Analysis of Joe Root's 5/8 in Pink ball Test match at Motera

[hoshiarpurexpress]

Rishabh Pant :

The footwork was not good. Normally you when you drive your head on top on the ball with your body behind it, to cover the ball and turn and stay on top. A poor shot where he tried to drive the ball just via his hands, and got the edge.

Washington Sundar :

He basically missed a straight one.. which happens lots of time. But again, you are told in domestic cricket day in and day out that to play spinners.. your left leg has to cover the ball and bring your bat forward. Poor technique again. But I can happen and lot of such dismissals happen.

Axar Patel :

Basically tried to hit the ball in air.. did not come off and caught due to a lofted drive.

Ashwin :

Well he had not choice.. with tailender's batting he tried to hoick a few.

Bumrah :
Well, again a cross batted heave by a typical tailender.

We can go through the same for the Axar's wickets as well..
50% of his dismissals were people missing dead straight balls.
Look at Bairstow's dismissals. Crawley was the worst in 2nd innings.
No commitment and played on the backfoot, with an angled bat.. Not even straight.

Sibley played an ugly cross batted heave.. a high risk shot.
Stokes, well Ashwin has taken him out 11 times now and Ashwin is deadly against left handers.. Just ask Sangakkara.

Just putting it here, as it is so typical to just bash the pitch and outside factors.. Rather then admitting that the defensive technique against spinners has gone down a lot, even for most of the Indian batters.

Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman etc will not have got out like this.. And Laxman was visibly not happy with Indias batting. They were also 100-3 and it was total collapse due to some wrong shots. Which, again can happen on any pitch.

Siva on commentary made a point that even the Indian players do not
play lots of domestic cricket these days due to packed Schedule.. this could be one reason.

The Pink ball, It seems to be skidding a bit more and comes of the pitch a bit faster which the players from both sides are not used to. This also could be a factor.

But, As Usual, No one wants to do an objective analysis and just wants to bash.
Hamare time mein pitches aisi thi... Hamare time mein yeh hota to woh ho jata.
Well there was no DRS back in the days.. I remember lots of test matches where if DRS decisions were there, matches would have finished in 2-3 days.

[Slog]

Lol why are you losing it here.

I didn’t watch the game so can’t comment on the pitch.

But I’ll say one thing. Saying that most batsmen got out to straighter ones doesn’t mean that pitch isn’t poor or a rank turner etc. It just shows that the pitch is a lottery and the batsmen is always in two minds deciding whether to play for the spin or not because there is no genuine way to decipher that based on skill and experience due to the unpredictable nature of the pitch.

So the pitch may have not been that bad but pointing to batsmen getting out to straighter deliveries isn’t a way to get that point across and certain it isn’t evidence. Just saying this because even Kohli said this post match.

[Aman]

lol Indians trying to defend their pitches.

Just own it, after the first test you realized you couldn't compete with that batting line up on anything favoring the batsmen.

If India were to make another flattish wicket, they'd lose and Aus would be playing the WTC Final.

Expect another turner, which is perfectly fine.

[kingusama92]

Lol why are you losing it here.

I didn’t watch the game so can’t comment on the pitch.

But I’ll say one thing. Saying that most batsmen got out to straighter ones doesn’t mean that pitch isn’t poor or a rank turner etc. It just shows that the pitch is a lottery and the batsmen is always in two minds deciding whether to play for the spin or not because there is no genuine way to decipher that based on skill and experience due to the unpredictable nature of the pitch.

So the pitch may have not been that bad but pointing to batsmen getting out to straighter deliveries isn’t a way to get that point across and certain it isn’t evidence. Just saying this because even Kohli said this post match.

A lot of the English batsmen overcompensated.

I am surprised English batsmen still don't realize it's the same concept as always playing for the straight one when it's swinging. This is something they see all the time in England on green wickets.

