Border-Gavaskar Trophy / This 'disease' has been troubling Team India's batsmen for the last 4 years

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: The Indian cricket team recently registered a spectacular victory in the Perth Test, but suffered a crushing defeat during the Pink Ball Test in Adelaide. The biggest reason for this defeat was the disappointing performance of the team's batsmen. The entire team collapsed within 200 runs in both innings, and not a single batsman could reach a half-century. Captain Rohit Sharma also admitted that batting proved to be the weak side of the team.

Four-year-old 'disease' of Indian batsmen

The average of Indian batsmen has been facing a steady decline in recent years. In the last four years (since 2020), the Indian team has become the only team to have the most batsmen with an average of less than 35 despite scoring more than 1000 runs. This list includes names like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara.

Virat Kohli: Scored runs at an average of 32.15.

KL Rahul: Average of 33.

Cheteshwar Pujara: Average of 29.69 (not part of the team at the moment).

Apart from this, captain Rohit Sharma has scored at an average of 37.66 in the last four years, which is not in line with his talent. Shubman Gill, who made his Test debut in 2020, has batted at an average of 36.45. At the same time, Rishabh Pant, from whom expectations were high, his performance has also been around the average.

Disappointing performance this year

The performance of the key batsmen of the Indian team in the year 2024 was even more disappointing.

Rohit Sharma: 598 runs in 23 innings at an average of 27.2.

Virat Kohli: 373 runs in 16 innings at an average of 26.6.

KL Rahul: 381 runs in 12 innings at an average of 34.6.

Rishabh Pant: 509 runs at an average of 39.2.

The team is not able to play even 50 overs

The performance of Team India has fallen to such an extent in Test cricket that many times the entire innings is reduced to within 50 overs. In the recent series against New Zealand, the Indian team was out within 50 overs thrice. In the current series against Australia too, in two out of four innings, the batsmen could not last for 50 overs.

Crisis looming over the series

There are now three matches left in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and the Indian team will have to win all of them to reach the final of the World Test Championship. However, this target looks extremely difficult given the current state of the batsmen. The team will have to immediately overcome their weakness to return to the path of victory.

If this 'disease' of the Indian batsmen continues, then the dream of winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the third time in Australia will remain unfulfilled. Now is the time for the team to strengthen its batting order and enter the field with new vigor and confidence in the next matches.