New Delhi: Former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble has lashed out at India after getting drubbed by New Zealand in the recently concluded Test series at home. On Sunday, India lost to the Black Caps by 25 runs in the third Test match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
While chasing a moderate total of 147 with almost three days in store, India once again faltered in their batting innings. Barring wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant (64), the home team batters failed to hold their composures and apply the basics of countering the spin. New Zealand spinners Ajaz Patel (6 for 57) and Glenn Phillips (3 for 42) stumbled the hosts on their toes, folding up their innings at 121 in 29.1 overs.
Reacting to India’s Test series defeat with a 3-0 margin, Kumble, who played 132 Test matches for India between 1990 and 2008, questioned India’s inefficacy to play against spin in what has been their favourable conditions to play.
“India need to introspect and then, you know, understand what kind of surfaces you need to play on as well. I think we spoke about it even in Pune before the start of the Test match itself. It was spin to win, but it’s certainly given New Zealand a chance to come out there and then do what they have done exceptionally well,” Kumble said on JioCinema.
Attitude and approach in batting needs a lot of questioning: Anil Kumble
India were bowled out for their lowest Test total (46) in home conditions when they were blown away in the first session of the opening Test match in Bengaluru. Indian batters were slammed throughout the series from moving away from the conventional approach and throwing away their wickets unnecessarily.
“The top order not even batting a session throughout the series, except for that one partnership in Bengaluru in the second innings (177 between Pant and Sarfaraz Khan) ,” Kumble said.
“Other than that, you know, in five innings, to sort of just go through a batting lineup like the Indian batting lineup in one session certainly says a lot about the approach, the attitude, and of course, needs a lot of questioning and how you could come out of this. A lot of concerns for India just before the quadrant,” he added.
India suffered their first whitewash in a three-match Test series at home in 91 years.
