Former England captain Nasser Hussain has presented a harsh yet practical suggestion to India’s key batsmen following their defeat in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 Final. The Indian team’s performance with the bat was disheartening, resulting in a 209-run loss against Australia at the Oval.
Both innings witnessed a significant collapse in the batting lineup, with renowned players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma failing to assert their dominance.
India’s batsmen relinquished their wickets through poor shot selection, while Australian batsmen such as Steve Smith and Travis Head displayed a different level of discipline.
Rohit Sharma was dismissed leg-before-wicket by Nathan Lyon while attempting a sweep shot, whereas Virat Kohli carelessly played a shot well outside the off stump, leading to his downfall.
However, it was India’s batting collapse in the first innings that ultimately turned the tide against them. With key players like Rohit, Kohli, Pujara, and Gill departing cheaply, the star-studded batting lineup faltered, reaching a precarious 70 runs for the loss of 4 wickets.
Gill and Pujara’s dismissals were particularly horrendous, as they misjudged deliveries that went on to hit the stumps, leaving them bewildered at the crease.
Expressing his disappointment, former England captain Nasser Hussain criticized the approach of the Indian batsmen, particularly their struggle in dealing with a swinging ball.
According to Hussain, the top players failed to adapt effectively, prompting him to suggest that they study the techniques employed by Pakistan’s Babar Azam or New Zealand’s Kane Williamson when facing swing bowling.
Hussain implied that Babar Azam and Kane Williamson have demonstrated exemplary skills in handling swing, and he believed that India’s batsmen could learn valuable lessons from their approaches.
“Really disappointed with the Indian batters, their fans might come after me for saying this but I think Indian top order needs to look at Babar and Kane on how to play the pacers when the ball is moving around. Both of them do it so late,” Hussain said.
