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Indian Express
7 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
From 2129 runs in Australia to 3809 in England: The secret to India's batting turnaround revealed
By January when the Border-Gavaskar Trophy ended this year, India scored a grand total of 2126 runs in the five-Test series against Australia. By August, for the same number of Tests in England, the tally skyrocketed to 3809, the second highest-ever aggregate runs in a series, since Tests were formalised a century-and-a-half back. How did the molehill turn into a mountain in a matter of months? The quality of pitches and bowlers could be a factor but that can't be the primary reason for this abnormal Indian run-spike and Shubman Gill's young team's record-breaking historic feat. There is more to the story of Indian batting's smooth transition in the post Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma era. Voices from the Indian dressing room – officially and anonymously – have hinted at the introduction of a new batting approach that magically turned a bunch of talented but under-performing Test batsmen into run machines. The new batting modus operandi is closer to the good-old Test match approach and more refined than the batting philosophy prevalent over the last few years. The small tweak is in the messaging. Unlike in the past, batsmen aren't told to constantly look for runs or forced to 'show intent' – the buzzword of the previous era. In Australia, the Indian batsmen didn't spend much time on the pitch. They were restless, they got edgy when the dot balls piled up. The lack of patience would see them go searching for the boundary balls since they were under instruction to 'show intent' all the time. For some it worked, for most it didn't. In Australia it overwhelmingly flopped. Batsmen would get out poking at balls that were best left alone or they would gift wickets to bowlers while attempting big shots against good balls. Advanced data, made available from Cricket-21, showed Indian batsmen on the 2024-25 tour of Australia, were not in control of the strokes they played and committed fatal errors. India's false shot percentage dropped down to 15.9 percent across 1052.1 overs of batting in England, a significant upgrade from the 19.90 false shot percentage in only 657 overs in Australia. For the England tour, after intense scrutiny, a fresh plan was presented to the young batting line-up minus Kohli and Rohit. At the core of the change was head coach Gautam Gambhir's strong conviction – the one that he shared with the dressing room on landing in England – that his new-look wasn't a 'young team but a gun team'. Acknowledging the proven international credentials of Shubman & Co and appreciating the hours they put in at the nets, the batting line-up was told to be patient and not be over-eager to hunt boundary balls. Their extensive white-ball experience, they were reminded, gave them the muscle memory to dispatch bad balls out of the boundary. Seek and you shall not find but trust your instincts and the runs will come by – that is the new golden principle of this team. It helped that for the first time since Gambhir took over, the Indian team had a batting coach in Sitanshu Kotak, not an international star but a battle-hardened domestic batsman in his playing days who put a high-price tag on his wicket. After a long first-class career and extensive experience of playing club cricket in England, Kotak coached Saurashtra team for five years and later joined Rahul Dravid's team at NCA and was in charge of India A team. There was a constant shadow of Gambhir and Kotak at the batting nets all through the England tour. On the ground, there were no long chats but subtle signaling. Kotak would appreciate and applaud every good stroke a batsman played while Gautam would be in the background nodding his head. Once in a while the head coach would have a short chat as a padded up batsman moved from the nets to where the kit bags were put. The two batsmen with dramatic turnarounds from Australia to England have been Shubman and Rishabh Pant. Once again the statistics show that the reason for their stupendous run was how they had cut down on risks and thus minimised the errors they committed. The idea conveyed by the coaches to the next big two Indian batsmen was to spend more time on the pitch. The coaches felt that batsmen of the caliber of Shubman and Pant would always find a way to score runs regardless of the challenges that pitch and bowlers threw at them. But for that they needed to be at the crease for a much longer time than they did in Australia. They did. While Gill was dismissed roughly every 32 balls in Australia, the Englishmen only had a chance once every 115 deliveries during a record-breaking run where he faced 1150 balls. The count similarly shot up for Pant from 48 balls per wicket in Australia to 88.17 on average in England. More time at the crease meant increased command over attacking shots. Gill's control percentages on attacking strokes against pace vaulted from 71.9 (in 32 balls) in Australia to 89.8 percent in England, lasting 215 balls. Shoring up his attacking shots average from 40.5 to 58 between the two series, Pant's control similarly soared from 71.4 in Australia to 86.5 in England. Pant would hint at the new batting change after he scored two hundreds in the first Test. This was his first Test outing after the miserable Aussie tour, where he scored just one fifth of this haul in 5 Tests. 