It was so ironical. Even as one television channel brought the ignominious Indian slide at Old Trafford, another relived the thrilling triumph of 1971 when Ajit Wadekar and his men scripted history at The Oval. Such contrast!
Some of the old-timers must have been appalled at India’s capitulation at the hands of a part-time off-spinner. On Sunday, Moeen Ali hastened India’s debacle with four strikes that carried his series haul to 19 wickets.
Not the best practitioner of his art, Moeen mocked at some who were touted as the best against spin. Veteran off-spinner Erapalli Prasanna refused to term Moeen a part-time bowler. “To me, his batting is questionable, not bowling. Those who call him part-time have not played good cricket. If he was part-time, he would not have bowled long spells. Rohit (Sharma) and (Murali) Vijay are part-time. Moeen’s strength is his line.
Batsmen timid“I have always believed length is paramount. He bowls within his limitations and attacks the batsmen. The Indian batsmen were timid. We haven’t played spin well at all. Also, we haven’t had good field placements for our bowlers,” said Prasanna.
“Lack of footwork. Simple!” Navjot Singh Sidhu responded in his inimitable style on India’s batting approach. “You have to keep the spinner guessing. You have to leave the crease to meet the spinner, unsettle him, and take calculated risks. You have to force the bowler to vary his length.”
And when to step out? “When the spinner is at the point of no return.”
Sidhu should know, having blasted Aussie leg-spin wizard Shane Warne out of contention with his electrifying footwork. “I always watched the wrist, but was never scared of going down the pitch.”
V.V.S. Laxman was another master. He had the skill and courage to step out and on-drive Warne at his best. Sidhu raved, “Laxman was amazing. He could drive against the spin. The best I saw in my career was Brijesh Patel. He killed spinners by jumping out at will.”
Laxman himself said, “it is important to read the bowlers mind and pick the ball early. Unlike against fast bowlers you can step out to spinners. Indians, I thought, were either too complacent or over-defensive against Moeen.”
Old-timers would also remember G.R. Visvanath and Mohinder Amarnath for their inside-out strokes against off-spinners in particular. A batsman cannot survive against spinners by adopting a predictable approach.
Sidhu insists the steps have to be small, but firm. “These Indian batsmen (playing in England) have poor footwork. I think they are also worried about getting out leg-before. We could offer the pad, but not any more.”
Poor defencePravin Amre, a fine player against spin and a compulsive stroke-player, pointed out “poor” defence as the reason for the Indians’ failing against Moeen. “There is no proper defence. They are just stuck in the crease because footwork is faulty. Our batsmen just did not play the normal game against Moeen.
“Shot selection was bad because Moeen was not bowling great or unplayable deliveries. Personally, the Indian batsmen were a victim of their ego, unable to accept their submission to a part-time bowler.
“Moeen got the main batsmen out and that hurts more. Attack cannot be an option always, but then playing positively doesn’t mean hitting out. You have to respect the merit of the ball,” observed Amre.
Mental disintegrationFor Abbas Ali Baig, who played many a season of county cricket in England, it was a matter of “mental disintegration.” Baig, who followed the match on TV in Singapore, noted, “the conditions in England are different, but India suffered because of pre-conceived notions on a pitch that did nothing.
“Conditions and pitches offer a challenge; admittedly the ball moves around, but overall it was more of a psychological thing with the Indian batsmen.”
