About a couple of weeks ago, Indian cricket supporters were rejoicing over the fact that India was able to pull off an improbable win in just two days against Bangladesh. Praises were sung about the captain and the entire squad with a certain commentator, Sunil Gavaskar, even advocating for the win to be attributed to Rohit Sharma alone and it must be called as Gohit. I agree that it was a fabulous win but nonetheless, it was expected. It was expected that India would try to score at a brisk pace so that they can give themselves a chance to win. The opponent was only Bangladesh and because of that, the team will not be averse to taking risks knowing fully well that they cannot lose the game. From euphoria to misery.
Two weeks down the line, things have completely turned around. A paltry score of 46 against a disciplined but not spectacular New Zealand bowling is atrocious. What perplexed the average viewer was the fact that India chose to bat on an overcast morning against a team that has played in such conditions all along. Let us also remember that New Zealand’s confidence is quite low after a couple of successive reversals in Sri Lanka. Here was a chance to put them even more under the hammer by making them bat first. This is not to say that New Zealand would have crumbled just like India but bowling first under such conditions was the right way to go about.
What could have been the thinking?
Perhaps, the team thought that they will shortly be travelling to Australia where bowling friendly conditions on the first morning are pretty much expected. Hence, to prepare themselves for the series, they decided to take a chance and bat first. This could have been the thinking but risks should not have been taken in the very first Test of the series. It is impossible for India to comeback and draw this game, leave alone win it. It essentially will leave them to win the remaining Tests as well as a couple in Australia. A tall order.
If this was the intent, the execution was horrendous. Rohit Sharma started the decline with an outrageous swipe coming down the track to Southee. It looked like it wasn’t a planned attack but based on pure luck. Sarfaraz Khan was another who played an ugly looking drive on the up. In the short stay in the crease, Sarfaraz gave enough indication about his lack of skill of pitches even slightly challenging. He looked like he didn’t want to be out in the field. There was no intention to stay at the wicket and see off a couple of sessions. The Indian batsmen wanted to hit out of trouble.
More in the mind
The conditions were challenging, but it wasn’t unplayable. All that was needed was for a calm mind. India was defeated in the mind. The batsmen believed that they could not survive under such conditions. India batted almost out of muscle memory and hoped just to hit the bowlers off their length. It took 75 false shots for India to be bowled out. It was more of impulsive shots rather than a calculated assault on the bowling. The batsmen were too shocked to respond to a situation they were unaccustomed to at home. The entire team misjudged the pitch and the conditions to their detriment. Credit must also be given where it is due. New Zealand bowlers did not offers any balls to drive, they pitched in good length assisted by the extra bounce of Rourke.
Youngsters
What is more troubling for India is that inability of the youngsters to transcend the conditions. Shubman Gill was not in the playing eleven but Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan, couple of batsmen on whose shoulders the future of India rests, did not cover themselves with glory. Jaiswal stayed at the wicket for quite sometime but he wasn’t able to convert that to a substantial score. Sarfaraz as mentioned above, looked like he didn’t want to be on the pitch. He was nervous during his short stay. Cummins would have liked the sight of Sarfaraz struggling against the moving ball and he will be waiting for bated breath.
Siraj is another who is not delivering as expected. Though his average is good his strike rate leaves a lot to be desired. He is not even averaging 3 wickets per Test. It is the minimum expected of anyone who calls himself a specialist bowler. Perhaps, the time has come to look past Siraj.
The seniors
Virat Kohli’s continued poor form makes one think whether his best is behind him. Just two hundreds in 5 years in Test cricket is criminal. Neighbouring Pakistan dropped Babar Azam, their premier batsman but India is persisting with Kohli despite his never ending drought. There was a time when the sight of Kohli sent shivers down the spine of the bowlers but not anymore. Now, his arrival only makes bowlers queue up to bowl to him. Rohit is forever in T20 mode. He plays a few cameos and gets out at inopportune moments. As for Rahul, opinion is divided about him. There are those who wants to move past Rahul and there are those who wants him to open the innings.
Wrapping up from euphoria to misery
Michael Vaughan tweeted rather sarcastically, “look on the bright side Indian fans. Atleast you have got past 36.” This was scathing as it was sarcastic. Likewise there were many such trolls, most famously by Cricket Australia who tweeted whether 46 is the new 36. If these rejuvenates India into not just somehow managing to win this game but to win the series 3-0, that will be fantastic.