Former chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil too joined the noise as he found it hard to believe that none of the batsmen played their natural game in New Zealand. He also feels that most of the batsmen in the side are experience enough to have adjusted to the conditions. Patil was disappointed with the way the Indian team, especially the batsmen struggled in New Zealand. Patil lashed out at the batsmen and said that they failed to adapt and adjust to the conditions which is not the way the number 1 Test side in the world plays.
“New Zealand beat us convincingly [2-0] and it was painful to see our batsmen not playing their natural game. To me, this was beyond comprehension. Doing what comes naturally to you is the only way you can put runs on the board. All of them have played enough cricket to adjust,” Patil told mid-day.
“I am aware that teams struggle against us but if you want to be the No.1 team in the world, you have to succeed in all conditions. Are we going to be the No.1 team only at home? Ravi Shastri [head coach] will soon come up with a statement and say we have learnt our lessons and we will take the positives. But what will happen,” he further added.
Patil bemoaned the fact that the batsmen allowed the New Zealand bowlers to dictate terms as they played too defensively and did not show any positive intent to get the scoreboard moving.
“Here, you are prodding, prodding, leaving and leaving more balls and score 10 runs in 70 balls—not acceptable. Not for a moment I am saying be reckless or flashy. You just cannot go into a shell. These guys are brilliant cricketers [so it’s all the more distressing],” Patil added.
India lost the second Test match in under three days and despite the efforts of the bowlers, the batsmen failed to stand up and make runs. Captain Kohli too spoke about the lack of runs and how the bowlers were not backed up by the batsmen.
“We played well in the first innings here with the bat. It was a combination of us not having the right kind of execution and New Zealand playing well. Batsmen didn’t do enough for the bowlers to attack. It’s disappointing as a side when the batsmen don’t back up the effort of the bowlers,” Kohli said after the match.
