Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag lashed out at “needless experimentations” against spin after India’s 25-run loss against New Zealand in the third and final match of the series. The loss resulted in a humiliating 0-3 whitewash on home soil, a first of its kind for India in a series (minimum of three matches), as Sehwag labelled it “terrible performance.”
On Sunday, the third day of the final Test, India failed to chase down 147 as the batters once again fell prey to spinners. Ajaz Patel completed an 11-wicket haul, comprising a fifer in both innings as India were folded for just 121 runs an hour after Lunch as New Zealand wrapped up a historic series win.
Taking to social media, Sehwag criticised India’s poor batting against spinners throughout the series. The home team lost 37 wickets to the variety and averaged below 25 against New Zealand.
“While as supporters it’s imperative to support the team but this has been a terrible performance from our team. The skill to play spin certainly needs an upgrade and certain experimentations are good for the shorter format but in Test cricket doing some needless experimentations just for the sake of it was indeed poor,” Sehwag wrote on Instagram.
Heading into the contest, the Kiwis had never won a Test match in India in 36 years. Since their first visit to the country in 1955, New Zealand managed just two wins against India in India. However, in the series, New Zealand did not only end the drought, they also became the first team to beat India in their own backyard in 12 years, ending their historic 18-series winning streak, and later recorded their first ever clean sweep in a three-match series, home or away.
Sehwag added: “Congratulations to Tom Latham and his @blackcapsnz boys on doing what is a dream for every visiting team and no other could conquer in this way.”
Irfan Pathan calls out Virat Kohli, Rohit’s ‘hurting act’
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan, on the other hand, once again sparked the conversation on the no domestic cricket appearance for top-order players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the lead-up to the team’s long Test calendar. Unlike most regulars, the two batters did not appear in any of the Duleep Trophy matches ahead of the Bangladesh series last month, which many reckon as the key factor behind their under preparation against spin.
“Had a solid conversation with@iamyusufpathan bhai yesterday. He made a valid point about domestic cricket – we’re either playing on grassy pitches or flat tracks, but rarely on turning surfaces anymore. Plus, top players aren’t playing domestic cricket. This could hurt us in the long run,” he tweeted.
Meanwhile, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh called for the team management to move on from their obsession with rolling out turners to challenge visiting teams, which, on the contrary, has largely benefitted the opposition – whether it was against Australia in Pune in 2017, against England in Hyderabad earlier this year, or against New Zealand in this series in Pune and Mumbai.
“Been saying from many years, Team India needs to play on better pitches. These turning pitches making every batsman look very ordinary,” Harbhajan wrote on X.
“These tracks are prepared for 2/3 day test matches. You don’t need Muralidaran, Warne or Saqlain Mushtaq on these pitches to get the teams out. Anyone can get anyone out,” Harbhajan added in another post.
