New Zealand v India 2020: Lack of preparation leads to India's downfall in the 1st Test
Studying for weeks and weeks for an exam is stressful but on exam day you go in with a certain confidence that you are prepared and are ready to tackle the questions in front of you. If you have not studied properly, then you go into an exam with scepticism and doubt. Something similar has been happening with India on overseas tours in the recent past.
During the 2018 South Africa tour, India went in without playing a warm-up game and suffered the consequences by losing the first two Test matches and the series. In England in 2018, they only played one warm-up game and once again they lost the series.
Now take the current New Zealand series, although India have been playing there for over a month, it was mainly with the white ball. As we all know, the red ball behaves differently and especially in windy conditions, it is more than a challenge.
India went into the first Test match with just one warm-up game, which finished early because both teams agreed a result wasn't possible. Hang on, it is a practice game, who cares about the result? Getting the batsmen and bowlers to play as much as possible in unpropitious conditions will only benefit the team.
The consequences are there to see. While practice games don't guarantee wins in the series itself, it does gives you the best possibility to win as you have an understanding of the conditions and the challenges that come with it.
From Day 1, the batsmen were caught off guard on a green pitch, as the New Zealand bowlers had the Indian batsmen hopping around at the crease. The conditions were tough but with more meticulous preparation, the batsmen would have surely been able to tackle the Kiwi bowlers better. Rishab Pant played the Test match purely after his performance in the practice game, so why not play a few more warm-up matches to get a more precise picture about who is in form?
Also see - India New Zealand schedule
Granted that India's schedule is tight and they play almost throughout the year, and so it is difficult to make time for practice matches. But if India wants to be the best side in the world, then a few limited overs matches have to give way to focus on the Test series.
Australia, a couple of years ago, played a second-string team against Sri Lanka at home in a T20 series as their senior team flew to the subcontinent early, to practice before a Test series. India should take this example and implement similar planning to ensure their team has the best chance to perform overseas.
No one doubts India's ability, they are a solid unit and are capable of dominating teams in all departments. But failing to prepare for adverse conditions, decreases the chances of winning. India will put up a better show in the second Test. They might still lose but an improvement in performance will be there because the players are acclimatising to the conditions and are adjusting to the challenges that the red ball offers in New Zealand.
Preparation is the key, which India failed in.
Also see | New Zealand vs India 2020: Why a loss in the first Test can be a wake-up call for India