Pune 2017. Chennai 2020. England 2012. What is common among these games? The opponent had decent enough spinners and the Indian batsmen are not that good anymore against spinners. Coupled with a spin turning far more than expected, Indians were found wanting. The 3rd test done and dusted, literally.
Lyon is a damn good bowler. He is much underrated. He averages 4 wickets per test despite playing most of his career on the non-spinning wickets of Australia. Throw in the games that he has played in England, South Africa and New Zealand, that is an impressive record that he has. When the pitch suits spinners, he becomes a dangerous bowler. The 8 wickets at Indore was the 3rd such instance of him taking that many in India.
His performances in India has been far superior to the legend Shane Warne. Lyon stands at 2nd in the most wickets for the series column. One ahead of the much revered Ashwin. Since the retirement of Shane Warne, Australia went through a whole host of spinners to identify the perfect one. Even Steve Smith, the current great Test batsman, came into the side as a leg-spinner who can bat. They finally settled on whom the Aussies call as The GOAT.
The batsmen were horrible against spin
India lost the Test on the very first morning. It just is not possible to comeback into game after having bowled out for 109 before tea on day 1. None of the batsmen looked settled. None of them knew how to bat on the wicket. Granted, the pitch turned far more than what was expected. There are so many pitches in Ranji cricket that turns similar degrees. If only the Indians give proper respect to Ranji Trophy that has brought them into international cricket, they would not crumble like cookies.
The continued poor form of Kohli and Pujara is of grave concern. Pujara was atleast dropped for a shortwhile before the poor standards of English County Division 2 bowling brought him back into the team but Kohli remains the elephant in the room. The more he bats, the more he convinces everyone that his best days are over. The way he struggles against the turning ball makes everyone cringe. This is not the Kohli that Indians have come to have known. This is an imposter. Pujara does about just a little bit to continue to be in the team like the 50 in the 2nd innings.
The spinners
Axar Patel, for all his runs with the bat, has taken just a solitary wicket. This is the biggest shock of the series so far. He you have wickets turning square and Axar hasn’t been among the wickets. He was if not expected to run through Australia, prove sufficient breakthroughs which would have meant the pressure on Jadeja and Ashwin will be limited. Jadeja is another whose frequent no-balls is a crime. He comes so close to the popping crease which is ridiculous. Why cannot he deliver with the feet well inside the popping crease?
He got Labuschagne of a no-ball. A wicket and that too of Marnus at that stage, would have put the pressure right back on Australia. No one can tell but perhaps, just perhaps, that wicket may have reduced Australia’s lead by a significant number of runs. Instead, Marnus prospered in the company of Khawaja. It was that partnership of close to 100 runs that paved the way for Australia to post more than 80 runs lead which on this pitch is a luxury.
The role of the coaching staff
The batting coach, the bowling coach, the head coach. How many coaches does a team need? Yet, Indian batsmen have been floundering for a large part of the last 5 years. Vikram Rathour the current batting coach and Sanjay Bangar the previous batting coach are never in the limelight. Bangar atleast has been removed from his position but what about Rathour? He has seen the Indian batsmen struggle in India, England and South Africa and yet, he hasn’t done anything to correct the technical glitches that have creeped into the batting.
The case of Kohli. Here is someone who is in danger of retiring with a sub-50 average and nothing has been done to rectify his mistakes. Rahul and Pujara’s inconsistency is very well known. Gill’s talent is wasted and Shreyas’s shortball woes continue. Despite all of these, Rathour’s role is not questioned. He is afterall paid for his coaching duties. Ofcourse, every cricketer will go through a spell of poor form but Kohli’s has stretched for 4 years as well as Pujara’s. Rahul is intermittent.
It is time India searches outside the country for all kinds of coaches.
As for Australia
They must be smiling. They have managed to pull one win something out of the blue. No one, least of all, the Aussies expected them to put up such a good show. That they managed despite the absence of their regular captain is a tribute to their tough attitude. Whether this win was achieved because of Smith’s captaincy is difficult to conclude because Australia would have won if Cummins had still been in India. They came really close in Delhi. Only a freak morning denied them victory. Now, they have come full circle and have learned how to bat in these conditions.
Wrapping up the 3rd Test done and dusted
The series is wide open. Australia have already qualified for the WTC finals with this win. India need one more win to qualify or need Sri Lanka to lose both the games in New Zealand. The latter is likely to happen. Much of the same is expected at Ahmedabad. For Kohli and Pujara, this must mark their last test for sometime. They can comeback into the team but for now, action must be taken on those senior pro for failing to perform for a very longtime. It is the Indian batsmen who are the reason for India not wrapping up the series at Indore.
Other related blogs can be read here, here, here, here, here and here