'Aap apni khamiyon pe work karte ho (You work on your limitations) … that helps to change a setback into a comeback … I am able to change myself through hard work, focus and a bit of discipline,' he said. That 'bit of discipline' was the reason why opinions about Pant the batsman were changing. Sunil Gavaskar, who famously reacted to one of his ugly hoicks in Australia with a 'stupid, stupid, stupid' comment was now calling Pant's Leeds effort 'superb, superb, superb.' There was another hint – this time by Shubman before the second Test – that something new was cooking in the Indian dressing room. In the first Test, Shubman had scored a sparkling 147, his career best at that point. His innings had ended with an embarrassing mode of dismissal – he had needlessly stepped out to the unremarkable offie Shoaib Basheer, didn't reach the pitch of the ball, still swung his bat and gave a catch to the only player on the square boundary. Shubman would blame himself for the Leeds defeat and at the pre-second Test press conference said that he needed to be more selective in his strokes even when he was in such fine touch. The next game he spent more time on crease, better than his career best, scoring a 269. Pant has been a revelation in this series. He is the vice-captain, a seasoned player at 27, but he is the find of the tour. Never ever in his international career has the solidity of his batting stood out like it did in England. He still reads the mind of the bowler and steps out of the crease to unsettle him – a clear calculated risk that gives him a mental edge in his battle with the rival bowler and the captain. He still goes tumbling down while scooping the ball over the wicket-keeper's head but there rarely is a loose drive or half-hearted pull shot. But the most assuring sight for the Indian dressing room was his stout and sturdy defense. His dead bat defense can break the heart of any inspired bowlers, Ben Stokes included. Like Shubman, he also makes amends after hitting a rash stroke. After getting out to the offie Basheer on the fence, he came roaring back to punish the bowler in the next Test and hit a hundred. The way that the team management treats Pant shows that India's batting plan is not etched in stone. They can be customised. It is learnt that Gambhir doesn't push the 'patience' policy too hard on the team's two free-flowing batsmen – Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal. They aren't asked to totally curb their attacking instincts. Pant and Jaiswal are told to be watchful. The thought behind this is to make them realise the importance of being judicious by their own experience. That realisation seemed to have dawned on Pant, it seems. Jaiswal is still a work in progress. After 13 years of international cricket, one of Indian cricket's most accomplished all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja had the best batting series of his career. He looked in touch in Australia but in England he proved to be the spine of the batting line-up. There hasn't been a big change in his batting approach. Jadeja anyways wasn't in the business of 'showing intent'. What has worked for the all-rounder has been the respect and importance he is finally getting that is on par with his stature. For long one-of-the backroom boys, Gambhir, Kotak and Jadeja can be seen going into a huddle many a time in the nets. Look for the hug Jadeja gave Gambhir after the Oval win to understand the role played by coaches. KL Rahul, the second highest scorer of the series, too was more sure about his stroke play in England as compared to Australia. Data shows he played 177 attacking shots in England as compared to 85 in Australia, the confidence coming from his ability to spot the bad balls and avoid playing the good ones. As the long tour progressed, India's tailenders too started contributing with the bat. They almost dragged India across the line at Lord's. No.10 and 11 – Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj – gave Jadeja company at Lord's as India almost accomplished the impossible. Given the top order came up woefully short at Lord's, it can be said that this batting model is still work in progress, and needs greater grit when chasing totals in fourth innings, on tougher pitches. But Akash Deep's unexpected 66 as night watchman showed the change has trickled down the order and run-making is infectious.
