Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has launched a scathing critique of the Indian batting lineup, citing a lack of temperament and discipline as key factors in their recent struggles in Test cricket. His remarks come in the wake of India's series defeat against South Africa, a loss that has prompted serious questions about the team's approach to the five-day format.
Singh argues that modern Indian batsmen have become too accustomed to the fast-paced nature of T20 cricket, leading to a decline in their patience and resilience at the Test level. He emphasized that the kind of temperament needed to play Test cricket requires effort, hard work, and discipline, qualities he feels have been missing for many years. He points out that the current conditions have led to a lack of patience and discipline among players, qualities that are crucial for success in Test cricket.
Harbhajan has also called for a reevaluation of how pitches are prepared for Test matches in India. He believes that the team management should move away from creating heavily spin-assisted surfaces that have historically favored the Indian team. According to Harbhajan, these pitches have led to shorter matches, often concluding within two or three days. He argues that this trend has resulted in a loss of essential skills among players, particularly the ability to endure and perform in five-day matches.
Singh also analyzed India's performance in Guwahati, where the pitch appeared fair and the match reached the final day, yet India collapsed twice. He stated, “South Africa won the toss on this pitch and made 489… And then in the second innings, Team India collapsed for 140… So this is not just the fault of the pitch. I feel the biggest fault is your temperament".
The former off-spinner highlighted the declining batting averages of prominent players like Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Ajinkya Rahane as a consequence of these issues. He noted that their averages have dropped from impressive figures to around 35-40. Harbhajan insists that the focus should shift towards developing better pitches that promote fair competition.
Harbhajan urged Indian cricket to prioritize better pitches over favorable results and move on from its past. "For the betterment of Indian cricket, I think they should forget what has happened in the last 10 to 12 years... start playing on better wickets to save the future generation of Indian cricket," he stated. He believes that the current trend of favoring spin-friendly surfaces is detrimental to the future of Indian cricket.
Furthermore, Harbhajan expressed his concern that the current crop of Indian cricketers does not know how to play five-day Test cricket, given how accustomed they are to wickets that guarantee a two- or three-day finish almost every match. He added that Test cricket demands patience and discipline — qualities he feels have faded due to recent conditions.
In light of these concerns, Harbhajan has called for a shift in focus towards nurturing the next generation of Indian cricketers by providing them with opportunities to develop their skills on more challenging and well-rounded pitches. He felt India cannot talk about promoting Test cricket if they dish out wickets like the one in Kolkata where the Test ended inside three days on a dry, turning pitch.
