India’s abject display on a below-par pitch at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata during a 30-run defeat to South Africa on Sunday has raised severe criticsm over head coach Gautam Gambhir and his tactics to leave the skills of his batters and bowlers to chance.
Defending India’s decision and request to play on such an improbable surface, Gambhir had lamented the poor batting of his side as the solitary reason behind the defeat. However, former Australia wicket-keeper Brad Haddin said that India’s reliance on rank turners are back-firing for the second time under Gambhir.
Last year, India similar failed to chase down a 147-run target against New Zealand in Mumbai, culminating with an ignominious 0-3 series whitewash for the first time in history. Haddin recalled the captaincy days for Virat Kohli when dominated for nearly six years at home, suffering negligible losses while piling on heavy runs on the board before the spinners took over.
‘Twice now under Gambhir..’
“When Virat Kohli took over as captain back then, they batted long and put scoreboard pressure. They are leaving too much to chance. It brings ordinary spinners into the game. You just have people who can throw the ball and the wicket will do the rest. I heard that Gambhir came out and said we are happy with the surface we are playing on. This cost them against New Zealand as well,” Haddin said on the Willow Talk podcast.
“They’ve done it twice now under Gambhir. They play their best cricket when, its not about turning wickets but building scoreboard pressure with their runs. They have taken their world-class batters out of the game. I just think they are leaving too much to chance. India play their best cricket when they put a big total on the board and then they make the opposition claustrophobic with their fields. Their spinners are better than anyone on that surface but their batters are actually not that good players of spin on a surface like that,” added Haddin, who has shared the Kolkata Knight Riders dressing room with Gambhir.
South Africa pace legend Shaun Pollock also lambasted the poor mindset of the Indian batters on such tricky pitches. The 124-run target is the lowest ever that India have failed to gun down in a Test match at home.
“I think on that surface the mindset had to be where can we score from time to time, how can we look to be positive. I thought the intensity went through the roof when Jadeja got to the crease. Pant probably wasn’t there for long enough. Where are those old Indian batters who on certain conditions, even though its difficult, found ways of dominating? You think of VVS Laxman, when he played that innings here against Australia. What’s happening with these chases now?,”
