Dismal performance by India, particular the batters, in the recently-concluded Test series in Australia has received a lot of criticism from former players and experts, all of who believe that there is no other way to improve than going through the grind in domestic cricket, whatever be the stature or reputation of the players.
India lost the Border Gavaskar Trophy 1-3 despite taking a 1-0 lead by winning the opening match of the five-Test series in Perth. But continuous poor show of the batters, including that of captain Rohit Sharma and batting legend Virat Kohli, led to three defeats in the next four matches.
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Rohit even had to ‘step aside’ for the fifth and deciding Test in Sydney, allowing Shubman Gill to replace him and Bumrah to lead the side. The skipper had scored just 31 runs in his five innings before that in the series.
Kohli began the tour well, scoring 100 not out in the second innings at Perth. But his other eight innings in the series produced just 90 runs. His repeated mistakes and getting out caught behind with trouble against deliveries bowled outside his off-stump irritated batting legends like Sunil Gavaskar, who issued a sort of ultimatum to the Indian players at the end of the series.
Shubman Gill scored just 93 runs in five innings and Rishabh Pant 255 runs in 9 innings. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was the top scorer among Indian batters with 391 runs in 10 innings. KL Rahul made 276 runs in 10 innings.
Gavaskar said there should be no excuse now for the players to not play the Ranji Trophy for their respective state teams.
“23 January ko agla round hai Ranji Trophy ka, dekhte hain kitne log khelte hain, kitne log available hain (the next round of the Ranji Trophy begins 23rd January, let’s see who all play, who all are available),” said Gavaskar on Star Sports at the end of Sydney Test last Sunday, after India’s six-wicket defeat.
“That will tell you (who all are serious). There should be no excuse, that we can’t play, this and that. If you don’t play, then (head coach) Gauatam Gambhir should say ‘you don’t have commitment, we need commitment. You aren’t playing, okay. Do whatever you want, but you can’t return to the Indian Test team’,” a visibly disappointed Gavaskar added.
India posted six totals of below 200 in the series, leading to defeats in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, the Boxing Day match in Melbourne and the New Year Test in Sydney.
The third Test of the series in Brisbane ended in a draw.
Coming to what’s next on the schedule of the Indian team, they will host England for a five-match series of T20Is from January 22 to February 2. Kohli, Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja retired from the T20Is after the World Cup last June, while some of the other players who were part of the BGT squad will also not feature in the T20I team.
It will be followed by three ODIs from February 6 to 12 and the ICC Champions Trophy from February 19.