Just ignore the outswing (in this case turning ball) and keep playing for the straight one while focusing on the length to go back or play forward. If it beats your edge, you quickly forget about it and move on. Instead, these guys kept playing for imaginary spin as soon as one delivery beat their bat.

For me, a bad pitch is one where it starts spinning and keeping low at the same time or there are massive cracks causing the ball to deviate randomly. Variable bounce has no skill to it at all and it indeed becomes a complete guessing game.

This Motera pitch was just turning early and it is something you would combat on day 4/5 in India. If they couldn't handle this, they were going to lose anyway.

[Buffet]

If India were to make another flattish wicket, they'd lose and Aus would be playing the WTC Final.

Did not Eng lose 0-4 on super flat wickets, which did nothing even on day 5, in the last series Eng played in India? I don't think Eng can really win a test in a super road. They can certainly draw it.

Eng can win if they get a pitch which is a super road when they bat and start turning later. For that Eng needs to avoid making an idiotic selection.

Here they missed a golden opportunity by batting poorly. They had to simply put some runs after bowling out India cheaply.

[Buffet]

A lot of the English batsmen overcompensated.

I am surprised English batsmen still don't realize it's the same concept as always playing for the straight one when it's swinging. This is something they see all the time in England on green wickets.

Just ignore the outswing (in this case turning ball) and keep playing for the straight one while focusing on the length to go back or play forward. If it beats your edge, you quickly forget about it and move on. Instead, these guys kept playing for imaginary spin as soon as one delivery beat their bat.

For me, a bad pitch is one where it starts spinning and keeping low at the same time or there are massive cracks causing the ball to deviate randomly. Variable bounce has no skill to it at all and it indeed becomes a complete guessing game.

This Motera pitch was just turning early and it is something you would combat on day 4/5 in India. If they couldn't handle this, they were going to lose anyway.

Fantastic post. Eng could have scored much higher with that approach. Getting beaten is fine as long as you avoid getting bowled or getting LBW.

[MP2011]

Did not Eng lose 0-4 on super flat wickets, which did nothing even on day 5, in the last series Eng played in India?

Do not let facts get in the way of his rant!

[Suleiman]

Take your win and move on bro.

Pitch was crafted for home side. You having to explain so much just shows you’re trying too hard to mask reality. Straighter balls are a threat on these pitches because as Slog said the batsman is in two minds. Do you think a straighter ball will be a threat on the typical motorway road type pitch on its own? Probably not.

All teams do this. SENA teams like England, NZ try to create green tops to roll us over, you did the same. That’s the game.

Now whether or not India took it too far with this pitch is another debate, as ICC fines unplayable ones.

[BDfanforever]

Fantastic post. Eng could have scored much higher with that approach. Getting beaten is fine as long as you avoid getting bowled or getting LBW.

It's easy for arm chair experts on forum to say how England should applied themselves more to score higher. Does the poster knows more about batting than Root, Kohli?

Reality was literally every ball was going to be a wicket if you see even little bit of the game. At the end of the day, IND and NZ are deserving of that WTC final spot, no one is doubting that.

Also, Cricket need to stop experimenting with all these balls and formats. Soon we will have T5 and gold ball test. Just play regular red ball tests, and keep ODI as second best format. T20 stays with league matches.

[Third_Umpire]

I would probably have ripped out a couple of wickets on that track.

[Buffet]

It's easy for arm chair experts on forum to say how England should applied themselves more to score higher. Does the poster knows more about batting than Root, Kohli?

Reality was literally every ball was going to be a wicket if you see even little bit of the game. At the end of the day, IND and NZ are deserving of that WTC final spot, no one is doubting that.

Also, Cricket need to stop experimenting with all these balls and formats. Soon we will have T5 and gold ball test. Just play regular red ball tests, and keep ODI as second best format. T20 stays with league matches.

Ah, I saw a portion of the game. I have played cricket at a decent level and I would have taken the same approach as suggested by the previous poster after the horrible way batsmen got out in the first go by playing for turn and the ball did not turn. It wouldn't have guaranteed success but the odds of scoring more runs would have increased.

