Kris Srikkanth rues batting failures

The batting trinity has failed to capitalize on the starts they have got, Srikkanth opined.

India’s chief selector Kris Srikanth admitted that the team’s recent batting failures has what shoved them into such a predicament. The batting unit have made starts but have failed to convert them into big scores, he opined.

“Our batting didn’t click as a unit,” Srikkanth said.

“It is a bit surprising as we were confident of a good show in Australia. But we must admit that Australia have played better cricket than us.”

Sachin Tendulkar has been the best batsman for India in this series. But for him the journey to that elusive milestone is proving slippery yet again, he has got out after caressing his way to scores 73, 32, 80, 41 in four innings. However, Dravid has went past the 50 mark only once in the first innings at Melbourne. He got off to a confident start in the second innings at Sydney, but uncharacteristically failed to make it count. Laxman hasn’t been in the best of forms this series, but scored a silky half-century in the second innings at Sydney, his favorite hunting ground. Ashwin’s fighting display at Sydney so late in the game and Gambhir’s half-century aside, the rest of the batting unit failed to make an impression.

“In South Africa, when we drew the Test series [in 2010-11], at least one of our batsmen went on to score a big hundred. Here our batsmen have got to half-centuries but didn’t get a big score. Test cricket provides you with few opportunities but one needs to grab them when they come your way.”

That loss at Sydney took their tally to sixth consecutive loss overseas. What has been even more embarrassing was that this was India’s third innings defeat. Srikkanth refused to cite any reason for the losses and admitted that what has happened was a culmination of a collective failure.

“Look, when you lose you can cite any reason,” Srikkanth said.

“There is no point trying to find excuses and we need to move on. But Dhoni has been honest enough in not giving any excuses. In fact he has rightly admitted that our batting has not clicked, it has clicked only in patches.”

Srikkanth acknowledged that the team that has toured Australia currently is the best team available.

“This is the best team we have at the moment. Also there are no injuries. I believe each and every member has accepted that Australia is playing better cricket.”

India were in a position of strength in the first test after stumps on Day 2, only to squander it all by experiencing a batting collapse reminiscent of the kind that happened in England few months before.

“We were 211 for 2 [in the first innings] and we lost it from there,” Srikkanth said. “We had Sehwag, Dravid and Tendulkar playing well but then no one got a big score. When you lose the first Test, automatically, there is a lot of pressure on you. Now one should try and do well in the Perth Test. We have won in Perth last time and we should try and do well there.”