3 issues with Tests in India that have come to light in the ongoing IND vs NZ series
India are on their way to seal a famous home victory over New Zealand after putting themselves in a commanding position in the second Test in Mumbai, but the series hasn't made for completely pleasant viewing so far.
A series of issues on and off the field have meant that people watching from home have been left highly dissatisfied. The presence of home umpires and a plethora of nightmare decisions - from both on-field umpires and third umpires - have left fans questioning the ongoing cricket regulations, while inclement weather and debatable team selection have only worsened matters.
Here are three issues with Tests in India that have been constantly pointed out in the ongoing series against New Zealand.
#3 Commentary appears to have hit an all-time low in the India vs New Zealand series
In an era where so many advancements have been made in all departments, commentary is one field that has refused to evolve, especially in India. Home commentators have often been called out for doing minimal research and spouting cliches throughout, with a failure to adapt to the changing requirements of the modern game glaringly obvious.
Commentators like Sunil Gavaskar, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, Murali Kartik, Anjum Chopra and Deep Dasgupta have come under constant criticism in the recent past for failing to provide new insights and often being biased and unpleasant in their delivery. Even in post-match interviews, generally hosted by Kartik, a plethora of bizarre questions have been asked.
In contrast, broadcasts in England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand almost always add to the viewing experience in a positive manner. Analysis is crisper and more relevant; commentators are rarely biased; questions asked are almost always purposeful.
Commentary is one field that needs to improve immediately in India.
#2 Most grounds in India lack aesthetic appeal
Grounds in India also lack aesthetic appeal, which is something that was all too obvious in the Kanpur Test. The outfields aren't as lush as England and Australia, while the presence of tasteless advertisements all over the ground makes things worse.
Unpopular opinion: Cricket matches in India don’t look great on TV. It’s invariably hazy, the outfield isn’t picture-perfect, the stands don’t look pleasant, and the ground is always full of hoardings from tacky brands. #INDvsNZ
When matches are played in the north during winter, an unbearable coat of fog/smog invariably envelops the ground, not only making viewing impossible but also - and more importantly - impacting the breathing of players on the field. Apart from a few pleasing venues like Dharamsala, Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkata, others in the country leave a lot to be desired.
There's no real reason for grounds in India to be the way they are; it's just a question of investing in the right areas and channeling funds into improving aspects of the broadcast that are crying out for change.
#1 Tests in India give an unfair assessment of batters
Rohit Sharma made a stellar start to his Test career in India and quickly translated his form into overseas results as an opener. However, for every Rohit Sharma, there are several other cases of batters who shine to an unprecedented extent at home but are found sorely wanting elsewhere.
For example, Mayank Agarwal averages 90.55 over five Tests at home, with two double hundreds and two hundreds. But overseas, the 30-year-old averages only 26.76 over nine matches with a highest score of 77. Similarly, spinners struggle to be potent overseas.
This is an issue that plagues Test-playing nations around the world, but the effect is a little more pronounced in India. India have often been in a position where they can't drop a player because of how well they have done at home, but at the same time can't trust them to perform overseas. Will Mayank be on the plane to South Africa? Will Axar Patel, who might not stand a chance of making the playing XI in the Rainbow Nation, be part of the squad?
There's no clear-cut solution to this problem. As a result, India need to be very clear in their selection thought process, which hasn't been the case for most of the past few years.