Kolkata: India has always been known to produce top class batsmen and there are no doubts as to why this Indian team is so successful today. In addition to their bowling and fielding, the batting has been something that has had an immense impact in their climb to the top spot in the test rankings.
A tall line-up consisting of some good quality batsmen, the Indian batting has been racking up big scores in Test cricket of late and have dominated with the willow, right from the word go. Their recent test victories against New Zealand and England at home stands as a testimony to this fact.
But what has happened to this Indian team that is battling against Australia for the Border-Gavaskar trophy? The same team that scored a humongous 759 against the English and battered them by innings victories in consecutive tests courtesy some fine batting, has failed to score even 200 in three attempts against the Aussies.
If Steve O’ Keefe was their nemesis in Pune and in Bangalore, it was his spin partner Nathan Lyon who absolutely demolished the Indian batting on Saturday. And it has come as a shock to many as these willow-wielders are one of the best in the business, even today.
So let’s take a look and analyse as to what has been the problem with this batting. The very first reason for failing with the bat can be attributed to the fact that the Indian batsmen had erroneous judgements in dealing with deliveries and reading situations.
Many might have their reasons stating that both these Australian spinners- O’Keefe and Lyon were absolutely unplayable but the truth is that it was more of the fact that the Indian batsmen gifted away their wickets to the Aussie bowlers. The biggest example can be that of KL Rahul who was batting brilliantly on 64 when he unnecessarily stepped down the track in an attempt to clear the ground when all he did was hand a simple catch to David Warner.
The team needed him to continue as wickets were tumbling at the other end. Jadeja too, was dismissed in a similar fashion when a mature innings was required of him. And Kohli, very rarely misjudged an O’Keefe delivery in the second innings when he left one that spun back in and crashed into the stumps.
Speaking of Kohli, it brings me to the next reason for India’s poor outing with the willow against the Aussies. Virat Kohli is undoubtedly one of the biggest wickets for any opposition and to have him dismissed early is nothing but a bonus because it automatically has the Indian team on the back foot.
Remember that brave innings of 49* which Kohli played to save India from a defeat against England in Rajkot? Kohli’s presence at the crease itself is an assurance that things are under control. This was however more evident when he was dismissed early in both the innings in Pune which left the rest of the batting in absolute tatters.
The Aussies have already won that little ‘mind game’ with Kohli’s dismissals. Although Rahul played well, he couldn’t carry on as he lacked someone of a Kohli’s calibre at the other end. And all that it ends up establishing is the fact Kohli is the lynchpin of the Indian batting after whose fall, the others tumble like a house of cards.
Lack of focus too cost the batsmen dear as Murli Vijay, keeper Wriddhiman Saha and Ravi Ashwin lost their wickets owing to this. It would require one spirited performance from the heavily famed batting line-up to turn things around, which has quality players who are quite capable of doing so in their favour in no time. Let’s hope it happens in their second outing with the willow in Bengaluru.