"Probably has a lot to do with playing on flat wickets in T20" - Gautam Gambhir on decline in defensive Test batting
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir opined that playing T20s on flat pitches has resulted in the decline of proper defensive batting techniques in Tests ahead of the final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai. India recorded their lowest-ever Test total in home conditions with 46 all-out in the first innings of the series opener in Bengaluru.
They followed that up with another tepid batting display in the second Test at Pune with scores of 156 and 245. This meant India surrendered a first home Test series since 2012/13 as the Black Caps went 2-0 up in the best-of-three affair.
Speaking at the press conference on the eve of the third Test in Mumbai, Gambhir opened up on dwindling Test batting skills, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
"Probably has a lot to do with playing on flat wickets in T20. We need to keep tightening our game. But you will see probably going forward in future, we'll have the same issues with a lot of other teams as well. Because the more the T20 cricket is played, the lesser people will start defending," he said.
Gambhir added:
"To be a successful Test cricketer, you see people like Virat, you see all the great players who've done really well in Test cricket for a long period of time, they've always had good defence. The foundation of your batting in Test cricket has to be defence. And then you start taking up from there."
With many teams adopting an all-out attack policy in Tests, survival even on challenging pitches has become an afterthought in the modern-day game.
"Growth is not only going about hitting the ball in the stands" - Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir reiterated that a batter's evolution and growth stem from improving his defensive game, especially against the turning ball, and not only adding shots to his arsenal.
He added that moving forward, India would look to identify red-ball specialists, who can also bat time rather than only score quick runs.
"A complete cricketer is a cricketer who plays T20 format really successfully and also Test cricket really successfully. He can adapt his game. And that is what growth is. Growth is not only going about hitting the ball in the stands. It's also about batting sessions on a turning track, where you know that you will not be able to hit in the stands, but you will be able to rotate better. For that, I think the foundation is very, very important," said Gambhir at the aforementioned presser.
He added:
"But going forward, obviously, we will have to identify players who are solid red ball cricketers. Because ultimately, to get the results, you will have to work really hard for three or four days or five days to be honest. So sometimes, as I just mentioned, it's important if we can bat sessions, we know that we've got the bowling attack to take 20 wickets. At the moment, it's difficult to answer."
Meanwhile, India will have to find quick solutions in the third New Zealand Test to avoid an embarrassing home series whitewash for the first time since 2000.
The New Zealand series is Gambhir's second Test assignment since taking over as head coach with the first against Bangladesh being a 2-0 victory at home.