Photo via Hindustan Times

‘They got absolutely pumped’: Allan Donald believes Australia are no longer the 'menace' the world feared once

Former South African fast bowler Allan Donald contends that Australia's national cricket team no longer instills the dread it did during the early 2000s under captains Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting. In that era, the squad combined an imposing batting lineup with a formidable bowling unit featuring Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, and Brett Lee.

Donald observed that the modern team faces a vastly altered narrative as they gear up for a tour of South Africa, pointing to a persistent instability in the batting department.

That vulnerability was underscored in a recent 1-1 home series draw against Bangladesh, where Australia suffered an unexpected nine-wicket thumping in Darwin after being dismissed for 198 and allowing 426 runs. Although the Australians struck back with an innings-and-51-run triumph in Mackay, Donald highlighted that these top-order difficulties expose a long tail and overburden the bowling group, who are denied sufficient rest and repeatedly forced to bail out the team.