I am writing this article in the aftermath of a shambolic home series defeat against New Zealand on our home soil. The last time we lost a series at home was against Alastair Cook’s England way back in 2012, and the last time we were whitewashed in test cricket was way back in 2000, by the Hansie Cronje led South African brigade. But even then, both in 2012 and 2000, the former turned out a 2-1 defeat and the latter was a 2-0 one, what is particularly gob-smacking is that in India’s history of test cricket we have never been defeated 3-0 at home soil EVER. To convey the absolute sense of shame we have been at the receiving end of today, let me reiterate it again, in the 92 years that India has played test cricket, we have never ever been defeated 3-0 at home, but alas, that has changed now.
What was particularly upsetting about this series defeat on home soil wasn’t that the “BIG 2” failed to perform or that Ashwin didn’t perform the way we wanted him to. It was that the entire batting line-up right from the openers to the middle-order and even the tail-enders seemed completely out of touch, barring perhaps only Rishabh Pant. What is suspiciously jarring is that our worst in this series, batting-wise wasn’t even brought out by the pace attack of New Zealand, it was the spin on display from the Kiwis that led to our ultimate demise. A statistical analysis will tell you a lot about this, with Santner, Patel and Phillips taking most of the wickets, the myth of India’s brilliance against spin has also been demolished meticulously. The fortress might have been breached, but our morale has been completely decimated.
The annihilation of Indian batters at the helm of the Kiwis is gut-wrenching, as the Kiwis have gone on from defeating India 2 times in the preceding 50 years to defeating us thrice in 3 weeks. The riveting shock of this series defeat will be definitely felt in the BCCI headquarters. With Pujara and Rahane relegated to the sidelines and Shami out due to injury, be ready for a spicy Australian Summer. With a dwindling, diffident and aged batting attack, with all-rounders that are round only in their physique and pacers barely exceeding the 135 kmph mark, the Border-Gavaskar trophy is going to be a hell of a treat, for the Australians.
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