"What is the hurry boss? One bad series and already calling for heads"- Dinesh Karthik dismisses retirement calls for India's seniors after NZ defeat
Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik dismissed the retirement calls for Test seniors Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma after the recent New Zealand debacle. Team India were stunned by the Kiwis 3-0 in an embarrassing home Test series whitewash, snapping their streak of 18 consecutive home Test series wins.
It was also their first-ever home Test series whitewash with three or more matches and a first overall home Test series whitewash since 2000. Further glaring during the series defeat was the sub-par performances of the Indian senior players, resulting in several fans calling for their retirement from the format.
While Kohli and Rohit averaged below 16 with the bat in the three Tests with a combined two half-centuries in 12 innings, the legendary spin duo of Ashwin and Jadeja only shone sporadically.
The 10 wickets in the final Test helped Jadeja's tally to 16 wickets at a bowling average of 21.56 for the series but Ashwin finished with only nine wickets at an average of over 41.
Responding to a query regarding the Test retirement of the Indian seniors on Cricbuzz, Karthik said:
"What is the hurry boss? One bad series and already calling for the heads. I don't think so. I think, if they don't do well in the next 10 Test matches, then we will come back to this question and then it becomes a fair question, considering it's going to be another domestic season. For the moment, I don't think we need to group anyone anywhere."
India now has the uphill task of a five-Test series against Australia down under, starting November 22.
"We lack in ability to play spin" - Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik, however, acknowledged India's struggles with the ball and especially with the bat against spin during the 0-3 defeat to New Zealand at home.
Team India scored below 200 in three out of the six innings during the New Zealand series with left-arm spinners Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel enjoying incredible success in the second and third Test.
"Our bowling was not up to the mark. Our spinners, especially the experienced ones, didn't have a great series. Batting, without a doubt, we lack in ability to play spin. The defence game overall around the world has definitely decreased because of the white-ball formats and that goes without saying but the Indian players have struggled to cope against spin," Karthik added in the same interaction.
None of the Indian batters averaged over 45 in the New Zealand series, with Rishabh Pant and Washington Sundar being the only ones with a 40-plus batting average.
Team India also recorded their lowest-ever total in a home Test with 46 all-out in the first innings of the series opener in Bengaluru.