If all of us simply think that whatever Kohli/Root decide is the best way to go then there will be no point in giving any comment. Both have made plenty of mistakes. Not using their feet when playing spin was an obvious mistake by both sides here. When Indians did in 2nd inning, batting looked far easier.

[Colorblind Genius]

Rishabh Pant :

The footwork was not good. Normally you when you drive your head on top on the ball with your body behind it, to cover the ball and turn and stay on top. A poor shot where he tried to drive the ball just via his hands, and got the edge.

Washington Sundar :

He basically missed a straight one.. which happens lots of time. But again, you are told in domestic cricket day in and day out that to play spinners.. your left leg has to cover the ball and bring your bat forward. Poor technique again. But I can happen and lot of such dismissals happen.

Axar Patel :

Basically tried to hit the ball in air.. did not come off and caught due to a lofted drive.

Ashwin :

Well he had not choice.. with tailender's batting he tried to hoick a few.

Bumrah :
Well, again a cross batted heave by a typical tailender.

We can go through the same for the Axar's wickets as well..
50% of his dismissals were people missing dead straight balls.
Look at Bairstow's dismissals. Crawley was the worst in 2nd innings.
No commitment and played on the backfoot, with an angled bat.. Not even straight.

Sibley played an ugly cross batted heave.. a high risk shot.
Stokes, well Ashwin has taken him out 11 times now and Ashwin is deadly against left handers.. Just ask Sangakkara.

Just putting it here, as it is so typical to just bash the pitch and outside factors.. Rather then admitting that the defensive technique against spinners has gone down a lot, even for most of the Indian batters.

Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman etc will not have got out like this.. And Laxman was visibly not happy with Indias batting. They were also 100-3 and it was total collapse due to some wrong shots. Which, again can happen on any pitch.

Siva on commentary made a point that even the Indian players do not
play lots of domestic cricket these days due to packed Schedule.. this could be one reason.

The Pink ball, It seems to be skidding a bit more and comes of the pitch a bit faster which the players from both sides are not used to. This also could be a factor.

But, As Usual, No one wants to do an objective analysis and just wants to bash.
Hamare time mein pitches aisi thi... Hamare time mein yeh hota to woh ho jata.
Well there was no DRS back in the days.. I remember lots of test matches where if DRS decisions were there, matches would have finished in 2-3 days.

Dripping with guilty consciousness.

On the contrary, hats off to Yuvraj for bravely standing with the truth.

[Nikhil_cric]

lol Indians trying to defend their pitches.

Just own it, after the first test you realized you couldn't compete with that batting line up on anything favoring the batsmen.

If India were to make another flattish wicket, they'd lose and Aus would be playing the WTC Final.

Expect another turner, which is perfectly fine.

That first deck was flat for two days only. It started ragging after that. England got the best batting conditions. But of course you would never accept that. NZ made the most seam friendly wickets in a decade when India toured. Anything else and your lot know you cant beat us even at home.

[MP2011]

That first deck was flat for two days only. It started ragging after that. England got the best batting conditions. But of course you would never accept that. NZ made the most seam friendly wickets in a decade when India toured. Anything else and your lot know you cant beat us even at home.

Kiwis should be the last ones to lecture anyone about pitch doctoring! Remember those cow pastures produced under Fleming in our 2002 test series?

[Nikhil_cric]

Kiwis should be the last ones to lecture anyone about pitch doctoring! Remember those cow pastures produced under Fleming in our 2002 test series?

Yeah and I have no problem with that. The English rug pitches too and that's fine as well. But a certain English poster will vehemently deny it despite the likes of Athers and Swann openly talking about pitches prepared for oppositions. NZ have no chance on surfaces that are flat. Trundlers like Boult and Southee will be taken to the cleaners consistently.

[Mesozoic]

Ashwin and Axar got out slogging..

Bumrah would give his wicket away to even Ben Foakes if he bowls anything over 50 kPH.....

