Is India becoming one trick pony in Test cricket?

Dubai: The Indian batters are struggling. There’s no doubt about it — they are short of runs and consistently lose early wickets in the first 10 overs. This trend has persisted over the last six Tests barring an odd occasion.

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India lost three early wickets and are in huge trouble as rain caused several interruptions before and after lunch on the third day of the third Test in Brisbane on Monday.

After bowling Australia out for 445 in the morning, India were 48-4 in the second session at the Gabba, having lost Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli before lunch while Rishabh Pant dismissed for 9 during the rain-interrupted session. KL Rahul remained not out on 30 with skipper Rohit Sharma 0 when the players headed back to the pavilion for the third time post lunch.

Australia in command

With most of the first day lost to rain, Travis Head and Steve Smith’s second-day centuries ensured that India have little chance of winning the Test. The best India can hope for is to bat long enough to secure a draw and head to Melbourne with the series locked at 1-1.

Australia resumed the third day at 405-7 and were eventually bowled out for 445, with wicketkeeper Alex Carey contributing an enterprising 70 before being the last man dismissed.

Indian batters struggle as bowlers lack bite

Scoring has been extremely difficult for India against a disciplined and sustained Australian bowling attack. Adding to their woes, Australia’s batters scored freely, a demoralising sight for the Indian team in such a high-profile series.

Jasprit Bumrah remains the sole standout among Indian bowlers, while others failed to trouble the Australian batters consistently. Akash Deep, playing his first Test in place of Harshit Rana, was unlucky not to claim more wickets but did manage to take the final Australian scalp.

Discipline and planning missing

India’s struggles in the last two Tests can be attributed to a lack of discipline, both in batting and bowling. The bowlers’ impatience gifted early opportunities to Travis Head and Steve Smith, who capitalised on these lapses. The lack of planning was evident in their inconsistent lines and lengths, which allowed Australia to pile on runs.

Mohammed Siraj, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Ravindra Jadeja all bowled to the Australian batters’ strengths rather than targeting their weaknesses, leading to an expensive outing, conceding in excess of four runs an over.

Team management under scrutiny

The Indian management, particularly bowling coach Morne Morkel, is now under scrutiny for these lapses. Curiously, the same bowling unit successfully restricted Australia in the first Test at Perth, even in the absence of skipper Rohit Sharma. This inconsistency raises questions about decision-making within the team.

India’s once-celebrated bench strength now appears fragile, with Bumrah solely carrying the bulk of the workload, becoming a one trick pony. The Indian pacer has so far claimed 18 wickets in five innings this series. Winning Tests requires pairs of bowlers and batters working in tandem to build pressure, a dynamic India have failed to achieve apart from a brief second-innings resurgence in Perth. So is the case with batting as young Yashasvi Jaiswal doing the bulk of the scoring in this year.

Selection choices add to woes

India’s recent selection policies have lacked continuity. Rotating three spinners — Washington Sundar in the first Test, Ravichandran Ashwin in the second, and Jadeja in the third — signals a lack of confidence in their abilities, despite their proven credentials. Similar is the case with Akash Deep, who did well against New Zealand but was kept out for the first two Tests, raising questions about the management’s consistency.

This series was meant to showcase the potential of young talents like Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, but their failures have complicated matters further. With a bit of patience and determination, both players could have made this Test count on a wicket that gives them plenty of scope to play their shots once the new ball wears down.

Time to regroup and show discipline

While India might still draw this Test and keep their World Test Championship final hopes alive, their current form inspires little confidence. To bounce back, India must find discipline in both batting and bowling. The time to show their mettle is now.