Time for Kohli to hand over the reins to Rahane and Sharma

Bangalore - Kohli’s record has prompted the ICC to name him captain of its ‘Test team of the decade’, but most of his wins have come at home

India’s 42 all out in the second innings of the second Test at Lord’s in England in 1974 was followed by an innings defeat in the next Test. In stark contrast, the new low of 36 in the first Test of the current India-Australia series had a complete reversal in the following Test in Melbourne.

Naturally, the initial plaudits have gone to the mental strength of this team to come back from the debacle in Adelaide, coping not only with the humiliation but also the absence of their best batsman, Virat Kohli, and strike bowler, Mohammed Shami, to win the next Test.

While Kohli returned home to be with his wife for the birth of their first child, Shami’s right arm got fractured fending off a bouncer from Pat Cummins in the last rites of the Adelaide demolition.

India even lost the services of fast bowler Umesh Yadav early in the second innings in Melbourne, but still bowled out Australia for 200 on a pitch that was easing up. The fortitude to keep overcoming setbacks is indeed stirring. But it’s also worth looking deeper at strategic factors that contributed to the turnaround, and draw inspiration on how to go “onwards and upwards from here,” as Kohli tweeted from India after the victory.

The change in captaincy had a huge role. Kohli has the more aggressive persona, but it was Ajinkya Rahane who showed a more attacking approach in the field, maintaining relentless pressure on the Aussie batsmen with fielders in catching positions. His early introduction of spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on the first morning to claim the prize scalp of Steve Smith with a leg trap set the tone for the Test.

The most telling factor was the team selection, which helped India put enough runs on the board for their bowlers to defend.

Shubman Gill should have been a shoo-in as an opener for the first Test, given his IPL and India A performances, a first class average of nearly 70, and sound technique. He replaced Prithvi Shaw, who was a poor choice as opener, given the gaping flaws in his bat swing.

While Gill provided solidity at the top, the replacement of Wriddhiman Saha with Rishabh Pant gave the late middle order the counterpunching ability it lacked in the first Test where India allowed Australia to regain the upper hand.

He got a modest 29 but that was when India’s fastest 50 came. This matters because bowlers can be put under the pump when the ball gets old and the bite goes out of the attack. In fact, Australia played into India’s hands in the second innings in Melbourne by being overly defensive.

Sumit Chakraberty is a writer based in Bangalore. Write to him at chakraberty@gmail.com

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