The Indian cricket team crashed to its lowest test score. This is such a huge embarrassment for the entire nation. All of us, the Indian fans are left utterly humiliated by this abject surrender. The meltdown was so shocking that after a few minutes, despair gave way to laughter and anger. This ineptness could be dismissed as one off but it is not possible because this is pretty regular though not the lowest score type but sub-standard batting. Truly, a disgrace called the Indian cricket team.
There have been lots of articles written in the aftermath of the such a shoddy performance. However, that is not enough. More will have to be written, spoken in the media because such has been the let-down. Losing is part of the game but absolutely no one can accept losing so tamely. There wasn’t any fight amongst the Indian batsmen.
Situation of Indian cricket
The situation is rather alarming and because of India’s wins at home and in the West Indies and Sri Lanka, the team’s ineptness does not get the scrutiny that it deserve. India never had a side that is capable of leave alone winning but competing in countries outside of the sub-continent. We were always lambs to the slaughter. If India’s win in England in 1971, 1986 & in West Indies in 1975 is still being talked about, it is because they were extremely rare. Until the 1990s, fans were also satisfied with whatever wins that they can get but everything changed with the advent of liberalisation and the millions the cricketers started to earn. Now, the expectation was to not only compete but to win and win consistently. Not only Tests but series as well.
Saurav Ganguly, the current BCCI president, took lot of efforts to build a team that is capable of competing in every country. He had trusted confidantes in Tendulkar, Dravid, Kumble, Laxman and a few young ones. He did build a successful test side. India were able to win consistently in several countries with the drawn and the series win against England in the 2000s as the highlight alongwith the drawn series in Australia. It certainly seemed like Indian cricket has finally turned a corner and better days are ahead. During this period, we also won series in the West Indies which was impossible before. Once that golden generation moved on, the Indian test team nosedived again.
Failure to consistently post scores above 400
It has been more than 10 years since India have either drawn or won a series in the top countries like England, Australia, South Africa & New Zealand. How can we win if the batsmen fail to score more than 400 in the first innings consistently? Forget about scoring 400, the number of times the team was bowled out for below 200 is also alarming. Just a cursory look at statistics over the last 10 years in the SENA countries will reveal the true picture and it is scary.
| Country | Total Innings | 400+ Score |
| Australia | 25 | 7 |
| England | 28 | 1 |
| South Africa | 16 | 2 |
| New Zealand | 14 | 4 |
The above table tells its own story. Not even in 50% of the innings the team were able to score more than 400 runs in either of the innings. If this is the case, the batsmen have failed miserably. The overhyped Pujara & Rahane have not really and for that matter even Kohli have failed to perform consistently. The openers are non-existent. It is no wonder India weren’t able to even compete on an equal footing with the opposition.
India’s record in SENA
During the same period, India have lost series consistently in all the above countries. Some of them were humiliating. India’s record in England is pathetic. 4-0, 3-1 & 4-1. Consecutive 2-0 humiliation in New Zealand. Another consecutive 2-1 loss in South Africa. Except for the Smithless win against Australia in 2018, we were hammered in Australia with the latest being the 36 ignominy. Atleast this will wake up the ICC and they will want to completely overhaul the ranking system and make teams like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka incapable of becoming number one until the prove consistent across all the countries.
Support staff must be under probation
With such results over the last 10 years, the role of the support staff of Shastri, Sridhar & Jaffer must be questioned. Infact, Sridhar must certainly be replaced or the role itself must be done away with altogether. He must be asked to answer lot of tough questions because the fielding of the Indians is only slightly better than Pakistan who is known as the worst fielders. Jaffer though new to the role can be given time till end of the series.
The big mouthed coach, must explain the continued series loss in all the major countries over the last 10-12 years. It is time for him to be replaced. The analyst, I don’t even know why is he still there. The Indian bowlers have more than 20 times have let the lower order flourish and yet have not found a way to get the cheaply. All of them must be placed under probation for a period of not more than one month.
Indian bowlers must bat
It is time the Indian bowlers learn to bat. They will not only be able to add to the meagre score and give themselves something to bowl with but it will also ensure that the opponent bowlers are on the field for that much longer. In a lengthy series, this will prove quite handy. If the series comes down to the final test, the set of bowlers who are much more fresher is likely to give that team a winning chance. The Indian bowlers must realise this. In the Adelaide test, the lower order in the first innings hardly played 5-6 overs. If only they could have extended that to 25-30 overs, the Indian team could have added another 50 runs and would have also ensured that the trio of Starc, Cummins & Hazlewood are much more tired.
Positive batting
The Indians are being over defensive and lack confidence when facing top quality fast bowling. The Indian batsmen must look at scoring runs against fast bowling. They do not have to score at 80 or 90 but even a strike rate of 55-60 will move the score along and give much needed confidence to them.
Reminder of the series
The thrashing in the first test means that the Indian team will be completely demoralised. With Kohli, the top scorer in the first innings missing as well, the Indians do not seem to have anyone to score runs. Leave alone 400, the team will be lucky to cross 250 in any of the remaining innings. Pujara can play 60 overs and add 60 runs. Rahane will hardly play any. Gill, Vihari and the openers may not add that many. It probably is better if India drop all the bowlers and have 11 batsmen and try to draw the games rather than lose horribly.