Brilliant Bavumas message for India: Be careful what you wish for

In the 2012-13 series against England, when skipper M.S. Dhoni asked for a turning track at Eden Gardens, the curator Prabhir Mukherjee told him this was “immoral.” Coach Gautam Gambhir’s instructions, however, were taken on board by Mukherjee’s successor, but India lost again, making it four in six at home.

Visiting spinners claiming more wickets than Indians on home tracks is not a recent phenomenon. India lost to Australia in 1969-70 despite fielding the great spinners Erapalli Prasanna (26 wickets), Bishan Bedi (21), and S. Venkatraghavan and better batters against spin in the line-up. Ashley Mallett (28) and John Glesson (10) were the successful spinners while medium pacers Graham McKenzie and Alan Connolly had 38 wickets between them.

“Better batters against spin” turned out to be an exaggeration then, as it appears to be now. The Indian spinners kept telling their batters, as Bedi often reminded us, “Please give us at least 250 runs to bowl at.”

Challenging the home team

In the last century, home tracks often challenged the home team. Richie Benaud (23 wickets to Vinoo Mankad’s 11 and Subhash Gupte’s 12) in 1956 (Australia won 2-0), Derek Underwood (29 to Bedi’s 25) in 1975-76 as England won 3-1 are other examples. Just over a decade ago, England won a series in India after 28 years thanks to Graeme Swann (20 wickets) and Monty Panesar (17). By themselves these statistics may not tell the whole story, but together they point to a pattern, perhaps suggesting the adage about spin in India might not necessarily be true.

It is also useful to remember that just as India’s game against pace and swing while playing abroad has improved well enough to win them series in Australia and England, the preparation against spin by visiting teams has seen a sea-change too.

Gambhir might have, by his own admission, got the wicket he wanted in Kolkata, but you have to be careful what you wish for. If two spinners cannot do the job, there is little point in picking four, at least one of whom is bound to be under-bowled, and only one can be classed a genuine Test all-rounder.

So where did India lose the Test? When they were dismissed for 189 in the first innings? When they collapsed in the second? On the third morning, India took their foot off the pedal, allowing South Africa to score 60 runs. Some of their intensity was gone. India seemed to feel it was only a matter of time, as if their win was pre-ordained and South Africa’s batters would merely have to play out the roles allotted to them.

Missing a trick

This is a dangerous attitude in Test cricket. Things don’t just happen, you have to go out and make them happen. Rishabh Pant, normally a proactive captain might have delayed bringing on Jasprit Bumrah. You start the day’s play with your best bowler; especially against the bottom half of the batting. That is woven into the fabric of strategy.

Gambhir may have been right when he said that the 124 to win was gettable. Clearly he didn’t explain how and why well enough to his batters. South Africa were superb, India choked.

Temba Bavuma didn’t get to lead his team to ten wins in 11 matches by hanging around and allowing things to happen. He made things happen. His captaincy is a lesson for both Pant and Gill, the latter forced to watch from his hospital bed (if at all). Quietly, professionally, Bavuma went about his business. He should have been Player-of-the-Match as much for his captaincy as for his batting. In Marco Jansen and off-spinner Simon Harmer he had men for the job. Their self-belief was evident.

Indian batters tend to look down upon off spin, viewing it as fodder in any format. Perhaps that’s why Washington Sundar was given just one over on a helpful track.

India were once seen as tigers at home, but lambs abroad. The turnaround has been startling. If Gambhir is beginning to feel insecure, he has time enough to look afresh at the team’s attitude. It ain’t over till the fat lady sings is a cliché in sport for a good reason.