Harbhajan questions India’s spin-friendly pitches; says “cannot give yourself that fake confidence”

Australia’s Mitchell Starc, left, celebrates after taking the wicket of India’s Virat Kohli at The Oval, London
| Photo Credit: AP

After India’s ICC World Test Championship final loss to Australia at The Oval, legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh raised questions over highly spin-friendly pitches in India, and how it affects India’s preparation for big matches, especially in pace-friendly conditions.

After their ICC World Test Championship title win against India in the final by 209 runs at The Oval, Australia made history by becoming the first-ever team to clinch all major ICC trophies.

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India was bundled out at 234 in 63.3 overs while chasing 444, with Mohammad Shami as the last player standing with a score of 13(8)*.

Harbhajan said that by finishing Test matches within just three days on spin-friendly Indian pitches, India cannot prepare itself fully for big clashes and they need to work hard for all five days, making it their habit.

“You cannot give yourself that fake confidence after playing and winning matches on bad pitches where the ball starts spinning from ball one. You will have to develop a habit of working hard for five days. Only then you will find yourself prepared better for these big matches. Fast bowlers do not get to bowl much on these pitches, spinners are used right from the first over. There are a lot of things we should rectify,” said Harbhajan on Star Sports after the match.

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In the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia at home earlier this year, wickets were extremely spin friendly and three out of four Tests ended in three days. Spinners dominated the series heavily, with Ravichandran Ashwin (25 wickets), Ravindra Jadeja (22 wickets) and Nathan Lyon (22 wickets) being the top wicket-takers.

Coming to the ICC World Test Championship match, India started Day 5, at 164/3, with Virat Kohli (44*) and Ajinkya Rahane (20*) unbeaten at the crease. However, a game-changing over by Scott Boland, which saw him trap Virat for 49 and Ravindra Jadeja for a duck, started India’s downfall.

Rahane was dismissed by Mitchell Starc for 46 while Srikar Bharat (23) was dismissed by Nathan Lyon. The Indian batting line-up failed to put up a fight, bundling out for 234 runs in 63.3 overs to hand Australia the win.

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Lyon was the pick of the bowlers for Australia, taking 4/41. Boland took 3/46 while Starc got two wickets. Skipper Pat Cummins got one wicket. On Day 4, India ended at 164/3, with Virat Kohli (44*) and Ajinkya Rahane (20*) unbeaten at the crease. Skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill (18) gave the team a brisk start with a 41-run opening stand, but a controversial catch by Cameron Green on Boland’s delivery ended the partnership.

A 51-run stand between Rohit and Cheteshwar Pujara helped India carry forward the chase with attacking intent. But Lyon dismissed Rohit for 43 and Cummins removed Pujara for 27 to reduce India to 93/3. From that point on, Rahane and Virat formed a 71-run stand to end the fourth day strongly.

Australia declared their innings at 270/8, gaining a lead of 443 runs. Australia was restricted to 24/2 at one point, but Marnus Labuschagne (41) and Steve Smith (34) brought back Australia into the game. Later, contributions from middle-order/lower-middle-order players like Cameron Green (25), a half-century from wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey (60*) and his 93-run stand with Mitchell Starc (41) increased Australia’s lead over India.

Ravindra Jadeja was the pick of the bowlers for India, taking 3/58. Umesh Yadav (2/54) and Mohammed Shami (2/39) got two wickets each while Mohammed Siraj got one scalp. In their first innings, India was bundled out for 296 runs. India trailed Australia by 173 runs, who had scored 469 runs in their first innings.

India’s top order failed in their first innings too. Rohit Sharma (15), Shubman Gill (13), Cheteshwar Pujara (14) and Virat Kohli (14) failed to post big scores. But contributions from comeback man Ajinkya Rahane (89 in 129 balls, 11 fours and 1 six), Shardul Thakur (51 in 109 balls with 6 fours) and Ravindra Jadeja (48 in 51 balls with 7 fours and 1 six) helped India put on a fight after being restricted to 71/4.

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Pat Cummins (3/83), Nathan Lyon (2/19), Cameron Green (2/44), Scott Boland (2/59) and Mitchell Starc (2/71) were among the wickets for Australia. Australia’s 469 runs in the first innings were powered largely by centuries from Travis Head (163 in 174 balls, 25 fours and 1 six), and Steve Smith (121 in 268 balls, 19 fours). David Warner (43) and Marnus Labuschagne (26) made notable contributions, but Australia was reduced to 76/3.

From that point, Head and Smith attacked Indian bowlers, hitting their centuries. Later in the innings, Alex Carey also provided some much-needed extra runs with a knock of 48. Siraj (4/108) was the leading bowler for India in the first innings. Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Shami got two wickets while Jadeja got one.

Travis Head was adjudged the ‘Player of the Match’ for his attacking 163 runs.