With transition now inevitable, true India fans will need to brace for period of indifferent results, both at home and overseas
“I don’t think that our skill against spin has gone down. We have players in the dressing room who can bat for two days.” – Gautam Gambhir, India coach
“12 saal me ek baar to allowed hain yaar.” – Rohit Sharma, India captain
These statements by the head coach and skipper make you wonder if they sound like a patient who goes to a cardiologist complaining of chest pain. And upon examination, he is told that he has multiple blocks in the arteries and needs surgery. But he pops a pill for acidity, taps himself on his heart and says, “All Is Well.”
Let’s call it out: Indian batters now can’t play the moving ball, even when it spins. And yes, even at home. Two of their stalwarts, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli, seem to be in a state of terminal batting decline with a strange reluctance to acknowledge it and take corrective action like polishing their game by playing in domestic cricket. Even when an entire tournament is moved (Duleep Trophy) just so that the venue is more accessible for the stars to travel to and play in.
The powers that be had no hesitation to drop soft targets like Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan for ignoring domestic cricket. Will they be equally trigger-happy after looking at Rohit’s scores this home season that read 6, 5, 23, 8, 2, 52, 0, 8, 18 and 11 or Kohli’s sequence of 6, 17, 47, 29*, 0, 70, 1, 17, 4 and 1? Or will paid social media trolls scare them?
While Indian fans would be hurt at the 25-run loss in the third Test at the Wankhede, resulting in a historic clean sweep on home soil, genuine lovers and the true well-wishers would have also been happy that this time there was no rescue act from the lower order. That would’ve masked the failings of the team again and denied the necessary outrage and introspection that Indian cricket desperately needs.
The cold fact is that this is now a team in transition with key figures ageing, out of form and low on confidence. Fans need to brace themselves for a period of average or poor results, both at home and overseas, especially in the red-ball format.
A bunch of great players had dished out exceptional performances home and away, but Father Time is knocking hard. It’s time he’s heard.
The image of a sombre-looking Ajit Agarkar, chief selector, assistant coach Nayar and head coach Gambhir chatting intensely after the defeat in Mumbai offered a clue as to what was on their minds.
Was it, “What’s the road ahead”?
Because the answer is an unforgiving tour of Australia where careers either get made or destroyed.
B Sai Sudharsan’s ton in Mackay for India A vs Australia A in the seven-wicket loss should offer solace and is tempting to hold him back in case of injuries to Yashasvi Jaiswal or Abhimanyu Easwaran, or a continued dip in form of Rohit.
Agarkar and Gambhir would also be comforted by how well Devdutt Padikkal shaped up in both innings in Mackay, scoring 36 and 88 at No.4.
In the Dharamshala Test vs England in March, he made 65 on debut in that position and if ever there are questions about replacing the seemingly irreplaceable Kohli at No.4, an attacking left-hander, comfortable facing pace and spin, is right there.
Seamer Mukesh Kumar’s 6-for won’t probably be enough to convince everyone that Mohammad Shami’s pedigree and skill can be replicated, but his Bengal teammate is not a bad first-change option.
Washington Sundar provided an emphatic answer to the question of who after R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the series against New Zealand.
Mumbai’s spin twins Tanush Kotian and Shams Mulani are awaiting their turn too as is Rajasthan’ s Manav Suthar.
Will brave calls be taken? Or will the white-ball series in South Africa, starting on Friday, offer the necessary distraction?
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