Former India cricketer and commentator Parthiv Patel has offered a detailed analysis of India's ongoing struggles with batting collapses in Test cricket, presenting a potential solution to address the team's persistent issues. Over the past few months, India's batting has come under intense scrutiny, especially after their humiliating whitewash in the home Test series against New Zealand. This was followed by another disappointing performance in the second Test of their Australian tour, where they faced another collapse, resulting in a loss at Adelaide.
Patel believes that the root of India’s batting issues lies in the team’s difficulties against spin on turning tracks, particularly in their home conditions. While acknowledging that such challenges exist, Patel argues that the failure of the Indian batting line-up is not necessarily a result of excessive aggression, as many have suggested. He stresses that the real problem lies in the batters’ inability to apply themselves with the discipline required in Test cricket.
“I do not believe this has happened due to extreme aggression. If we respect the traditional style of Test cricket and bat with discipline, these are the same batters who have previously performed well. Indian batters need to apply themselves more because they have the ability. If they bat with discipline, they can succeed anywhere,” Patel explained.
Patel’s emphasis on discipline points to the fact that India's batters are still talented but are failing to make the most of their potential. It’s a sentiment echoed by many analysts who feel that the Indian team has yet to find its rhythm in the longest format of the game. Despite the team’s strong reputation and past successes, their batting has been inconsistent, especially against challenging conditions.
The batting failures have been glaring in recent times. In the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru, India was bowled out for a paltry 46 runs, marking one of their lowest scores in Test cricket history. The team has struggled to combat spin attacks, as evidenced by their inability to counter the impressive bowling of Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santner in their home series against New Zealand. This issue has not been limited to spinning conditions; the Indian team has also faltered in swinging conditions, failing to withstand the Australian pace attack.
In the ongoing Test series against Australia, India has struggled to put together substantial totals. The team has surpassed the 300-run mark just once in the six innings played thus far, a worrying statistic for a team that has long prided itself on its ability to post large scores. This lack of consistency with the bat has been reflected in the poor form of established players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Kohli has averaged a mere 25.06, while Sharma’s average stands at 26.39, marking one of their worst years in recent memory. The duo, once pillars of India’s batting, have been unable to find form, which has left the middle order, including Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja, to contribute significantly lower down the order.
In the absence of strong contributions from the top order, players like Pant and Jadeja have stepped up to provide some resistance. However, their performances haven’t been enough to prevent the team from collapsing, and this has put additional pressure on the lower order to bail out the side. It’s evident that India’s batting woes are not only about individual poor form but also about an overall lack of application in critical situations.
As India heads into the fourth Test against Australia in Melbourne, the pressure is mounting on the Indian batting line-up to improve. With the series tied 1-1, the team must put up a much-improved performance if they are to take a lead and regain control. Patel’s call for more disciplined batting has never been more relevant, as India needs to find a way to apply themselves better in both familiar and foreign conditions. If the Indian batsmen can take this advice on board and approach their innings with the required focus and technique, they have the ability to turn things around.
The remainder of the series presents a crucial opportunity for India to regain their footing. A strong batting performance, especially from the senior players, will be essential to avoid further collapses. The team will need to embrace patience and discipline, sticking to the traditional values of Test cricket while adapting to the challenges posed by the Australian conditions. This is the moment for India’s batting unit to step up, as a failure to do so could result in another disappointing Test series. The question remains: will India’s batsmen rise to the occasion and rediscover their form, or will the batting failures continue to plague them on this tour? Only time will tell.
