Gambhir Weighs In On The Struggles Of Test Match Batting
Gautam Gambhir (Source: Twitter)
Team India faced a crushing nine wickets defeat in the third Test against Australia in Indore last week. The Test match ended in just three days, with Australia delivering a stellar performance.
They bowled out the hosts for a mere 109 runs and then secured an 88-run lead on a spin-friendly pitch at the Holkar Stadium. Australia then comfortably chased down the target of 75 runs, losing only one wicket in the process.
Following their win, Australia secured a spot in the final of the World Test Championship, scheduled to be held between June 7-11 at the Oval.
However, Indian players have come under scrutiny since their loss, with several former cricketers and well-known commentators questioning their ability to play spinners.
Meanwhile, former Delhi cricketer Gautam Gambhir holds a differing opinion, asserting that players such as Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara could not have played 100 Tests if they lacked the ability to play spin.
"I don't think so. People like (Cheteshwar) Pujara, (Virat) Kohli, Rohit Sharma are good players of spin bowling. If they weren't, they wouldn't have played in 100 Tests (Pujara and Kohli have featured in 100+ Tests so far). You have to be a very good player of spin and fast bowling to reach that mark,"
Gambhir further highlighted that batters are facing numerous challenges in this era, including the implementation of DRS, which has required them to modify their techniques to survive in red-ball cricket.
"One thing that has changed is that the DRS has played a massive role. When there was no DRS and no LBW on the front foot, a lot of times you had to change your technique as well. People don't talk about that too much,"
At the same time, the former opener insisted that Test matches need to last more than three days. It's worth noting that none of the three Tests in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy have gone beyond the third day, with the most recent one in Indore concluding in the first session of the third day.
"I feel, yes, playing on turning tracks is fine, but I won't appreciate Test matches finishing in 2.5 days. We want to see tight finishes, like the one we saw in the New Zealand vs England Test. (If a Test goes to) 4th or 5th day, it is fine. But 2.5 days is too short."
The fourth and final Test of the series will be held on March 9 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, with Steve Smith leading the team as Pat Cummins will be unavailable for this match as well.
India is also likely to make some changes for the fourth Test, with Ishan Kishan set to make his Test debut in place of KS Bharat and Mohammad Shami returning to the team after being rested in the previous match.
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