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India’s embarrassing 0-3 whitewash, first such instance ever in a Test series on home soil, against New Zealand will rankle for a while. Down 0-2 and chasing a mere 147 runs to win in the third Test in Mumbai, India fell into its own trap on a red-soil turner at the Wankhede Stadium.
Barring Rishabh Pant (64), none of the Indian batters, including the top order comprising Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, could show the spin-handling skills traditionally associated with Indian batters. Instead, Ajaz Patel (6 for 57) and Glenn Phillips (3 for 42) ran riot to bowl the hosts out for just 121 in the fourth innings for a 25-run victory.
Analysing India’s embarrassing defeat and historic whitewash, former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali slammed head coach Gautam Gambhir’s IPL-like tactics.
Former India opener Gambhir was appointed in the top job right after mentoring Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL triumph earlier this year. He replaced Rahul Dravid, whose tenure ended after the T20 World Cup, which India won in June.
“Aaj Indian awaam ko yaad aa rahi hogi Rahul Dravid ki (today India must be missing Dravid),” said Basit in his latest YouTube video. “He used to plan for four days. These guys are planning for 2 or two and a half days.”
India lost the match inside three days for a third consecutive defeat against New Zealand, which has also jeopardized their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
India slipped to the number two spot as Test world champions Australia moved into the top position.
“You listen to interviews of coaches that nowadays (Test) matches don’t end as a draw. That’s right. But it doesn’t mean that if you are coming from winning the IPL, then you play Test matches also in the same fashion,” said Basit, criticizing Gambhir’s planning.
“T20 is something else, it will ruin your (Test) game.”
Citing the example of England’s aggressive Test-match tactics, famously called ‘Bazball’, under coach Brendon McCullum, Basit said not everyone should copy that. He added that it’s yet to earn England a place in the WTC final.
The first WTC final (2019-21) was contested between eventual champions New Zealand and India, while the second (2021-23) was played between Australia and India.
“Everybody tried to copy Bazball. Did Bazball (England) qualify for the WTC final or a World Cup final? So what’s the use of adopting such a thing?,” The 53-year-old Basit questioned.
He said India’s tactics of preparing turning tracks have taken them nowhere, especially before the all-important Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
India will be touring Down Under for a five-Test series beginning in Perth on November 22.
“You make a spinning track like Mumbai (where) fast bowlers (contribute) zero; confidence of your batters, zero. Now they will go to play the Border Gavaskar Trophy. What will be their confidence? Zero,” he concluded.
