Virat Kohli & Co. need to address serious issues after loss against Sri Lanka

Virat Kohli needs to address some issues after India loss in the first Test. (Source: Reuters)

The myth had long been busted. India’s proficiency against spin is a thing of the past. The I-Day ignominy at Galle provided further confirmation of the team’s batting ineptitude.

It was always going to be a tricky chase on a fourth day pitch with a world-class spinner like Rangana Herath operating. For a batting unit that had struggled against Moeen Ali and Nathan Lyon’s spin in seamer-friendly conditions, a victory target of 176 in the fourth innings on a rank turner was a very tall order. The batters, except Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan to some extent, suffered for poor technique. But more than the technical side of the game, India lost this Test because they were not used to winning.

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In fact, the visitors had lost the plot in the second session on day three, when Dinesh Chandimal launched a spectacular counter-attack. They allowed a few umpiring errors to get under their skin. Virat Kohli and his men lacked steel to overcome the odds.

A couple of factors have contributed to India’s rapid decline against quality spin. The BCCI’s decision to produce green-tops for Ranji Trophy matches has hindered the progress of young spinners in the country. It has also denied the batters the opportunity to develop their skill against the turning ball.

Over-importance to the IPL is another reason for the slump. International cricket is a different ball game altogether and time has come to put things in perspective. IPL success doesn’t guarantee a smooth transition to a higher level. Far from it…

Several issues have cropped up after this defeat. KL Rahul looked completely out of sorts in this Test. Should he be persisted with? Murali Vijay will return for the second Test and Rahul must improve his footwork to be in contention for a middle-order berth. Rohit Sharma is a more serious case. Kohli’s faith in him looks unshakable but the trust is misplaced. The Mumbai batsman has become a walking wicket with scores of 43, 6, 32, 0, 53, 39, 6, 9 and 4 in his last five Tests. His game appears to be too loose for the longer format. Only Kohli can explain his aversion for Cheteshwar Pujara, but the Saurashtra boy is too good a batsman to be overlooked for so long.

The five-bowler theory will be under the scanner after this Test. Kohli defended it at the post-match press conference. He’s young and aggressive, and new to the job. With time and experience he will learn to be more discreet.

At a promotional event a few days ago, Sourav Ganguly was asked about India’s five-bowler ploy? “It’s a bold move but in cricket, it’s always better to have horses for courses,” said Ganguly. Kohli says he needs five specialist bowlers to take 20 opposition wickets. But here he might have had one bowler too many. Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra bowled only 14 overs between them in the first innings. Varun Aaron got only seven overs in the second dig. With Vijay ruled out, playing only five specialist batters was a gamble that didn’t pay off.

The all-conquering Australian side had Adam Gilchrist at No. 7. Jeff Dujon played in that position for Clive Lloyd’s West Indies. India’s batting has weakened considerably following MS Dhoni’s departure. His maiden Test half-century notwithstanding, Wriddhiman Saha is not a batsman who can be relied upon under pressure.

India have to play out of their skin to bounce back in this series. It would be interesting to see how this relatively inexperienced team copes with the defeat. Issues like team selection and team combination call for immediate attention.