Former Indian batsman VVS Laxman has stated that the batsmen’s application and technique were tested to the limits on the Ahmedabad pitch. All the batsmen, except Zak Crawley and Rohit Sharma, failed to show any kind of gumption in the previous Test. Rohit scored a total of 91 runs in the last Test match whereas Crawley scored 53 runs in the first innings.
Meanwhile, England was 74-2 at one stage in the first innings after electing to bat first but they were snuffed out for a paltry score of 112 runs as the visitors lost the last eight wickets for only 38 runs.
On the other hand, India were 99-3 in their first essay but they lost the last seven wickets for only 46 runs and were skittled out for a meager score of 145. Subsequently, England was dismissed for a paltry score of 81 runs in their second innings. Thus, the batsmen were not able to show any stomach for the fight.
“Definitely the pitch was a very challenging one but also the application and the technique were tested as far as the batsmen are concerned. You get challenging wickets when you are playing international cricket,” said Laxman while talking to Star Sports Cricket Connected.
The former flamboyant batsman added that it is a given there will be help for the spinners in the Indian conditions, similarly, like the way, there is help for seamers in SENA countries.
“Sometimes when you go to Australia, you get a lot of cracks on the surface. When you go to England, you get seaming tracks and when you come to India or play in the subcontinent – Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or India – you expect turners. So I think that’s when the players will be disappointed that the technique they showed against the turning ball or the application they showed to grind through the tough period was definitely not there,” added Laxman.
Meanwhile, Laxman added it was not an ideal pitch for Test cricket as the spinners of both teams opened the bowling in the second innings. Laxman recalled that even former veteran spinners – Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh – didn’t even open the bowling in the Indian conditions.
There is no doubt that the batsmen were not able to get going in Ahmedabad and they will need to pull up their socks in the fourth Test match, which will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium from March 4.
