Pujara and Rahane have no place in Team India’s plans – Sunil Gavaskar questions Indian batters aggressive approach in Test cricket

Legendary Sunil Gavaskar has questioned India’s aggressive batting approach in Test cricket after their 0-3 Test series loss against New Zealand. Gavaskar said while the aggressive approach can work in the white-ball formats, it’s not easy for the batters to bail themselves out with a big shot in the red-ball version.

Indian batters could not deliver against the Kiwis and it led to the team’s downfall. India returned with scores of 46, 462, 156, 245, 263, and 121 despite playing at home.

“The real issue is the thinking where again the short boundaries and big bats mean that batters, after playing three or four dot balls, think they can change the momentum by going for a big shot,” wrote Gavaskar for Sportstar.

“It may work with the white ball, which doesn’t swing, seam, or spin as much, but with the red ball, it’s flirting with danger, especially if one has just come in to bat,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the shot selection of some of the batters including Rohit Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan was surprising throughout the series as they were often dismissed while trying to play a big shot. Gavaskar said Test cricket requires patience and good defensive skills, which seems to be missing from Indian batters.

“Test cricket requires some patience, especially on pitches where the bowlers are getting some assistance, but not many modern batters believe in that. Then there’s this new thinking that, come what may, we will play only at breakneck speed in a five-day game, and that means there is not much thought given to tiring the bowler out or waiting for conditions to improve,” Gavaskar said.

The Little Master recalled how veteran batters like Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane found success on the previous tours of Australia by trusting their defensive technique.

“That’s why Pujaras and Rahanes have no place in the Indian team’s plans. Pujara wore down the Australian attack, as did Rahane, and so the stroke-makers could take advantage of a tired attack and flog it and make up for a slow but watchful start. That kind of thinking is not there,” Gavaskar added.

“Now there’s this business of belting the ball like England batters are doing and losing badly overseas,” he expressed.

The opening Test match between India and Australia will be played at Perth from November 22 onwards.