Gargi Raut in Sydney
The iconic Sydney Cricket Ground showcased an out-of-the-ordinary pitch as India’s batting lineup faltered in the series decider of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. After a collective decision from the management, Rohit Sharma, the skipper, opted out of the match, yet India’s batters struggled on a tacky surface, losing three wickets in the morning session and Virat Kohli shortly after the second one began.
While Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja tried to put up a fight, Scott Boland dismantled the Indian innings with his relentless consistency. By the end of the day, it was Pant who had the top score of 40, while Jadeja contributed 26 and late boundaries from Jasprit Bumrah, captaining the side, pushed the total past 180. Boland’s brilliant four-wicket haul, supported by Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, left India with more questions than answers.
As the bowlers prepare to defend a modest total, the focus after the opening day is on India’s recurring batting woes. Is the problem rooted in strategy, execution, or an unclear approach?
Ahead of the Melbourne Test, Rohit Sharma had highlighted the challenges of batting abroad, stating: “It’s difficult to set in, and batters have been unable to convert their starts.”
He expressed his confidence in the young batters – Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal – suggesting that they “know what they need to do.” Yet, these assurances seem disconnected from the repeated failures on the field.
Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach, echoed the same sentiment ahead of this game, saying: “All individuals know what they need to do.”
A recurring theme from India’s press conferences was that “we know what we need to do”, yet the execution on the field told a different story. Does it highlight a disconnect between individual awareness and overarching strategy? Or does it raise doubts about the Indian batting line-up’s approach? Or does the contrast between planning and implementation show the lack of ability in the batters?
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Wickets gifted
Throughout the series, India’s batters have followed a pattern of dismissals, starting with Kohli, who has flirted with deliveries outside off stump, consistently leading to his downfall. Kohli has fallen to balls outside the off stump in the past seven innings, and his struggles against disciplined bowling have been made worse by the tendency to play expansive shots at the wrong time.
Boland, who dismissed Kohli for the fourth time in the series, spoke of a clear strategy. “We’ve got pretty set plans on how we want to bowl to him,” Boland said to Fox Cricket. “He sort of feels like he leaves a lot and then he wants to play the ball once he gets in. So, once he gets in, we just want to switch our lines a little bit to the fifth stump and it’s working at the moment.”
Rishabh Pant
Pant has shown both glimpses of brilliance and recklessness. In Melbourne, he fell attempting an outrageous lap-scoop in both innings, while in Sydney he holed out in the deep after battling through body blows. Looking back on his partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the 4th Test, the duo stitched together a crucial 88-run stand that gave India a chance to push for a draw and stabilised the innings after early losses. However, Pant marked the end of the partnership and his 104-ball innings with a reckless shot. Following his dismissal, India’s batting crumbled, with no subsequent partnership exceeding 10 runs.
On Friday, Pant managed to get in once again, showing control and determination, yet he threw his wicket away with another rash shot as a golden opportunity to anchor the innings slipped away.
Shubman Gill wastes another start
On the other hand, 25 year-old Gill returned to the squad for the decider but squandered a chance to solidify his position. His dismissal before lunch, an ill-timed prod against Nathan Lyon, reflected a lack of game awareness and poor shot selection. He had no reason to attempt such a shot, especially in the final over before lunch. His wicket left India in dire straits and highlighted the team’s broader struggle with composure under pressure. India’s inability to capitalise on key moments remain a glaring concern.
The series is poised at 2-1 and the SCG Test is India’s last chance to assert dominance in the BGT. A loss here in Sydney could signal the end of India’s recent reign in Australia, adding immense pressure on the team and management.
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