ICC World Test Championship: Five areas of concern for No. 1 ranked India
The Indian team received another jolt in their New Zealand sojourn after losing the Test series rather meekly 0-2 to the hosts . More than the loss, it is how the top ranked team capitulated against the Kiwis will psychologically affect their moral. Besides it has also posed a question mark on the team’s credibility as the top contenders to win the next year’s ICC World Test Championship final.
That’s why it is necessary to analyze the recent success of the Indian Test team and by doing so some interesting things have come to light. Though Virat Kohli’s troops have been winning the Test championship mace from the last three years, the team is yet to become a world-beating side.
The following are the issues that have stopped the No. 1 ranked Test side from earning their place among the greats, and most of them flared up in New Zealand.
#1 Batting unit being over dependent on Virat Kohli
In a way, it is true that the likes of Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have been shouldering the batting responsibilities of the Test team for some time now. Like their seniors, these players have also played a key role in making India a dominant force in the Test arena.
Having said that, there are certain areas where the current crop needs to improve. Starting from the skipper himself, he needs to trust his players and their skillset. Also, it is quiet evident that the team looks better and they start performing better when Kohli scores big. When he failed right through the tour to New Zealand, the results were for all to see, 0-3 in the ODIs and 0-2 in the Tests.
Also see – RCB 2020 team
When will this change for India?
Their reign in the ICC Test Championship needs the other senior batsmen also to step up apart from only the captain. They would need the likes of Pujara and Rahane who are Test match specialists to play fittingly as they weren't at their best in New Zealand against a skilful bowling attack.