New Delhi, Nov 17 (NationPress) Former Australia wicketkeeper-batter Brad Haddin has expressed concerns regarding India’s dependence on playing Tests on turning pitches. He noted that the Kolkata Test marks the second occurrence of this strategy failing during Gautam Gambhir’s leadership, revealing that the Indian batting lineup struggles against spin bowling on such surfaces.

India's issues with spin-friendly pitches were evident as they faced a 30-run loss to South Africa at Eden Gardens in under three days. This defeat follows less than a year after India couldn't chase down 147 runs against New Zealand in Mumbai, resulting in a historic 0-3 series sweep against the hosts.

“Under Gambhir’s leadership, they’ve faced this issue twice now. They perform at their best not on turning wickets but when they apply scoreboard pressure through their runs. They are effectively sidelining their world-class batters and relying too much on chance,” Haddin remarked during an episode of the Willow Talk podcast on Monday.

Haddin, who played alongside Gambhir for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL, emphasized the difference in approach during Virat Kohli’s captaincy.

“When Kohli took charge as captain, they focused on building long innings and exerting scoreboard pressure. Now, they seem to be leaving too much to chance, which allows average spinners to come into play. The nuanced skills of using drift and different bowling angles seem to vanish,” he added.

“It's puzzling to hear Gambhir state that they are satisfied with the playing surface. This same strategy cost them against New Zealand,” Haddin commented.

India now trails 0-1 in the two-match series and will face South Africa in the second Test, commencing at ACA Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday. Alyssa Healy, captain of the Australian women's team, believes India must play on better pitches, as losing Tests at home is quite unusual.

“I can't fathom their approach. Battling against spin is challenging worldwide, even for those raised on such pitches. They need to stop creating turning tracks, thinking it will benefit them, when in reality, it hasn't. New Zealand triumphed against them using this strategy. They should create flatter wickets for their batters to thrive,” she stated.

“Their spinners might perform better on pitches that don't turn as much. If that's their genuine preference, it's perplexing, as it gives the opposition a chance to attack. Think of spinners like Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, and even Axar Patel; they thrive when attacking the stumps. It’s time for India to reevaluate their strategy, especially since losing home Tests is quite bizarre for them. They need to consider what adjustments to make, possibly shifting to better pitches,” she concluded.