4 reasons why the Indian batting has failed in this series.
On August 5, India lost the first test at Birmingham. It was a fairly contested match, with both the teams winning important sessions alternatively. Throughout the entire match, barring the final day, it was hard to pick a favorite. The Indian team led by Virat Kohli gave a tough fight, as it always does in test matches. But the team fell short by 31 runs and there was a sense of disappointment. The Indians had a lot of questions to answer, a lot of aspects to reflect upon (mainly batting). But at the same time, there was a belief that this series is going to be a close one. Experts predicted that it may even go down to the final test.
Fast forward to just a week later, the tour already seems to be too long. The probability of a whitewash is pretty high. All thanks to the battering India received at the Home of Cricket. England won the test to take a 2-0 lead in the series, thrashing India by an innings and 159 runs. The Indians were completely outplayed in every department and this is perhaps the most one-sided test this Virat Kohli side has ever lost.
The biggest issue seems to be with the batting. Forget scoring runs, most of the batsmen have looked completely clueless against the moving ball. India could play only 82.2 overs in both the innings combined, scoring 107 and 130 in the two innings. On the other hand, England managed 396/7 in their innings, with Chris Woakes scoring an unbeaten 137.
It is debatable that the to teams batted in somewhat different conditions, thanks to the ever-changing weather of London. But still, everyone expected a better performance from the Indian batsmen, especially after failing in the first test.
So let us have a look at the major reasons behind this failure of the batting line up.
Lack of application from the Indian batsmen
Batting is not only about technique. It is a combination of possessing a good technique and showing confidence in it. But, there have been some batsmen who didn't have an orthodox technique, but they still went on to become "Greats". It is because they had confidence in the way the played and they showed it on the field.
And this is one thing that has lacked in this Indian side. The batsmen haven't looked confident at the crease, which has probably resulted in poor shot selection. It may be due to the lack of "suitable technique" or lack of match practice in these conditions. Even the experts say that you are never "set" in the English conditions as we see a lot of plays and misses and edges in this part of the world, even from the set batsmen. At International cricket, you won't succeed every single time. But you need to show intent and that you are there to compete.
The Indian skipper has also found it difficult to counter the conditions, but he got runs because he showed faith in his ability. Even during the short stays in the middle, he looked assured, though he also played and missed a few, he showed the composure you require in such conditions. Barring him, only Ravichandran Ashwin has given the impression that he can bat. Others have struggled. The openers have looked clueless against the moving ball. Similar can be said about Dinesh Karthik. Ajinkya Rahane, for some reason, seems to be far away from the batsman he used to be in those conditions, looking completely short of confidence.
If India are to make a comeback in this series the batsmen have to step up, show some responsibility and play with intent. They can look up to their captain for inspiration.