By: Rishabh Sharma
The dismal display in Mumbai has shattered any illusions that India’s 46-all-out debacle in Bengaluru was an anomaly. The team’s abysmal batting throughout the series has raised concerns about their ability to compete in the longest format.
Can this team, under Gautam Gambhir’s guidance, bounce back in Australia? The Mumbai pitch was far from treacherous, yet India’s batsmen produced a performance that defies logic.
The problems stem from the top. Rohit Sharma’s white-ball approach has failed to translate to Test cricket, where defensive solidity is crucial. Virat Kohli, too, seems haunted by mental demons, lacking confidence and conviction.
Shubman Gill, one of India’s brighter spots, fell victim to a turn that never came, while Sarfaraz Khan’s struggles have exposed his limitations. His inability to cope with the second new ball and spin has rendered him ineffective.
India’s batting unit is brittle, and their inability to tackle spin and moving balls spells doom for their Test prospects. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant alone cannot salvage the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The lack of application is startling. India’s batsmen need to dig in, play ugly, and show grit. Gautam Gambhir, known for his tenacity, must instill this mindset in his team.
The omission of Cheteshwar Pujara for Australia raises questions. India’s batting woes cannot be masked by white-ball successes or IPL heroics.
As India prepares for BGT’s opener Perth, their batsmen must confront their mental fragility. Failure to do so may result in another disastrous outing. The 46-all-out score in Bengaluru was not an aberration; the 150-all-out in Pune is the new norm. India’s decline as a Test team is a harsh reality.
