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7 reasons why India is floundering in this test


1.       English bowling: The English bowling attack is a far more condition friendly one than the Indian one. They know the ball is going to swing and they have grown up utilizing the swing and bounce of the pitch to their advantage. The Indian bowlers are struggling to control that swing. Too many balls going down the leg side is a classic case of not knowing how much the ball is going to move in the air
2.       The failing Big names of India: I wont discuss Shikhar Dhawan here. Not because he is not a big name but failing is an understatement to this batsman who has looked completely clueless countering the likes of Broad and Anderson. Start the line up with Pujara, Kohli, Dhoni and in this test Rohit Sharma are all big stars of Indian cricket who seem to be struggling in foreign conditions once again. If we have to set our record straight we may need 4 more series to be played in India. Application has been a big issue for the Indian batsmen. How to curb their naturally attacking instinct and use it judiciously will be Batting 101 for these batsmen. We cant be thinking of the need for four Dravids every time we hear the words Test Overseas.
3.       The Moen Ali nuisance: Moen Ali has been nothing but a nuisance to India. He is not a bad spinner but Indians play this for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He has 10 wickets in the series so far. Yesterday a small bit was telecasted showcasing Ali’s wickets. Star called the segment ‘Ego wickets’. I couldn’t agree more. I agree to that thought the Moen Ali has to be taken for runs but the Indian batsmen are going after him like a three day hungry tiger. Too casual in approaching him and he has broken crucial partnerships. He has been the go to man for Ali Cook.
4.       Indian spinner conundrum: In a country that has produced the world’s best spinners for a century is now sporting a side without a worldclass spinner. The quicks were never an answer to demolish a side for India and today we look at a side that is not carrying a spinner. I remember England bringing Ashley Giles to India as the spinner. We seem to have employed a similar tactic which is a shame for India. There is no chance in hell that we do not have a spinner that we could have carried to England especially if Ashwin was not your first choice. Is a personal rift hurting the possible return of a player like Harbhajan Singh?
5.       Defensive India: India do not want to lose a test. They don’t know if they can win but they definitely do not want to lose a test. The team make up, the tactics employed and deliberate prolonging of the game clearly indicates this. It is true that they don’t have a bowling attack to get a side out twice in 5 days but are you going to take heart from what you did in the last test? A question Duncan and Dhoni can ponder upon.
6.       Slippery slips: I have never seen an Indian side that has dropped so many catches in slips in one inning. The commentators are screaming out loud that we have no specialist slip fielders and that is for everybody to see. Three catches of Cook, Buttler and Bell were dropped and the score zoomed to 560+. It is a cardinal sin to drop a catch when you have a bowling attack that is average. I think India have just one game plan. Bat the opposition out. Plan B – bat the opposition to a draw. If the batting fails we fall like a pack of cards.
7.       Ravindra Jadeja: He is a great asset to a one day or a T 20 side but his technique doesn’t suit a test in England. Dhoni seems to have the same problem but then he is captain. I fail to understand as to what is Jadeja’s role in the team. Is he a wicket taking option or is he the stop bowler when the strike bowler attacks from the other end? He hasn’t even pulled off a Moen Ali so far and he has been kept on for a third test. Is the team expecting a frontline batsman like him only to make a 30 and bowl long spells of overs fruitlessly? I would rather love to see a frontline spinner play in his place and the team put a little more faith in Bhubaneswar Kumar to get those 30 runs.
This is a familiar story for India. Hope it can end differently


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