New Delhi: Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali slammed India head coach Gautam Gambhir for his IPL-like tactics after New Zealand defeated India by 25 runs in the third Test in Mumbai to complete a 3-0 clean sweep in the three-match Test series against the hosts. New Zealand created history by becoming the first team to whitewash India in a three-match Test series on Indian soil.
It was yet another woeful batting display from India in their second innings of the third Test in Mumbai as they failed to chase down the target of 147 runs despite Rishabh Pant’s brilliant 64. Pant waged a lone battle for the hosts as the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill all failed to deliver in the tricky chase. However, the left-hander’s efforts were not enough to get India over the line.
The Indian batters struggled once against the New Zealand spinners on a turning red-soil track as Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips combined to run riot. Patel picked up a six-wicket haul in India’s 2nd innings to run through their batting line-up while Phillips bagged three wickets to spin the visitors to a historic 3-0 Test series victory.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Basit took a dig at Gambhir and said Indian fans must be missing former head coach Rahul Dravid after the crushing series defeat against New Zealand. Criticising Gambhir for using IPL-like tactics in Tests, the former Pakistan batter said the T20-like approach doesn’t work in the longest format.
“Aaj Indian community will be missing Rahul Dravid (today India must be missing Dravid),” Basit said in his video.
“You listen to interviews of coaches that nowadays (Test) matches don’t end as a draw. That’s right. But it doesn’t mean that if you are coming from winning the IPL, then you play Test matches also in the same fashion,” he added, slamming Gambhir for his tactics.
‘What’s ths use of copying Bazball?’
India were outplayed by New Zealand throughout the series, thanks to some horrible decision-making and tactics. India lost the first Test in Bengaluru by 8 wickets before suffering a 113-run defeat in Pune to concede the series. India lost the third Test by 25 runs in Mumbai to suffer a 3-0 whitewash and jeopardise their chances of making it to the WTC 2022-25 final.
Criticising Gambhir for using T20-like approach in Tests, Basit said there is no point of copying England’s famous ‘Bazball’ if it doesn’t yield results. He highlighted how Bazball has led England nowhere as they are yet to qualify for their maiden WTC final and that such tactics are of no use.
“T20 is something else, it will ruin your (Test) game. Everybody tried to copy Bazball. Did Bazball (England) qualify for the WTC final or a World Cup final? So what’s the use of adopting such a thing?,” said the former Pakistan batter.
India will be looking to bounce back strongly in the all-important Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia after their 3-0 drubbing against the Kiwis. The five-match Test series between India and Australia is set to get underway from November 22 with the first Test to be played in Perth. India need to win at least 4 Tests against the Aussies to confirm their spot in the WTC final.
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