Pant played a bad shot to a nothing delivery...

Only Sundar got a proper wicket taking ball and that too was a classic offspinner delivery nothing audacious....

So there you go.

[MP2011]

Yeah and I have no problem with that. The English rug pitches too and that's fine as well. But a certain English poster will vehemently deny it despite the likes of Athers and Swann openly talking about pitches prepared for oppositions. NZ have no chance on surfaces that are flat. Trundlers like Boult and Southee will be taken to the cleaners consistently.

Me too. Don't have any issues with any pitch anywhere except when it is dangerous for batsmen which this pitch wasn't. It is called test cricket for a reason!

[Slog]

Ashwin and Axar got out slogging..

Bumrah would give his wicket away to even Ben Foakes if he bowls anything over 50 kPH.....

Pant played a bad shot to a nothing delivery...

Only Sundar got a proper wicket taking ball and that too was a classic offspinner delivery nothing audacious....

So there you go.

Ashwin and Axar getting out slogging kinda of proves the point you’re trying to oppose lol. The fact that they were slogging likely was because they saw the pitch as a lottery and saw no point in hanging around and attempt proper batting.

[sensible-indian-fan]

Ashwin and Axar getting out slogging kinda of proves the point you’re trying to oppose lol. The fact that they were slogging likely was because they saw the pitch as a lottery and saw no point in hanging around and attempt proper batting.

Actually what happ was Axar came in after a collapse.

Thought he would break the shackles with some attacking strokes.

But unfortunately he found the fielder.

Ashwin actually looked pretty comfortable out there.

But seeing the harakiri at the other end, he feared Ishant may get out.

So he started farming the strike.

There was also this matter of increasing the slender lead cos farming the strike would be useless without that.

So he went for a shot too many. Couldn't roll his wrists during sweep and got out.

I know a lot of posters talk about straight ball and just talking about that wud be disengenuous.

But what really happened was that the fundamentals were so bad. You always cover the line first.

Its like a desi team fishing outside off stump in SENA, collapsing and then putting all the onus on the pitch.

Indians could have batted properly and nipped it in the bud but our Maharathis cant play spin. On a turner, collapse is always round the corner.

They had another one of those horrible collapses and from there on, the narrative of this being an impossible pitch to bat on stuck.

It wasnt an easy pitch to bat but no way was it a 100 all out pitch.

Very very poor cricket imho.

[jeeteshssaxena]

Why do we need to do these analysis.?

We have lost two tests at home in last 5 years. LOL

No team has the aukaad to beat us in a series in home conditions. That is pretty much it.

Also New Zealand yet again sneaked into a knockout based on pure luck, while we destroyed aus in aus.

[Romali_rotti]

https://www.bcci.tv/videos/150845/in...all-of-wickets

Can someone please tell me after watching the above highlights, where this vicious turn and balls exploding of the wicket was ? I initially thought it was a bad wicket as I didnt watch most of the game, now watching the highlights, its clear, this was just pathetic batting.

I feel bad now for misjudging BCCI here, nothing wrong with the wicket, incompetent batting..

[Bilal7]

Why are you being so defensive? It is clear that the "GOAT Asian Test side" cannot hold a candle to the likes of Dravid, Younis, Inzamam, Sachin and Sehwag. It is also clear that the BCCI prepares some absolute rank turners, which allows some laughably bad part-timers to pick up five-fors. Therefore, it must also be true that Indian spinners have some disgustingly inflated stats and that they are nowhere as good as their overall numbers would suggest.

There is no analysis that can prove the above statements incorrect when Root and Elgar are picking up five-fors and O'Keefe is winning test matches for his country.

[freelance_cricketer]

I do not idolize cricketers anymore, especially Indian cricketers and i stay true to my words as far as my retirement as a crciket fan is concerned.

But, i will, from time to time, make cameo appearances like these to have a say in topics that go beyond cricketing talk, into the realm of character and sportsman spirit.

