‘When Kohli was captain, India dominated’ - Brad Haddin feels Gautam Gambhir 'leaving too much to chance'

Former Australian cricketer Brad Haddin stated that India’s reliance on rank turners is backfiring for the second time under Gautam Gambhir. India produced a disappointing performance in the first Test at Eden Gardens, suffering a 30-run defeat against South Africa on Sunday, November 16.

The loss triggered widespread criticism of Gambhir’s strategic approach and the tendency to leave too much to chance on highly unpredictable pitches. Defending India’s decision and request to play on such a surface, Gambhir lamented the poor batting of his side as the solitary reason behind the defeat.

India had faced an almost identical situation last year when they failed to chase a 147-run target against New Zealand in Mumbai, leading to an unprecedented 0-3 series whitewash at home, the first in their cricketing history.

The wicketkeeper-batter recalled the captaincy days of Virat Kohli, when India dominated for nearly six years at home, suffering negligible losses while piling on heavy runs on the board before the spinners took over.

“When Virat Kohli took over as captain back then, they batted long and put scoreboard pressure. They are leaving too much to chance. It brings ordinary spinners into the game. You just have people who can throw the ball and the wicket will do the rest. I heard that Gambhir came out and said we are happy with the surface we are playing on. This cost them against New Zealand as well,” Haddin said on the Willow Talk podcast.

“They’ve done it twice now under Gambhir. They play their best cricket when it's not about turning wickets but building scoreboard pressure with their runs. They have taken their world-class batters out of the game. 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 on that surface but their batters are actually not that good players of spin on a surface like that,” he added.

South Africa pace legend Shaun Pollock also lambasted the poor mindset of the Indian batters on such tricky pitches. The 124-run target is the lowest ever that India have failed to chase down in a Test match at home.

“I think on that surface the mindset had to be where can we score from time to time, how can we look to be positive. I thought the intensity went through the roof when Jadeja got to the crease. Pant probably wasn’t there for long enough. Where are those old Indian batters who on certain conditions, even though it's difficult, found ways of dominating? You think of VVS Laxman, when he played that innings here against Australia. What’s happening with these chases now?,” said Pollock.