder at short-leg: Moody

Sydney, Jan 9 (IANS) Former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody has emphasised the need for Australia to deploy a specialist fielder at the short-leg fielding position where, in the ongoing Test series against India, several catches have been dropped by the home team.

Joe Burns, one of the newest members in the Australian squad, dropped Indian tail-ender Bhuvneshwar Kumar Friday in the fourth Test match. Burns could not react to the situation promptly and spilled the catch even though he got both hands to it, reports cricket.com.au.

Bhuvneshwar scored a gritty 30 and put on a 65-run eight-wicket partnership with Ravichandran Ashwin (50) that helped India post 475 in their first innings.

Moody said it was a specialist position and should be manned by experienced fielders who have been there before.

"Joe Burns, I'm happy that he's playing and happy that he's getting a game, but it's a specialist position, You can't have Nathan Lyon grafting away and having missed opportunities like that. It's a key position. It'd be like me saying to Glenn McGrath, 'we're just going to put anyone in at second slip'," Moody said Friday.

He, however, believed that experienced players like David Warner could make a difference close in as he was the best fielder in the home team's ranks.

"You should put one of your best fielders in there. Dave Warner is their best fielder, so get him in there. I've seen Shaun Marsh field there for Western Australia so he could also play a role. Burns, he's in his second Test and he just hasn't looked like a short leg yet," added Moody.

Burns’s drop was Australia’s 16th missed chance this series which has given away 630 extra runs to the Indians.