Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25: Team India’s top 6 batters could only add 206 runs from two innings at the Adelaide. Things to keep in mind ahead of Gabba Test.
India’s top six batters managed just 203 runs across both innings of the Adelaide Test, receiving a harsh reality check in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series. After a dominant win in the Perth Test, the Rohit Sharma-led side suffered a resounding loss at the hands of the Aussies.
The visiting team never really showed up in the second Test, losing by 10 wickets with over 2.5 days still remaining. Winning the toss, India chose to bat first, and like the first Test, they were bowled out inside two sessions on day 1, making just 180. Their second innings was even worse, as they were bundled out for a mere 175. Together, the batters faced just 81 overs in the entire Test, highlighting how poorly they applied themselves.
With a WTC final spot on the line, India’s batters were expected to step up and support a bowling attack heavily reliant on Jasprit Bumrah. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. So, what can India’s batters do to turn their fortunes around in the third Test at the Gabba, Brisbane?
Improve Test-playing temperament
Test cricket is all about batting time and playing out sessions. Unfortunately, the India batters failed to do so in Adelaide. They lasted just 44.1 overs in the first innings and 36.5 in the second. India’s top six batters managed a mere 203 runs across both innings, with KL Rahul’s 37 in the first being the highest. While Shubman Gill (31 & 28) and Rishabh Pant (21 & 28) got starts in both innings, they failed to convert them into substantial knocks. This is not how a side wins a Test match.
Yes, the surface was challenging for the batters, especially with the pink ball, but it was by no means unplayable. The Aussies made 337 on the same pitch. India’s batters, however, needed better temperament to survive longer.
For instance, Rohit Sharma, India’s skipper, looked completely out of sorts in both innings as the Australia pacers outplayed him. In the first innings, he was trapped plumb in front by an inswinger from Scott Boland, ending his misery, and was then castled by Pat Cummins in the second. In both cases, he never got going and lacked the Test match temperament to adapt to the conditions.
Likewise, Virat Kohli poked at a delivery pitched just outside the fifth stump, not once, but twice. This has caused him trouble over the last few years, and once again, it proved to be his undoing.
Read More: AUS vs IND, 2nd Test, Day 1: Starc’s pink-ball heroics skittles India to 180
Address lack of concentration and rushed decisions
Test match temperament involves the mindset to play a long innings. If we take the examples of batters like KL Rahul and Shubman Gill, both looked assured at the crease while they were there. Well set on 37 in the first innings, Rahul played a casual shot to a delivery that moved away from his body, leading to his downfall and opening the floodgates for Australia.
In the second innings, he got out to a nothing delivery aimed at his ribs down the leg side. Both times, he could have played it better. Gill, the most assured of all the six batters, was focused on scoring runs at all costs rather than spending time at the crease. He was undone by manageable deliveries in both innings.
Getting dismissed by great deliveries is part and parcel of the game, but these batters simply found ways to get out in Adelaide. It was a case of lack of concentration and rushed decisions. In short, India’s batters need to treat a Test match for what it is—hold their ground, make a hard grind, and play out the sessions at the Gabba.
The Rohit Sharma conundrum
Rohit has had a forgettable couple of months, both as a skipper and a batter. Under his leadership, India have lost four consecutive Test matches. In his last 12 Test innings, Rohit has scored just 142 runs, which is abysmal. He isn’t adding value to the team, and it may be time to bring in fresh faces. The Gabba Test could define Rohit’s future, not just as a Test captain, but also as a player.
Read More: Rohit Sharma looked clueless as skipper in Adelaide; Does he lack the killer instinct?
