India’s 0-3 series loss surprised fans and former players. The team failed to chase 147 runs in the fourth innings of the Mumbai Test. Picking spin-friendly pitches in Pune and Mumbai backfired on the home team.
Rishabh Pant (64) was the only batter who performed well, while top players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli did not do well again. Ajaz Patel took 11 wickets in the match and was named Player of the Match. India was bowled out for just 121 runs in their second innings.
Former Pakistan player Basit Ali criticized head coach Gautam Gambhir. Before taking the role as India’s head coach, Gambhir was a mentor for the Kolkata Knight Riders.
“India must be missing Dravid. He had a plan for four days but the current management thinks only for 2 or two and a half days,” he said.
India lost the match within three days at the Wankhede Stadium. This defeat dropped India to the second spot in the World Test Championship standings. Australia took the top position after India’s loss to New Zealand.
“You can’t play a Test match like a contest in the Indian Premier League. Some of their coaches are saying that we don’t play for draws. That’s the right approach but you will have to treat a five-day game differently,” he added.
“T20 will ruin your Test cricket.”
Basit said that all the teams are trying to play Bazball Cricket just like England which is not possible for all the teams. He highlighted that with the method of Bazball, England is yet to make into the final of World Test Championship.
“Everybody is trying to copy Bazball. England haven’t qualified for the final of the Word Test Championship by applying Bazball approach. There is no use of playing aggressively like them.”