Hans India
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
IPL 2025: DC seek return to winning ways against erratic KKR
New Delhi: Delhi Capitals (DC) will be looking to rebound from their loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) when they face an erratic defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday evening. With just a day's break, apart from focusing on their recovery processes, DC have a lot to think in terms of improving their top-order returns and batting against spinners at home. Against RCB, Abishek Porel was at his sublime best in timing, but couldn't convert it into a big score yet again. It also didn't help DC that Faf du Plessis was rusty on his return from a groin injury and Karun Nair fell cheaply. Though DC have benefitted from batters stepping up on different occasions, they need to rectify their game-plan of facing spinners. On a two-paced pitch, DC just couldn't get going against the RCB spin duo of Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma, who were relentless in bowling stump to stump line and didn't give any breathing space, as they gave away only 50 runs in their eight combined overs. The duo getting grip from the pitch also meant someone like KL Rahul wasn't at his aggressive best and had to play as per the conservative path. As per statistics from Cricket-21, DC have lost 23 wickets to spinners in the tournament so far, which is joint second alongside RCB on a list led by Chennai Super Kings (26), with the average standing at 29.78. Though their strike-rate of 155 is the second-best after Gujarat Titans and run-rate against spinners stand at 9.3, which is joint second-best with Lucknow Super Giants, that hasn't really translated into dominating wins for DC at Kotla, where pitches have shown characteristics of its pre-2024 season days. With DC fortunately ahead of KKR in the race to the playoffs, they need to devise ways of solving this issue of batting against spinners and ensure being outclassed by MI and RCB spinners at Kotla is anything but mere aberration. In terms of bowling, apart from Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav at their frugal best, DC can also have a relook at their bowling plans. Not bowling Mitchell Starc again after end of 16th over and giving Vipraj Nigam just one over wasn't the smartest of decision-making from slipper Axar , who was also short of options due to Mukesh Kumar being taken for runs on Sunday. On the other hand, KKR doesn't boast of greatest record against spinners – losing 21 wickets in eight games to them. The strike-rate (139), run-rate (8.3) and average (21.31) are also at a low. With two losses on the trot and a home match against Punjab Kings abandoned due to rain, time is running out for KKR, whose playoffs hopes are left hanging by a slim thread. Apart from Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, KKR's middle and lower-order batting, having the likes of Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh, hasn't really inspired much confidence. The side hasn't produced a single fifty-run opening stand, which has also hurt them big time. If there is anything where KKR have found some solace, it's in their bowlers - pacers Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora have fared well, while spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine have done a tidy job. With KKR having a 5-4 head-to-head record against DC in games at Kotla and chance for its spinners Chakaravarthy plus Narine to make merry in friendly conditions, the visitors' will feel hopeful about bringing their campaign back on track against DC, who are aiming to get a second win at their original home venue. When: Tuesday, April 29 at 7:30pm IST Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi Where to watch: Live telecast on Star Sports Network and live streaming on JioHotstar Squads: Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel (captain), Faf du Plessis, KL Rahul (wk), Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, Mitchell Starc, Vipraj Nigam, Karun Nair, Ashutosh Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sameer Rizvi, T. Natarajan, Darshan Nalkande, Dushmantha Chameera, Donovan Ferreira, Ajay Mandal, Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, and Madhav Tiwari. Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Quinton de Kock (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Moeen Ali, Ramandeep Singh, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia, Anukul Roy, Mayank Markande, Spencer Johnson, and Chetan Sakariya.
NDTV
27-04-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
"Go Be A Captain, Don't Fool Around": Dinesh Karthik Stumps Axar Patel During Nets Session
As Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) reach the capital for an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match against the Delhi Capitals, so did Dinesh Karthik, a former member of the Delhi franchise. On the eve of the contest between the two sides, Karthik met DC captain Axar Patel while the latter was batting in the nets. A brief meet and greet between the two turned into Karthik reminding Axar that he is a captain and should focus on batting practice in the nets. "Don't joke around, please carry on batting. That's exactly why I don't come near the nets," was the RCB mentor's message to the DC skipper. Here's how the conversation went: Axar Patel: DK Bhai ko hello toh bolunga na. (I will say hello to my brother, DK) Dinesh Karthik: Go be a captain. Axar Patel: Arey DK bhai, bhai ho yaar aap. (You are my brother, DK) Dinesh Karthik: Eh tu khel na yaar. Mazak mat kar. Islie main net ke paas nahi ata. (You go and bat, don't fool around. That's exactly why I don't come near the nets). DK bhai se milne ke liye sab ruk sakta hai — Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) April 26, 2025 Both teams have a well-rounded look and that reflects from them having 12 points each – though DC are ahead of RCB on the basis of net run rate and having one defeat less than them. RCB have won six of their ten meeting against DC in New Delhi, both teams are literally neck to neck in how they have gone about their business in batting and bowling. As per statistics from Cricket-21, RCB have a better strike-rate (161) and run-rate (9.7) in batting power-play as compared to DC (155 and 9.3 respectively), thanks in large part to Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal being in great form. But when it comes to batting in the middle and death overs, DC have the upper hand. With the firepower of KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs and Ashutosh Sharma, DC have a strike-rate of 152, and run-rate of 9.1 in middle overs, which is more than what RCB have in that phase (139 and 8.3 respectively). In the last five overs, DC's strike-rate is a massive 205 and run-rate at 12.3, which is again more than RCB's numbers (190 and 11.4 respectively). When the last time these two teams met at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Rahul's 93 not out and an unbeaten 38 from Stubbs lifted DC out of trouble after losing three wickets in the powerplay and put them on the path to an astonishing victory.
