The current Indian side is a very average cricket team. That has been the case for the last two or three years, at least. And may I say, across formats. This is the hard truth. Since 2013, India haven’t won an ICC trophy. A couple of times, they have come close, like in the 50-over World Cup final in 2023 and the WTC final earlier in the year, but they were comprehensively beaten in both games.
India have still to win a Test series in South Africa. Each time an Indian team travels there, there has been a clamour that the final frontier would be conquered. It hasn’t happened. India haven’t won a series in England in the last few attempts. While in 2018, India lost 1-4, in 2021 the series was eventually tied 2-2 with India losing the solitary postponed Test played in July 2022. The two series wins in Australia, in 2018-19 and 2020-21 stand out as Indian cricket’s best achievements, especially the second one. That’s been the best effort in the last few years.
At home, India have become progressively poorer against spin. From 2017, the records stand testimony. From Steve O’Keefe to Matt Kuhnemann to Tom Hartley, India have found it very hard to play relatively unheralded spinners and have lost matches at home. India still win most home series because visiting teams are limp and fear India’s spinners. But the moment the spinners are challenged, like Ollie Pope did in Hyderabad, huge questions come up.
Rahul Dravid, the coach, lamented why India left 60-70 runs in the hut in the first innings. But then, it is not about the 60-70 runs when you have scored 436. Rather, it is about how England got to 420 from 163-5, and how India then capitulated for 202. The truth is India did not have answers for Pope when he attacked the spinners. Whether it was complacency or something else, England showed better preparation and game awareness. India were timid when put under pressure and lacked answers.
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Even after a day, this loss hurts. To lose after gaining a lead of 190 and then bowling out half the England side for 163 is hard to digest. More importantly, this loss will hold up a mirror. How good are India really? Are they truly invincible in home conditions or is this a fragile Indian side? With no Ravindra Jadeja (hamstring) and KL Rahul (quadricep), Rohit Sharma and Dravid will need to take some key calls. May be drop Mohammed Siraj, hardly bowled in Hyderabad, and play both Rajat Patidar and Sarfaraz Khan, with R Ashwin, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav doing the job with the very able Jasprit Bumrah. Two fast bowlers weren’t needed and, without Jadeja, India might need the extra batter.
With everything going for Indian cricket, one expects better. From both men and women. And as I said at the start, the performances have been average for a good few years. From what we saw in Hyderabad, England could really challenge India this series. They have done the extra homework and are prepared to take risks. Play Bazball, even if it misfires on occasions. It is an act of self-belief. Sticking to a plan that they think will work. And that’s where Rohit will need to step up. Make a plan to counter England’s aggression and get his bowlers to do much better in Visakhapatnam.
In every sense, the series has been set up with the English win in Hyderabad. A strong riposte is the least India can do to safeguard the reputation of being invincible at home. And missing key players like Virat Kohli, Jadeja and Rahul will further challenge Rohit. Let’s see how India responds, for the second Test could well set the tone for the series. An Indian win will restore calm, while another upset could really force the panic button to be pressed.
