The IND vs SA 2nd Test begins on November 22 in Guwahati.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has delivered a sharp critique after India lost to South Africa in Kolkata, pointing to the hosts’ pitch preparation strategy as a potential root cause of their batting struggles.
India suffered a batting collapse in the first Test against South Africa at the Eden Gardens, where they were bowled out on 93 chasing a modest target of 124, which has also raised concerns over their batters’ ability to tackle spin.
Ponting cautioned that India’s obsession with preparing rank turners has created a paradox – weakening their spinners’ effectiveness, while exposing the batters to increasing vulnerability against visiting spin attacks.
“They prepare these wickets so much in favour of spinners that it negates the quality of their spin. It makes opposition spinners better when they get wickets that turn like that. And in the last five or six years, India didn’t play spin as well as they once did. They’re evening it up for everybody else,” Ponting expressed bluntly.
The same is evident from the stats. India enjoyed a dominant phase from February 23, 2017, to September 2024, winning 25 Tests at home and losing only four, with batters averaging 39.95 and bowlers maintaining an average around 22.11. However, since October 2024, the numbers have sharply dipped. The batters are averaging 29.28, and bowlers 24.04, resulting in four defeats in the last six Tests.
If we talk about spin performances on home soil since January 2021, it reveals a shifting narrative. Indian spinners have taken 264 wickets at a stellar 19.53 average, while opposition spinners accounted for 195 wickets at a modest 33.99. But in the last four home defeats, Indian spinners’ impact has declined significantly, bagging 54 wickets at 23.25, whereas opposition spinners excelled with 49 wickets at an impressive 20.97 average.
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Though critical of the pitch conditions, Ponting backed Rishabh Pant as India’s stand-in captain for the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati. This comes after Shubman Gill was sidelined due to a neck spasm. Having coached Pant at Delhi Capitals (DC), Ponting believes the 28-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has the right temperament and tactical acumen to handle the leadership challenge.
“It’s never easy to come and fill in for a stop-gap captain, especially when you’ve lost a Test match a few days before. Rishabh is reasonably an experienced Test-match player now, and being a wicketkeeper probably helps him see how the game is evolving.” Ponting added.
He also added that Pant’s IPL and recent India A captaincy experience will serve him well in managing his dual role of leader and batter.
With South Africa leading the series 1-0, Ponting’s message is clear. India’s biggest challenge lies in overcoming self-made conditions, and the spin batting technique has further backfired on them in recent times.
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