Hans India
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
IPL 2025: With optimism on a high, DC and RCB set to face-off in a high-stakes showdown
New Delhi: High spirits and optimistic anticipation will dominate the mood around the Arun Jaitley Stadium as Delhi Capitals (DC) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face-off in a high-stakes IPL 2025 showdown on Sunday evening. Both teams have a well-rounded look and that reflects from them having 12 points each – though DC are ahead of RCB on the basis of net run rate and having one defeat less than them. RCB have won six of their ten meeting against DC in New Delhi, both teams are literally neck to neck in how they have gone about their business in batting and bowling. As per statistics from Cricket-21, RCB have a better strike-rate (161) and run-rate (9.7) in batting power-play as compared to DC (155 and 9.3 respectively), thanks in large to Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal being in great form. But when it comes to batting in middle and death overs, DC have the upper hand. With the firepower of KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs and Ashutosh Sharma, DC have a strike-rate of 152, and run-rate of 9.1 in middle overs, which is more than what RCB have in that phase (139 and 8.3 respectively). In the last five overs, DC's strike-rate is a massive 205 and run-rate at 12.3, which is again more than RCB's numbers (190 and 11.4 respectively). When the last time these two teams met at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Rahul's 93 not out and an unbeaten 38 from Stubbs lifted DC out of trouble after losing three wickets in the powerplay and put them on the path to an astonishing victory. With some purchase on offer for spinners at Kotla, which has a fast outfield and smaller dimensions, DC will bank on their firepower in the middle if they are to outclass RCB's top-order batting might. In terms of bowling, it is very much the same story with little adjustments. RCB have a better economy rate (8.3) and picked more wickets (15) than DC (9.8 economy rate and 12 scalps) in the powerplay. Though RCB have picked 23 wickets in middle overs, which is one more than DC, the hosts' have a better economy rate (8.5) as compared to the visitors' (8.8). In death overs, again RCB (17) has more scalps than DC (14), but the hosts' have a better economy rate (9.5) as compared to visitors (10). Who knows that in a run-fest, the result of Sunday's game will be decided by how the bowlers fare. DC have been blessed by Axar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc and Vipraj Nigam holding their own in crucial situations while RCB have the services of Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma to capitalise on their recent joy of the first home win of this season. When RCB landed at Delhi airport ahead of their game against DC, fans were quick to swarm the exit area and chant local lad Kohli's name. The talismanic batter, who has six IPL fifties at his home venue, will again be the centre of attention on Sunday. It remains to be seen if love and support for Kohli will upstage the new-found admiration in Delhi's cricket fans for Rahul, who left RCB and Chinnaswamy, stunned with a mesmerising batting display and an animated 'this is my ground' celebration. The DC-RCB showdown in New Delhi has all the ingredients to be a nail-biter, as both teams are nearly evenly matched in batting and bowling statistics. Come Sunday, and amidst an atmosphere of high optimism, and nervous anticipation, there will be interesting subplots to keep tabs on, with the crucial clash culminating in only one team's jubilation. When: Sunday, April 27 at 7:30 pm IST Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi Where to watch: Live telecast on Star Sports network and live streaming on JioHotstar. Squads: Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel (captain), Faf du Plessis, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, Mitchell Starc, Vipraj Nigam, Karun Nair, Ashutosh Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sameer Rizvi, T. Natarajan, Darshan Nalkande, Dushmantha Chameera, Donovan Ferreira, Ajay Mandal, Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, and Madhav Tiwari. Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Rajat Patidar (c), Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Dar Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Abhinandan Singh, Romario Shepherd, Lungi Ngidi, Nuwan Thushara, Mohit Rathee, Swastik Chikara.