Also, as a policy sake, i will try my best to close my case in solitary post only and will not engage in constant chit-chat over opinions because i have no intention to debate with anyone on Cricket. A game played by spineless and characterless people, at least in my country.

So here is my take on the Ahmedabad test :-
It was a pathetic surface and a national embarrassment. It is further more hurtful given how it ruined the historic unveiling of our state of the art giant stadium.This test match will now be remembered for all the wrong reasons much like the forgettable Mumbai test match 2004 vs Australia.
Much like in public life, like how a lot of people previously thought to be neutral, secular have now passively shown their fascist face to the society, a lot of the cricket fans also have proven themselves to be nothing but arrogant, glory hunting little kids masuerading as genuine cricket lovers. You don't have to be an Indian, English or Pakistan to say this pitch is *****. I like moments like these when people's real faces are revealed. India is a great cricket nation. Dominant at home. They do not need to stoop to this level and then shamelessly defend it in order win at home. Stop embarrasing yourselves. I hope the ICC rightfully grades this pitch poor and penalizes India for it but that seems unlikely given the lack of spine.

[Bilal7]

I do not idolize cricketers anymore, especially Indian cricketers and i stay true to my words as far as my retirement as a crciket fan is concerned.

But, i will, from time to time, make cameo appearances like these to have a say in topics that go beyond cricketing talk, into the realm of character and sportsman spirit.

Also, as a policy sake, i will try my best to close my case in solitary post only and will not engage in constant chit-chat over opinions because i have no intention to debate with anyone on Cricket. A game played by spineless and characterless people, at least in my country.

So here is my take on the Ahmedabad test :-
It was a pathetic surface and a national embarrassment. It is further more hurtful given how it ruined the historic unveiling of our state of the art giant stadium.This test match will now be remembered for all the wrong reasons much like the forgettable Mumbai test match 2004 vs Australia.
Much like in public life, like how a lot of people previously thought to be neutral, secular have now passively shown their fascist face to the society, a lot of the cricket fans also have proven themselves to be nothing but arrogant, glory hunting little kids masuerading as genuine cricket lovers. You don't have to be an Indian, English or Pakistan to say this pitch is *****. I like moments like these when people's real faces are revealed. India is a great cricket nation. Dominant at home. They do not need to stoop to this level and then shamelessly defend it in order win at home. Stop embarrasing yourselves. I hope the ICC rightfully grades this pitch poor and penalizes India for it but that seems unlikely given the lack of spine.

Very well said. I hope you can take back your retirement. It's just such a ridiculous policy. The same Indian side beat a superior English team back in 2016 on traditional Indian surfaces. The BCCI will have no friends when the bubble inevitably bursts.

[Usman]

Lol why are you losing it here.

I didn’t watch the game so can’t comment on the pitch.

But I’ll say one thing. Saying that most batsmen got out to straighter ones doesn’t mean that pitch isn’t poor or a rank turner etc. It just shows that the pitch is a lottery and the batsmen is always in two minds deciding whether to play for the spin or not because there is no genuine way to decipher that based on skill and experience due to the unpredictable nature of the pitch.

So the pitch may have not been that bad but pointing to batsmen getting out to straighter deliveries isn’t a way to get that point across and certain it isn’t evidence. Just saying this because even Kohli said this post match.

This is precisely the point. If you watch the highlights footage only, you'll say oh that's terrible batting all round. In actual fact if you watched the game, almost every single ball was doing wildly different things. Players who got out missing the straight ball mostly did because, through no skill or intention of the bowler, the exact same ball bowled in the exact same way by the exact same bowler was consistently not going straight on.

Also when the ball was straight, the pink ball was skidding on, i.e. it was going through at pace. Batsmen found their stumps dislodged before they had a chance to think.

This pitch wasn't a test of batting ability. Each batsman was reduced to making pure guesses about what the ball was going to do.

[Hasan123]

Root is a decent spinner. He should back himself more.

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Would love to see an analysis on Hardik Pandya's 5fer in England by the OP.