India’s batting failures, particularly against spin, in the Test series against New Zealand has ignited a debate on the nature of pitches and the over-aggressive approach of the Indian batsmen in red-ball cricket; and former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali has pointed finger at the batting coach for not doing his duty in guiding the youngsters.
India suffered a first ever 0-3 whitewash in a Test series at home. After losing in overcast and rainy Bengaluru, the hosts opted for rank turners in Pune and Mumbai. The decision backfired as the Kiwi spinners Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel ran through the Indian line-up.
Santner took a match-haul of 13 wickets in the Pune Test, while Patel bagged 11 in Mumbai.
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“India ka batting coach hai kaun, jo yeh nahi bata pa raha ki Test cricket session to session hoti hai? Bas har over 12 run bana lo, 10 run bana lo. Yeh koi cricket hai yaar! (who is India’s batting coach, not able to advise the batsmen that you approach Tests session by session. Trying to score 10-12 runs every over is not cricket),” said Basit in a video on his YouTube channel.
Shubman Gill, who made 90 in the first innings in Mumbai, was dismissed for 1 in the second innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal got his eye in and reached 30 in the first innings, but gave away his wicket reverse-sweeping.
“Is there no one to tell players like Jaiswal and Gill that when you reach 30-35, then don’t get out playing loose shots, try to play out the session? Because only a set batsman can be successful (on such tracks), at that time he is your Bradman,” said the former Pakistan batsman. “But it seems they wait and think that there is still Virat Kohli to come, Rishabh Pant too, also KL Rahul and Sarfaraz; but on these tracks, the one who is set is the big player.”
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Head coach Gautam Gambhir’s coaching staff includes assistant coaches in the form of Abhishek Nayar and Dutchman Ryan ten Doeschate, but there is ambiguity on who performs the role of a batting coach.
“Who is the batting coach? Doesn’t he tune up the batsmen?” Basit questioned again. “(It’s because of) white-ball cricket. What happens in white-ball cricket? You have to reach the ball. In Test matches, you have to allow the ball to come to you. That’s the difference. That’s what you had to tell them.”
The 53-year-old continued to criticize the Indian team’s decision to ask for turning pitches.
“Jaiswal scored 200 against England. Those were better pitches. (Rahul) Dravid has a better mind (as a coach) compared to Gautam. Dravid used to advise for four-day pitches, so that a Test match goes at least until the fourth day. Let it turn from the third, fourth day, fifth day.
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“But you guys are asking for wickets (that turn) from the first day, where someone who is not a regular spinner will get turn even if he bowls straight. Santner took 13 wickets in one Test, something he may not have done in a series of five ODIs…I am not taking credit away from New Zealand. They played very good cricket after the Sri Lanka tour,” he concluded.
India will next embark on the tough tour of Australia, where the title-holders of the Border Gavaskar Trophy will take on the hosts in a series of five Test matches.
The first Test begins on November 22 in Perth.
