No excuses for India Whatsoever.
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The way India lost the second test match it is very difficult to believe that India is World Number 1 team. Now the possibility of whitewash cannot be denied. Until and unless India comes out with something other than Kohli. Three main reasons which I feel led to India's defeat are Team Selection, Importance of Toss and Tactics applied. Nothing is out of these three main topics which made world no.1 kneel down in front of the English team.
Let's discuss these three points one by one in detail:
Team Selection:
India has completely messed up with their team combinations in both the matches. In first test match when England was already planning to play Kuldeep Yadav, India didn't play him and what we saw Ashwin was the pick of the bowler in the first innings for India. Then in the second match when conditions were completely for fast bowlers India dropped Umesh Yadav and played Kuldeep. Both decisions backfired India as English batsman made India pay in both the matches. In the first match when the ball was turning and holding Kuldeep would have been difficult to handle by the English tale enders and Tom Curran's innings could have been cut short leading India to Victory but this didn't happen.
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In the second match, it was overcast conditions and rain was playing hide and seek making conditions favorable for pacers and in that condition what Kohli and Shastri decided was just a shocker. They played Kuldeep for Umesh and as a result, India had to use Hardik Pandya has the third seamer and Kuldeep was off color from ball one. England were 131/5 in the first innings and extra seamer at that time could have kept India in the game rather than intensity continuously dropping after Shami's spell.
Also dropping Pujara in the first game was crucial but India somehow copped with it but end up losing by about 30 runs. But these two decisions were losing ones and I am sure Kohli and Shastri would have realized this by now and I am hoping for a better team combination in upcoming matches.
Importance of Toss:
This is true that India is not playing best of Cricket but luck factor and importance of toss in both the matches cannot be denied.
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England was lucky to win the toss in both the matches and they decided to do what Kohli would have also preferred to do. But as Kohli always says, toss is something which is not in our hand so we have to accept whatever comes our way. India fought well in the first match after losing the toss as conditions were suitable for batting but still, India got England out cheaply in the first innings.
But Pitch and weather in the Second test match were completely different. India would have definitely liked to face English bowlers in bright conditions but Kohli lost the toss again and England put India in to bat and then from first over itself English bowlers made Indian batsman life difficult in the middle.
I know if's and buts are the only thing left after losing a match but being an Indian supporter I seriously feel that If India would have won the toss and sent England to bat first then It would have been an Interesting match altogether. I am just hoping Kohli to get some luck from his wedding ring which he kissed after hitting century so that at least India can put up some sort of fight in coming matches.
Tactics:
Third and the most important point in my analysis is Tactics. I was hoping India to prepare well for this tour and getting their tactics right but this was not the case in these two test matches. India failed terribly in their tactics as a result of which India is under the immense pressure of losing 5-0.
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Indian bowlers have been brilliant in getting English top order out by making them play as much as they can but where India lacked was the support to their bowlers from another end. India always back their spinners to take wickets for them but we saw in the first innings of the first match that Ashwin was hard to handle by English batsmen but he didn't get support from another end which England to escape. If India would have played another spinner than it would have been a different game altogether.
Playing Rahul at the number three position in place of Pujara was another fault. Pujara is more steady in his tactics and can handle immense pressure whereas Rahul being in form still cannot defend the out swinging balls of English fast bowlers. India should have Pujara in the first match as well and should have made him bat at number three.
Another option that India can use in the upcoming matches is playing Rishabh pant and Karun Nair in place of Karthik and Rahane. I know this will be a huge change but looking into the situation Pant and Nair have been playing in this conditions for last two months and they have faced swinging bowlers well in their matches against England A. Also Karthik and Rahane are out of color and are not performing up to their caliber.
Summary
If in any way India wants to come back into the series then batsman have to play out of their skins and score some runs to put English batsman under pressure. We have seen for past two tours that India have made, to Africa and now in England, bowlers have done their job but batsman has led the team down everytime. I would like to say the combination of the above three factors can definitely lead India to respectable place keeping world number one title in mind.
Hoping India to show some fight and come back into the series.
Do share your views and opinion in the comment box so that we can discuss those as well.
Thanks for your time.