3 times preparing a rank turner backfired for India in a home Test
Team India are among the most dominant teams when it comes to playing on home soil. The opposition has dreaded the prospect of facing Indian spinners in their own backyard and often prepares months in advance to avoid humiliation.
The major contributing factor behind the visiting team's fear, along with the sheer strength of Indian spinners and batters, has been the nature of pitches. Very few visiting batters and bowlers have cracked the code to perform on such wickets.
The concept of 'rank turners' is one that transcends ethics and has left fanbases, pundits and players divided. The specially curated dry surface often aids sharp turns from the word go, meaning that low-scoring and brisk matches are on offer. Matches played on such turning tracks are often completed within three days.
The Men in Blue have found immense success while playing on such pitches. While not every surface sported in India is necessarily a rank turner, it has made enough appearances to cast fear into the opposition.
However, the mere presence of a rank-turner does not always lead to an Indian victory. On select instances, the ploy has blown up in the faces of the hosts in a spectacular manner, leading to questions over the team's tactics and the batters' ability to play spin bowling.
Let's take a look at three such matches where the Men in Blue stumbled on a rank turner on home soil.
#1 India vs Australia (3rd Test, Indore, Border-Gavaskar series 2023)
Team India's most recent Test endavor against Australia made the cut as it is set to be a defeat that will be talked about for ages. The Men in Blue won the toss and decided to bat first, much like the routine is in the country after the coin falls in one's favor. However, things did not go according to plan at all, with the pitch sporting an average turn of up to five degrees on Day 1 itself.
Matthew Kuhnemann picked up a five-wicket haul inside the first session itself without breaking a sweat as the hosts were bowled out for 109. In response, Australia scored 197 runs and amassed a vital lead in the process.
Minutes after the third Test gets over in Indore, the ground staff has watered the pitch, again. #INDvAUS #IndvsAus https://t.co/KB7gMHDWk1
Cheteshwar Pujara scored a resilient fifty in the second innings, but it was far from enough as the Men in Blue could only put up a target of 76 runs. The approach by the Indian batters against spin was called out from all directions as Australia etched a historic nine-wicket win.
The rank-turner saw Nathan Lyon also pick up the second-best figures of his Test career after finishing with figures of 8-64 in the second innings.
#2 India vs Australia (1st Test, Pune, Border-Gavaskar series 2017)
The 2017 Border-Gavaskar Trophy was highly anticipated as it marked Australia's first red-ball trip to the subcontinent since the infamous 4-0 whitewash. The odds were in favor of Virat Kohli and Co. but they were taken to the cleaners by the visiting Australians in the first Test in Pune.
Steve O'Keefe claimed 12 wickets in the contest with back-to-back six-fers to bowl out the Men in Blue for 103 and 107 across both innings.
Steve Smith also played his part by recording a century in the second innings, which is still regarded as one of the best knocks by an overseas batter in the subcontinent. His century helped the visitors set a mammoth 441-run target in the fourth innings.
Classic case of an extreme pitch backfiring. When you have the bowling to take 20 wickets on pitches of 5 days & don't have the batting to survive one day on extreme wickets, this gamble can go both ways circa Pune 2017. Excellent play by Australia, loved the fight. #INDvsAUS
Barring a fifty from KL Rahul in the first innings, no batter looked comfortable in the dust bowl, giving Australia a landmark win on Indian soil.
#3 India vs England (2nd Test, Mumbai, 2012)
Fans and pundits anticipated yet another series win for India at home after they defeated England in a dominant fashion in the series opener in Ahmedabad. The four-match affair saw the caravans shift to Mumbai for the next contest where they were met with a rank turner.
The Wankhede Stadium does not hold good memories for the team when it comes to fixtures against England. From the iconic loss in the 2002 ODI series to the tame defeat in the 2006 Test, India were hopeful of turning the tide but failed to do so.
Courtesy of Pujara's hundred, the hosts put up a respectable total of 327 in the first innings. Kevin Pietersen proved to be the biggest barrier as he scored a magnificent and critically acclaimed 186 on the pitch and was aided by a ton from skipper Alastair Cook as well.
Staring at a lead of 86 runs, the hosts crumbled to 142 all out with Monty Panesar picking up six wickets, taking his match tally to 11 wickets. England proceeded to chase down the 57-run target in no time to level the series.
The visitors followed it up with a win in Kolkata and a draw in Nagpur to seal a historic series win. It remains the subcontinent side's last Test series defeat at home.
Should the continued preparation of rank turners be the way forward for the Men in Blue? Let us know what you think.