Blame Game Begins On Pune Pitch, India Team Management Under Question From World Cup Winner
The World Cup winner voiced frustration over the choice of pitch preparation, questioning the reasoning behind it.
Following India's disappointing defeat to New Zealand, former India cricketer Madan Lal offered a candid analysis of the team's performance, highlighting key factors behind the loss, such as the importance of home conditions and the need for a stronger showing from the top order. 1983 World Cup winner Lal began by discussing the advantage of playing on home turf, saying, "At home, we usually win series because the conditions favour us. The pitches suit our style, and we are accustomed to batting and playing here. We are more familiar with the weather and climate. Given all these factors, India generally has the upper hand."
However, he voiced frustration over the choice of pitch preparation, questioning the reasoning behind it. "We have ourselves to blame. There was no point in making such a pitch. I don't know who asked for this wicket - whether it was the team management's decision or someone else's."
He went on to emphasise the strength of India's bowling line-up, stating, "You have a solid team with a strong pace attack and the best spin attack. Yet, we created these pitches and fell into our own trap. On good wickets, we would have certainly won the Test match."
Lal also highlighted the underwhelming batting performance, particularly from the top order. "Another reason is that we didn't bat well enough. Our top order didn't perform. When our batters in the top five or six positions perform, we tend to win the Test match. We always have options in bowling because the conditions suit us."
He acknowledged the public's expectations of the players, noting that scrutiny intensifies when the team underperforms. "I wouldn't say too much, but people are going to comment when you don't perform. There's no doubt about that. The same people who praise you when you score will criticise when you're out of form. Their lack of performance affected the team."
Lal praised individual contributions from younger players, saying, "Youngsters like Jaiswal scored runs, and Ravindra Jadeja also contributed. But you can't win with one or two batters alone. The top order needs to deliver more consistently for us to succeed as a unit."
India Cricket Team
New Zealand Cricket Team
Rohit Sharma