New Delhi [India], November 17 : Former Australian cricketer Brad Haddin has criticised the Indian team, which lost their first Test at Eden Gardens in 13 years following a loss to South Africa by 31 runs, saying that they are "leaving too much on chance" by using excessively spin-friendly surfaces and not allowing themselves to play their best cricket.
India's Test woes at home continued as they failed yet another test against quality spin. Simon Harmer haunted India with his sharp turn and bamboozling ways, securing eight wickets in the match and leaving India 31-run short of a modest target of 124 runs. This marked India's fourth successive loss to SENA nations at home in Tests, after a humiliating 0-3 whitewash to New Zealand last year, which marked their first series loss at home in 12 years.
Speaking on the Willow Talk Podcast, Haddin said, "I just think they are leaving too much to chance. India play their best cricket when they put a big total on the board, and then they make the opposition claustrophobic with their fields. Their spinners are better than anyone else on those surfaces, but their batters are not that good players of spin on surfaces like that."
He pointed out that under Virat Kohli's captaincy, Team India used to put up "big scoreboard pressure" with big totals and made their opponents feel "claustrophobic" with aggressive field settings.
"When Virat Kohli took over as captain back then, they batted long and put big scoreboard pressure and left opponents claustrophobic with their fields. They are leaving too much to chance. It brings ordinary spinners into the game. They have taken their world-class batters out of the game. Your skill and the craft of um using your drift, using the different angles of the crease go out of it," he added.
Following the match in the presser, head coach Gautam Gambhir had defended the pitch, saying that there were "no demons on it".
"There was no demon in this wicket. It was not an unplayable one. This was not a typical turning track. The majority of the wickets were claimed by the seamers. It was more of a test of your technique and mental toughness... Those who defended well scored runs. This is exactly what we wanted, but when you do not play well, this is what happens," he had said.
Haddin said he heard that Gambhir came out and said that they are happy with the surface they are playing on. "This cost them against New Zealand as well," he said
India are 1-0 down in the series and will put their best foot forward in the second Test in Guwahati from November 22.