What’s The Matter With … India’s Test performance?

Sachin Tendulkar’s lack of runs have rightly been highlighted as a leading reason for India’s first home Test series defeat to England in 28 years, but in reality only three players pulled their weight.

Tendulkar’s Test career is in doubt after scoring just 112 runs across his six innings, but he was not the only batsman to struggle against the English attack.

Virat Kohli had scored five successive Test fifties in India ahead of the series, but managed just 85 runs across the first three Tests.

A century at Nagpur did boost his average substantially, but he certainly has a point to prove in the shorter form of the game when England re-oppose India.

Gautam Gambhir may have averaged over 41, but having regularly got himself in, he should have instigated some big batting totals to pile the pressure on England.

Instead, his top score was only 65.

Meanwhile, the bowling was dismal after India’s thumping first Test victory.

No fast bowler took more wickets than Umesh Yadav and he only played in the first Test, while James Anderson took as many wickets as the Indian quicks combined on his own.

In fact, aside from Yadav, no Indian bowler averaged under 30, in comparison to four English bowlers.

Furthermore, Ravichandran Ashwin was largely picked because of the quality of his spin bowling, but he took wickets at an average of over 52.

He did at least contribute with the bat and India may have been better moving him a couple of places up the order to make room for an extra bowler.

India are now relying on the two-game T20 series with England to salvage some pride and it is 11/8 that they secure a series success, with 4/7 the price that they win the first meeting at Pune.

All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date