How could India give the game away?

SPORT

HE manner in which India’s 19-match winning streak in Test cricket ended has raised eyebrows among cricket commentators and former players.

Backed to extend their winning streak, especially since they were playing at home, India were bundled out cheaply, succumbing to Australia after just three days of the five-day match.

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar was one of those who backed the Indian team, who were beaten by 333 runs in the first Test of the fourmatch series in Pune.

The 43-year-old batsman said one loss did not decide the fate of the series and the Virat Kohli-led team would surely bounce back.

Chasing a mammoth 441, India succumbed to the leftarm spin of Steve O’Keefe, who returned with figures of 6/35 in the second innings to bundle the hosts out for a paltry 107.

“It was a tough game for us. But it is part and parcel of the game. The loss does not mean that the series is lost; the series is still wide open,” said Tendulkar.

“Given the spirit of the Indian team, they will fight back hard and the Australian team knows this because when we played in Australia and beat them, we knew they were going to come back at us really hard. And that is what makes sport interesting,” he added.

Former India Test skipper and current commentator Sunil Gavaskar said the Indian cricket team’s approach was “careless”.

Gavaskar also criticised the lack of fight by the Virat Kohli-led side.

“I can’t really remember India losing in two-and-a-half days. It was a bit surprising the way India tackled the Australian spinners. It was probably a bad day. I am disappointed with the lack of fight shown by the Indian team. Getting out in 75 overs in two innings is just not done. This was one of the worst defeats for the Indian team,” he added.

The diminutive former opening batsman hailed the way the Australians approached the Test, despite being considered the underdogs in the run-up to the fourmatch Test.

“It was amazing to watch the way the Australians fought on a pitch they were not familiar with. Credit to Matt Renshaw and Steve Smith for the way they batted,” said the 1983 World Cup winner.

Meanwhile, veteran off -spinner Harbhajan Singh, who predicted a 4-0 verdict in favour of India in the run-up to the four-match Test series, blamed the pitch for the home team’s 333-run loss.

The 36-year-old Singh had predicted India, who had thrashed New Zealand, England and Bangladesh, would win the series against the Australians comfortably.

The Punjab tweaker, however, had a go at the pitch, which remained slow and low throughout the course of the game. He said he hoped the team would get better tracks in the remaining three matches.

“Let’s hope we play on good tracks from here and get the right results,” he said on Twitter.

Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif said the loss, a first at home since 2012, was a good wake-up call for the Indian side and too much spin on the wicket could help both sides.

“Kohli will be gutted with this performance. But it’s good that the bad game is done with early. I can’t see India repeating this,” he said.

With Australia 1-0 up in the series, Kohli’s boys will aim to settle the scores when the two teams face off in the second Test in Bengaluru, which starts on Saturday.