- Cricket connoisseurs, fans, and experts would be vociferous in mentioning with absolute conviction how the home team usually enjoys advantages while hosting the visitors. The visiting teams are always taught to be at a disadvantage since the home team is not only familiar with the conditions on offer but also would have a say in preparing the pitches for the ensuing matches. Cricket fans familiar with this notion would also know that subcontinent pitches usually favour spinners while overseas destinations like England, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa aid the fast bowlers because of the prevailing conditions. Thus, subcontinent teams visiting overseas always find it difficult to master the conditions.
PC: Cric Today
- Likewise, visitors here would find it most challenging to navigate the vicious turners. Of course, we are aware of how the classical format of cricket, the Test matches, are considered the ultimate form of the game whose exploit by the team determines their level of supremacy. We know how the teams from the West Indies and Australia of yore used to dominate the cricketing firmament not only at home but also while visiting taking the conditions and pitches on offer out of the equation. Things have changed dramatically of late ever since the advent of the shortest format of the game made its ubiquitous presence. Yes, the popularity of the slam-bang variety is phenomenal, but success in Test match cricket still is the sole parameter to grade any team.
- Team India has been one of the most consistent playing at home making life difficult for the visiting teams to beat them. None of the teams over the last 12 years or so were successful in taming the home favourites. However, the less fancied but always pulling above the weight team like the Kiwis did the unthinkable recently by whitewashing Team India 3-0. Mind you, the Kiwis were beaten 2-0 by the Sri Lankans before embarking on a three-match Test series here. However, the dramatic turnaround witnessed in the fortunes of the New Zealanders must be considered no less than spectacular. Right from the first Test played in Bengaluru, the visitors never allowed the famed Indian cricket team to overcome mounting challenges through spirited performances.
PC: Expert Opinion
- The moot point to ponder over here is why Team India succumbed to the spinning guiles of the Kiwi bowlers when Indian batters are considered the best in the business. The struggles of some of the most accomplished batters in the Indian lineup are well documented and the statistics simply reaffirm the same. Prima facie it appears that a few of the famed batters have lost the edge in countering the spinning conditions simply because they have not played domestic cricket for years now. When did star batters like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma last played domestic cricket? Almost a decade back. The young batters in the team are yet to evolve in the international circuit. The BCCI, support staff, and the senior cricketers must do an honest soul search forthwith.
