One Major Issue Virat Kohli's Men Need To Address Ahead Of Boxing Day Test Is The Team's Fragile Tail

The Indian management has given the players three days to rest and reflect after they checked into the team hotel here on the south bank of the Yarra ¡ª about 1.5 km from the iconic MCG which will host the third Test of the series against Australia starting on Boxing Day.

It is a welcome break for the players after having played back-to-back Tests in Adelaide and Perth, but having seen their hard-earned win in the first Test being neutralised on account of a fairly mediocre performance in the second match, Virat Kohli and Co. can ill-afford to immerse themselves in pre-Christmas festivities sweeping through the town.

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For a team that does not like to admit its mistakes publicly, this is an ideal time for introspection ¡ª collectively as well as individually. Over the past year or so, the Indian team management has time and again faltered while addressing certain basic issues which include reading the pitch and conditions, team selection and failure of the lower order to contribute with the bat ¡ª all contributing to embarrassing losses on the road.

It was no different in Perth where the lack of a frontline spinner hurt India¡¯s cause on a bouncy track where Australia¡¯s off-spinner Nathan Lyon struck telling blows and walked away with the Man-of-the-Match award. Kohli¡¯s justification of the team management¡¯s decision to include four pacers defied logic on two counts.

To begin with, all four fast bowlers named in the XI were right-arm operators and apart from Jasprit Bumrah ¡ª who has a unique action ¡ª the other three are quite similar in terms of pace and style. More importantly, the team management also failed to take due cognizance of the fact that by including Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Shami and Bumrah in the XI, they were ensuring a long tail, thereby weakening the batting considerably.

The lack of batting skills among India¡¯s lower-order players is an old ailment, however, in spite of its several manifestations over the past year or so, the coaches and support staff have failed to bring about any noticeable change in this regard.

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The comical exhibition of batsmanship by India¡¯s last four, who contributed only 11 runs in two innings and lasting a combined 78 balls, tells its own story. In contrast, Australia¡¯s last four ¡ª Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Lyon and Josh Hazlewood ¡ª batted for 150 balls and contributed 71 runs. It included a defiant 36-run partnership for the last wicket in the second innings between Starc and Hazlewood, which puts India¡¯s 146-run defeat in Perth in perspective.

In Adelaide too, Australia¡¯s last four had contributed a healthy 155 runs across two innings to stretch the game well into the final day and keep India¡¯s victory margin to just 31 runs. To give it a different context, Australia¡¯s last four have way out scored India¡¯s top-two ¡ª KL Rahul and Murali Vijay ¡ª in the first two Tests.

It is major problem because it affects the balance of the side and hampers team selection every time India want to field four or five specialist bowlers. In the 13 Tests India have played so far this year, the tailenders have contributed a mere 801 runs, averaging 11.77 per innings with only Ravindra Jadeja scoring a half-century (86 n.o.) at The Oval against England.

There seems to be no solution to this problem. Ishant pleaded helplessness when asked about this issue. ¡°We (tailenders) try our level best to score as many as we can. Yes, we haven¡¯t scored many runs abroad, but that is true about other teams too. When Australia come to India, their tail doesn¡¯t score many runs. It is just that we are not used to the bounce and pace here.

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¡°We are working on our batting skills, and may be one of our bowlers will score a 50 too,¡± added the lanky pacer who averages just 7.74 in 89 Tests with 31 as his highest score.

The difference in approach between the teams in this regard was highlighted Starc¡¯s statement at end of the Perth Test, ¡°It¡¯s (batting) something that we all work really hard at and we have done for a long time. It¡¯s something that I think our tail takes a lot of pride in,¡± said Starc, a big hitter down the order.

Hopefully, the debacle in Perth will serve as a wake-up call and the team management will give more time in the nets to the bowlers in order to develop their skills with the willow than the customary throwdowns that has serve little purpose.