Despite the fact that five of its batsmen scored centuries, India still lost the first Test of the series to England recently. India thus became the first team to lose a match despite chalking up five individual centuries. This was not the only shameful aspect of India’s performance. Dropped catches, indifferent bowling, and lack of a team effort were visible.
Shubman Gill was captaining a young side that was eager to make its mark. Yet after a first-innings score of 471 the script underwent a total transformation. The Indians stumbled through repeated collapses, dropped catches, and a lack of bite when bowling. When England chased down a mammoth 371 in the fourth innings, the Indians were left asking: where did it go wrong?
Apart from the five wickets taken by Jasprit Bumrah in the first innings, the bowling on the whole, looked very mediocre. In the second innings even Bumrah seemed to have lost his sting. England’s record chase and Duckett’s brilliant 149 resulted in the second-highest fourth-innings chase in England’s Test history. But several other England batters also made critical contributions under pressure.
Failed under pressure
Scoring runs under pressure was exactly what India failed to do. It was glaringly obvious in the first innings when Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant scored centuries; the rest failed miserably. No less than six batsmen failed to take their score past 10. It was a sharp contrast between impressive success and abject surrender all in one innings.
Then there were the fielding lapses at critical moments. There were multiple dropped catches, notably by Yashasvi Jaiswal that let England’s batsmen off the hook and shifted momentum in their favour. India’s missed chances proved costly.
What are the solutions?
Now what are the solutions and how will India come out of this slump? The first thing to do is to understand firmly that this is only the first Test of a five-match series. Four matches are yet to be played. There is plenty of time and opportunity to turn the tables on the opponents. The fight back must begin deep within the mind. This is not the time to lose confidence.
Even though the first match was lost, there were plenty of positive signs. The excellent batting by Jaiswal, Gill, Pant, and Rahul has shown that there is no menace hiding in the English conditions, pitches, or their bowling attack. The others must realise this and take a bold approach.
Fielding drills are a must
The fielding has got to be improved. Hard work, some catching practice and fielding drills can bring about that improvement. While fielding, a positive attitude and body language go a long way to improve the performance. Look at the way the Australians and South Africans handle this aspect of the game. They are the masters.
According to Mohammed Kaif, who was India’s best fielder during his playing days, cold weather often makes the fingers numb making it difficult to take catches. On the field, wearing gloves is not allowed but perhaps the players could wear gloves when off the field to keep their hands warm. This is an issue that the team’s management must look into.
Try out Arshdeep and Kuldeep
Another step that they must consider is whether it would be beneficial to bring Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav into the side. The bowling attack’s weakness was exposed. Maybe Arshdeep with his height and his left-arm line could pose a new threat to the Englishmen. Kuldeep also could be tried out. English batters are traditionally weak against unorthodox spinners like Kuldeep.
Finally, Coach Gautam Gambhir has to motivate his men. He is known for being blunt but this cannot be done in his usual antagonistic manner. The objective of his talks should be to bring out the best from the concerned player but not alienate him further. There is a fine line between motivating a player and creating hostility in him. The coach must realise this. Otherwise, his methods and his team will never succeed.
Learn from rivals
If necessary, the Indians must learn from their opponents and examine what they did right. England’s bold mindset enabled them to capitalize on India’s errors and steal the match. Even though the situation looked difficult, they did not give up. England now leads the series 1‑0 and has demonstrated resolve under pressure. India must focus on imbibing the same qualities before the next Test match begins in Birmingham on July 2.
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