India vs Australia: Turning wickets will test India’s top order with Gill in the mix & Surya in the wings.
The first Test against Australia at Nagpur could pose a plethora of questions to India’s vaunted batting order, with turning wickets testing their techniques and temperaments. Express takes stock of the spin conundrum.
Suryakumar Yadav set to play
With a rank turner on cards at Nagpur, India is set to unleash Suryakumar Yadav in the middle order for his counter-attacking skills. Ironically, it could well be Surya’s T20 skills that might have pushed his case to the Test level. The thinking is that on a turner, any batsman might be undone by a brute and so, it would be prudent to go after the runs with some dare-devilry. Suryakumar has the shots against spin – from the conventional & reverse sweeps and slog sweeps to the inside-out aerial hits.
K L Rahul’s future at stake
It might be harsh, but Rahul can’t afford to fail in the first Test; else he might find himself in hot waters for the rest of the series. With some batsmen, their potential approach to the spinners is clear – Pujara will use his feet and try soft hands, Pant will try to attack, Shubman Gill will try to press fully forward or go right back and also deploy the slog-sweep; it’s not quite clear what’s Rahul’s way against spin. Will he try to wear them down or will he be more positive? This series presents him the greatest chance to cement that opener’s slot or fall by the side.
Shubman Gill will play at middle-order at Nagpur
Shubman Gill is in form and his game against spin is rated highly. In fact R Ashwin rates him as one of the toughest batsmen to bowl to – they have played against each other in domestic cricket.
His batting against spin flourished when the family moved to Chandigarh. He would play at a park outside the Mohali stadium where the older boys would play proper cricket games while the younger lot played in tailored conditions. Read rough, abrasive pitches. When spinners would bowl, there were no leg-side runs out there and neither could a batsman hit aerial shots.
“My spin batting developed there. Until then, I would just try hitting them. I began to learn the art of taking singles. I would step out to deliveries and push it around on the off-side for singles. I learnt two things there: Play spin either fully forward, or get well back. Never play from the crease. LBWs or bat-pad-catches would happen,” Gill had once told this newspaper.
But if Rahul fails at Nagpur, and Gill succeeds, they might well push Gill to open in the second Test and have an extra batsman or bowler in the mix. Hence, the extra pressure on Rahul at Nagpur.
Srikar Bharat’s great opportunity
On the turners, India would wish to go in with the specialist wicketkeeper in the 29-year old Srikar Bharat. He has nine first-class hundreds and 27 fifties with an highest of 308; and is used to batting against spin.
He had dazzled with his wicketkeeping skills in Kanpur 2021 when he came on as Super Sub against New Zealand. When Will Young edged a very low catch off R Ashwin, Bharat, who hadn’t committed either way, pouched a superb catch, getting his knee down onto the ground. He then took a sharp chance offered by Ross Taylor off a quickish turner from Axar Patel, moving swiftly to his right with soft hands. He then finished off an excellent stumping off the bottom edge from Tom Latham. India would need that kind of skill on turning tracks at home.
Virat Kohli against spin
There is no pressure on Kohli’s spot but his batting against spin would make for compelling viewing. At this stage in his career, his batting on turners has sprung up as a possible question mark. In recent times, he hasn’t shown a clear method against them. The lack of domestic games perhaps is showing as that would have allowed him to develop a method he can trust. Instead, he has been trying to find it in Tests and has failed against Sri Lanka (at home) and in Bangladesh. He has kept switching his guard (from leg stump to middle) to see what works. He has also got himself in trouble off the back foot, often closing his bat-face and letting the ball spin past the blade. On occasions when he has got forward, he has just lunged ahead a la Ricky Ponting and warmed the palms of close-in fielders. This Australian series would offer his sternest test yet.
He has had his issues against legspin in the past but it’s not yet clear if Australia will play the leggie Mitchell Swepson immediately. On his good days, Rohit has shown a willingness to use his feet to both attack and defend. But he has been in trouble when he has just leaned forward without conviction and Nathan Lyon, as he has done in the past against him, would strive to get him lunging into trouble. Quickish turn has been his problem and much will depend on the kind of surfaces that he comes against – whether there will be slow-ish turn or quick.
