The warning bells have been ringing since the 2023 home Tests against Australia when India somehow won in New Delhi and then got hammered in Indore, preparing rank turners. Australia’s abysmal batting was one big reason behind India winning that series 2-1.
But unlike Australia, Tom Latham’s New Zealand made fewer unforced errors and ended up destroying India in the just-concluded series.
One suspects overconfidence, lack of planning and poor preparation are behind India’s debacle at home against New Zealand.
What was the need to produce turning tracks in Pune and Mumbai when India had won 4-1 against England earlier this year playing on proper pitches with just a bit of variable bounce? Besides, given the recent performances of the current batting group against spinners on turners, the belief that “Indians bat well against spin” doesn’t seem to hold ground any longer.
“The current Indian team, I honestly feel, will still get results if they play on normal cricketing pitches. If you look at the team that had performed in Australia (in 2020-21), you know that if you prepare a normal, nicely rolled surface with even grass cover, we can unleash our fast bowlers.
“We need to get out of this mentality of making turning tracks all the time when we get visitors. Making it a regular affair is something we can avoid,” former national selector Surendra Bhave, who’s the coach of Odisha at present, told The Telegraph.
Devang Gandhi, another former national selector, however, presented a different viewpoint. “How do you win then (if you don’t produce a spin-friendly wicket)? This was the best chance. The 140-odd target was chasable, you just had to play good cricket,” Devang said.
“First and foremost, your batting against spin should be solid. For that to happen, domestic cricket is one of the best platforms. If a stature like Steve Smith can play in the Sheffield Shield, why couldn’t Rohit and Virat Kohli play in (this year’s) Duleep Trophy? They would’ve had a greater scope to get prepared after the gap following the T20 World Cup in June,” Devang pointed out.
