Pretty Hard to Take BGT Series Loss, Batters Need to Take Responsibility: Sunil Joshi

Australia Reclaims Border-Gavaskar Trophy

New Delhi: Australia reclaimed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney after ten years, ending India’s hopes of achieving a three-peat of Test series wins on Australian soil. The series exposed significant challenges in India’s batting lineup, as the team failed to surpass the 200-run mark in six out of nine innings.

Batting Struggles Persist

India’s batting woes continued despite occasional brilliance from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and KL Rahul. Senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (aside from his hundred in Perth), and Shubman Gill struggled, while Rishabh Pant had a disappointing tour.

This lack of cohesion mirrored earlier concerns about India’s batting, especially after their 3-0 series loss to New Zealand at home.

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Sunil Joshi’s Analysis

Former India spinner and ex-chief selector Sunil Joshi expressed disappointment over the team’s batting performance in their 3-1 series defeat to Australia.

“It’s pretty hard to take, but the batters need to take responsibility. The coaching staff also needs to communicate effectively with players, whether through hard or subtle methods. This is a bitter pill, but we must accept it,” Joshi said.

He highlighted the need for patience, skill adjustments, and better execution by India’s top six batters, criticizing the repetitive nature of their dismissals.

Importance of Partnerships and Fielding

Joshi emphasized the importance of building partnerships, a strength displayed by the Australian team. He also pointed out India’s subpar fielding during the series, which compounded their struggles.

Need for Five Bowlers

Another critical area Joshi highlighted was the selection of all-rounders prioritized for batting over bowling. He argued that India needed to play five proper bowlers to win Test matches, especially in challenging overseas conditions like Australia.

“You need five bowlers to win, whether overseas or in India. The load on Jasprit Bumrah was immense, with him bowling over 150 overs in five Tests. Reducing his workload could have enhanced his effectiveness,” Joshi explained.

Bowlers Overworked Due to Lack of Runs

Joshi noted that India’s bowlers suffered due to the batters’ inability to post competitive totals. The lack of extended batting innings denied the bowlers adequate rest and recovery, impacting their performance.

“If the batters had put up runs and batted for 90 to 140 overs, the bowlers would have had time to recover and would have been more effective. That didn’t happen,” he said.

A Team Effort Needed

Joshi concluded by urging the team to accept collective responsibility for the series loss, rather than placing blame on individual players.

“The top six batters needed to score runs to support the bowlers. The team didn’t perform as a cohesive unit, and that’s why we lost. It’s important to accept it and work on improvements,” he added.