Anshuman Gaekwad Reckons Influence Of T20s Affected Test Batters

Mar 10, 2022 at 4:19 PM

facebook iconlinkedin iconmail icontwitter iconWhatsApp iconTelegram icon
Anshuman Gaekwad Reckons Influence Of T20s Affected Test Batters

Anshuman Gaekwad said that the modern batsmen are not good players of quality spin which is seeing them often getting dismissed by spinners. Anshuman Gaekwad’s comments are based on research that says Test matches in recent times are finishing inside days 3 and 4 quite regularly.

India will be strong favourites to stay unbeaten in pink-ball Tests at home as new captain Rohit Sharma eyes a clean sweep of Sri Lanka in the second Test starting Saturday. The hosts thrashed Sri Lanka inside three days in Mohali to lead the two-match series 1-0 and the visitors need to quickly get their act together under the lights in Bangalore.

The world’s top-ranked all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja hit an unbeaten 175 and took nine wickets to stand out in Rohit Sharma’s first Test since replacing Virat Kohli as captain in all formats earlier this year. In India, pitches have played a role with spinners Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin troubling the batters.

Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja Photo Credit: AP
Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja Photo Credit: AP

India Lost Just 2 Tests At Home In Last 5 Years

In 2020, 12 of the 22 Test matches played finished on either Day 3 or 4. Likewise, 44 matches were played the following year, and 20 were done and dusted in first four days. In those 20 matches, 12 and six games ended on Day 4 and 3, respectively. Interestingly, two days proved to be enough for a win twice as well. In 2022, so far, where 10 Tests have already been played, two have ended on Day 4 and four on Day 3.

India cricket team. Credits: BCCI
India cricket team. Credits: BCCI

Closer to home, India have been a dominant unit. They have just lost two matches at home (against Australia in 2017 and England in 2021) in the last five years. They played three Tests in 2018, winning two inside the third day with a margin of an innings and more. In 2019, they played five and won all, four of them inside Day 4 by an innings and more. A similar trend has followed in the next couple of years.

Anshuman Gaekwad: Batters Not Up to The Mark While Playing Against Quality Bowlers

One has to remember that Test matches in India earlier would last for five days, but it seems that the batters these days lack the required temperament, according to Anshuman Gaekwad.

Anshuman Gaekwad
Anshuman Gaekwad

The Mohali Test is a perfect example, where Sri Lanka batters failed to deliver against spinners. It is also important to note that the Islanders have been brought up playing in similar tracks in their country.

“Batters are not up to the mark when they play against quality bowlers. You have to struggle and get the runs, which you do not see these days. These days, if the ball turns a lot, the batters don’t know what to do,” former India coach Anshuman Gaekwad said.

India were the last of the big Test teams to play a five-day game under lights, seeing off Bangladesh in 2019 in just over two days in Kolkata. But at the Adelaide Oval in December 2020 Australia skittled the Virat Kohli-led side for 36, India’s lowest Test total. The team got back to winning ways in a floodlit Test when they thrashed England in two days at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad in February last year.

The tourists, led by Dimuth Karunaratne, failed miserably with the bat in response to India’s 574-8 declared in the first Test and were bowled out for 174 and 178 in under four sessions.

Anshuman Gaekwad scored 1985 runs in his career of 40 Test matches at an average of 30.07, which included 2 centuries and 10 half-centuries. Anshuman Gaekwad’s best score was 201 runs, which he made against Pakistan. Anshuman Gaekwad also took part in 15 ODIs. In ODIs, he has 269 runs in his name at an average of 20.69.

Related Article
R Sridhar Reckons Virat Kohli Became One Of India’s Best Slip Fielders With Practice As He Shows Intensity During Fielding
R Sridhar Reckons Virat Kohli Became One Of India’s Best Slip Fielders With Practice As He Shows Intensity During Fielding

Aug 20, 2022, 5:19 PM


Aakash Chopra Feels Asia Cup 2022 Is ‘Perfect Set-up’ For Virat Kohli
Aakash Chopra Feels Asia Cup 2022 Is ‘Perfect Set-up’ For Virat Kohli

Aug 9, 2022, 7:11 PM


Virat Kohli Will Hope To Find Lost Form; He Needs 40 More Runs To Score 2000 Runs Against England
Virat Kohli Will Hope To Find Lost Form; He Needs 40 More Runs To Score 2000 Runs Against England

Jul 1, 2022, 2:21 PM


Aakash Chopra Reveals Why RCB Did Well Despite Virat Kohli’s Poor Form In IPL 2022
Aakash Chopra Reveals Why RCB Did Well Despite Virat Kohli’s Poor Form In IPL 2022

May 25, 2022, 2:03 PM


Virat Kohli’s Approach Against Spin Surprised Dinesh Karthik
Virat Kohli’s Approach Against Spin Surprised Dinesh Karthik

Mar 14, 2022, 2:01 PM


Aakash Chopra Concerned About Virat Kohli’s Lack Of Runs In Sri Lanka Test Series
Aakash Chopra Concerned About Virat Kohli’s Lack Of Runs In Sri Lanka Test Series

Mar 14, 2022, 12:46 PM


Desktop Banner
Mobile Banner