For India, it’s time to look beyond

Batting which has always been India’s strength has been the main cause of India’s consistent debacle in the overseas. Losing seven away Tests in a row outside India, the much famed Indian batting has been found wanting and it’s a serious issue. Technically most of the batsmen aren’t well equipped to adjust to the conditions in Australia. There will be an argument that the same VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid have scored bulk of runs in Australia but they haven’t played cricket here for four years and they aren’t getting any younger. As one ages, the reflexes naturally slows down and in conditions like Australia the technique is exposed. In the subcontinent such shortfalls wouldn’t be observed because of the lack of pace and bounce in the wickets out there.

No doubt that few of the Indian batsmen are out of form but more than form it’s a technical deficit which I have observed in the likes of Gautam Gambhir, MS Dhoni, even Dravid and Laxman. Sachin Tendulkar looks fine and he hasn’t been found wanting technically, rather his dismissals have been more of mistakes made by him. It’s time for the administrators to look at this drubbing as a serious issue and take necessary measures for it. Dravid and Laxman have been wonderful players for India and there is no doubt that they will still score the odd hundreds especially on the home turfs but they need to invest in young guys, who will play for them in the years to come. You rather risk and lose matches with the new bunch while they learn at the same time. Virat Kohli continues to impress me and like I have said before that, he can be utilized the best when he comes out at number three or four. I am sure India will have more talents like Kohli who are waiting eagerly for an opportunity to prove themselves. It’s time to show faith in them.

It’s fine to play to your home advantage but to avoid this sort of a situation, the administrators also need to ensure that the curators prepare pitches with grass left on them enabling the domestic players to get used to conditions similar or at least close to the ones here in Australia.

Another of my observation is Dhoni’s leadership, which has been a complete contrast to his counterpart Michael Clarke. Dhoni has been just too negative, defensive and there has been dearth of ideas. His own poor performances have added to the whole catastrophe while Clarke has been very impressive. He has backed his players, innovated, slogged it out in the middle and most importantly learned from his mistakes.

The Australians won a series in Sri Lanka, then managed a draw against South Africa and after they won against New Zealand in the first Test, there was a certain complacency which crept in and the result was a defeat in the hands of the kiwis in the second Test. So there is where Clarke and his team have learned. I hope the Indians do the same and play with conviction as we expect at least some sort of fight or an evenly fought contest in the final Test match at Adelaide.